‘THE FINEST AERODROME IN THE COMMONWEALTH’! INGHAM’S AIRPORT

Did you know that you could fly on major Australian domestic airlines from Ingham’s licensed aerodrome once upon a time? The airlines operating out of the aerodrome were TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) a major Australian domestic airline company, 1946 – 1992 and ANA (Australian National Airways), 1936 - 1957.

In the early 1920s the few small planes that flew into Ingham landed on the racecourse. As Council received more requests for permission to land it was clear that a proper airstrip was needed. Part of the town reserve was cleared but this ground proved swampy and the Controller of Aviation would not give approval for a suggested alternative site because it too was inappropriate.

Then, New England Airways offered to carry out a survey and draw up plans for a licensed aerodrome if Government money could be secured to bring the airstrip up to standard. The Government refused to assist and the strip continued to be used unlicensed. A regular passenger service conducted by The Queensland Air Navigation Limited was supposed to commence in early April 1930 but as the airstrip was still hazardous with cows grazing on the runway and unusable in the wet season the service did not commence.

In emergencies aircraft landed on the golf course and once one used the concrete Fairford Road for takeoff! What excitement that must have caused.

Finally, the Government authorized the Council to borrow money from the Insurance Commissioner to construct a licensed aerodrome. It opened with great ceremony and joy flights on 30 July 1939. It cost £2800 to construct. In a report of the day “Mr. M. I. Grabowskl, manager of Airlines of Australia, said that the aerodrome was one of the finest in the Commonwealth.” Perhaps he should have said state but even that would have been an exaggeration!

However, already in 1940 the airstrip was not fit for use and The Civil Aviation authority required the Council to make repairs so that a license could be issued to reopen. However, with lack of funds over the World War 2 period the airstrip deteriorated badly yet again and became unsuitable for use. Anyway, the types of larger planes coming in use post-war made that airstrip unsuitable.

The construction of a new airstrip with small terminal would enable commercial and transport planes to land. The construction limped along for years due to protracted wet seasons until finally on 24 July1955 the airport opened at a cost of £26000. Plane services began the same week with ANA  southbound aircraft landing on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings with northbound aircraft landing on the same afternoons. TAA offered a similar service with southbound aircraft landing on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and northbound aircraft landing on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. The first planes were DC3s while later Fokker F27s were used. The route was Brisbane-Maryborough-Bundaberg-Gladstone-Rockhampton-Proserpine-Mackay-Townsville-Ingham-Innisfail-Cairns. Again, effusive praise was given for the airport with it being described as “one of the best country landing places in the State.”

The service continued for several decades. One of the last notable landings of larger planes were VIP aircraft, that landed in Ingham on 2 July 1979 bringing Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen and Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser for the opening of the Lucinda sugar terminal. Though still a busy airstrip, it is unsuitable for the landing of the huge commercial passenger aircraft in use today.

Contributed with thanks to Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui.