Bert Hinkler - Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
S 24° 52.015 E 152° 20.840
56J E 434067 N 7249629
This dark granite 'Grecian altar' is central in Buss Park, Bundaberg.
Waymark Code: WM17MKM
Location: Queensland, Australia
Date Posted: 03/09/2023
Views: 0
The Citizen Memorial for Bert Hinkler is built of polished dark grey rectangular marble blocks on three low tiers of granite slabs. I didn't realise it at the time, but this was placed in 1936! The gilt lined engraved inscription on the western side reads:
A Tribute to the Memory of
Squadron-Leader H.J.L - Bert - Hinkler
Erected by the citizens of Australia
Born at Bundaberg 8th December 1892, Accidentally
Killed in the Prato Magno Alps Tuscany Italy
eighth January 1933 while flying to Australia
On the 'rear' of the granite memorial is the following gilt filled inscription:
Principal Flights
First solo flight from Great Britain to Australia
First flight across South Atlantic Ocean from
west to east
The Monuments Australia page for this monument gives the following:
- He was the son of a Mill worker (probably sugar cane),
- Before turning 20 he had built man-carrying gliders successfully
- In 1913 he headed to England, working with the Sopwith Company
- He served with distinction in World War One, awarded the DSM
- 1921-1926 he was the Chief Test Pilot for AV Roe & Co.
- 1928 flew solo England to Australia
- 1931 flew solo across South Atlantic Ocean
- Died in January 1933 while attempting solo flight to Australia
The webpage also has the following excerpt from The Sydney Morning Herald of 31 July 1936:
"The Governor-General (Lord Gowrie), when he unveiled the Hinkler Memorial in Buss Park, Bundaberg, yesterday afternoon, said that it gave him great pleasure to unveil a memorial to the greatest Australian aviator whom they all knew as Bert Hinkler, and it was indeed fitting that a national memorial subscribed to by people of Australia should be erected at Bundaberg, his native town. Lord Gowrie said that Hinkler was one of those stout-hearted pioneers who blazed the trail for what is rapidly becoming the chief means of human transportation throughout the world. 'What we owe to these intrepid aviators can never be estimated,' he said, 'and the memorial will be a reminder to the present generation and to those who are to follow of what civilisation owes to these courageous and skilful men. Hinkler's name will ever go down in history among the chosen few.'
"The monument is of simple design, in the form of an ancient Grecian altar set horizontally on a base of granite square and built of grey granite. Near the top of the monument is inscribed: 'A tribute, to the memory of Squadron-leader H. J. L. (Bert) Hinkler; erected by the citizens of Australia.'"
[ex-Bert Hinkler]
Visited: 1212, Thursday, 9 June, 2022