AUSTRALIA FROM THE AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 59, 7 September 1926, Page 9

AUSTRALIA FROM THE AIR

Telegraphing from Alice Springs last Tuesday, Cobham said: "Yesterday we left Adelaide, and this afternoon landed in the centre of Australia at Alice Springs, where. we discovered just beyond the Macdonnell Mountains a perfect aerodrome, with the boundaries marked out with white spots, and Sergeant Stott waiting to greet us on landing. "After taking oft from Oodnadatta at 11.5 a.m.; we flew along the telegraph route, landing at Alice Springs at 2.15 p.m., and covering the 340 miles in 3 hours 10 minutes. "A flight such as we have done creates a wonderful impression on the aviator's mind, and I am more convinced than ever that the only way to get a true conception of a country is to fly over it. "After leaving Adelaide we encountered one rain storm after another, but experienced no difficulty, as the visibility was very good, and we had a wonderful view of the great wheat areas stretching for scores of miles on every side. We flew very low to avoid the head wind, and passed over dozens of homesteads, to whom we waved our arms in return to their salutations. "After passing over Port Augusta the weather cleared. Finally we hit the railway line at Copley, and later landed at Maree for extra fuel. The joy of flying in Australia is that, generally speaking, it is possible to land almost anywhere one wishes. "After a happy night at Oodnadatta wo flew on north to-day in a calm atmosphere, with a visibility of 70 to 80 miles. -At 2000 feet above one gets the real idea of the great open spaces. The traveller on the ground can see as far as the next ridge only, but the traveller in an aeroplane lias a perpetual panoramic view of the river beds, creeks, and tracks laid out beneath him like a gigantic map, and can get a better geographical conception in one flight than from.a dozen trips on the ground. I was never more impressed with the vastness of Australia and its orien spaces than to-day. Finally the Macdonnell Ranges came into view, and soon we were circling over these mountains, which possibly are the oldest rock formations in the world. Sergeant Ward and Mr. Capel were busy with the cinematograph and still cameras taking pictures until we landed on the aerodrome. To-morrow wo will fly on to Newcastle Waters and Catherine."