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Tropical Queensland, Other Places and Other Events.

Each wet season ( 75 to 79 inclusive) I worked in tropical north Queensland. Based Ingham I also worked Mossman and Tully. I learned what rain was all about. I well remember 24 inches in 24 hours, not each day but frequent. In Mossman I remember 84 inches in 3 days. Depressing. I stayed in the Royal Hotel and it had a corrugated galvanised steel roof which is common in Australia. One could not converse with the constant deafening roar. It was depressing for such an extended period.
The mould that grew on buildings in Tully and one always had constantly damp clothing, common in the tropics The airstrip was all over grass and regardless of how much rain and what water lay on the surface one could always land. I remember landing in water just for the fun of it. Water would gush over the wings and windscreen. Deceleration was rapid.
In Ingham if we could not start a job by 8am we would have a leisurely breakfast, clean up and get to the pub at opening time which was 10am. I was in my late 20’s then and a much keener drinker than I am now in my 70’s.
The work was difficult but being a young keen pilot I didn’t consider that. Fields were small and mid morning the land breeze or katabatic wind ceased and sea breeze or anabatic wind started and I’d need to finish. I'd restart in the late avo. The pesticide was herbicide, estercides of 24D and 245T. Volatile and could damage susceptible crops in the proximity. There were bananas and other tropical fruits, houses and water ways. I took considerable care and never had a claim. I seemed to have endless requests for first spray in the morning whilst the wind was calm so as to avoid drift. It was the very worst time to spray because the atmosphere was stable and more conducive to drift. It was difficult to convince farmers.
I clearly remember landing at a cattle station south of Sarina. Rocks all over the airstrip. I asked the owner to drive his car down the strip at 100 kph and he declined saying it could damage his car. Whilst some are blissfully ignorant it’s quite rare to get one who is inconsiderate.
I remember flying inland somewhere west of Cairns to spray beans. I would think it was a seed crop. I stayed in an old homestead devoid of walls. Lovely place to livebut I guess not when they had wind shear off tropical a thunderstorm. Writing about such events brings back many memories and almost without exception good memories of good people and of good events. Slaughtering cattle on stations and taking the cuts out of the beasts, throwing it on the back of utes or trucks where we had laid gum tree branches and leaves to keep the meat off the truck deck and thus keep it clean. I remember shooting good bullocks from the helicopter, taking the cuts, all the cuts, from the beast, half on the left litter and half on the right. Flying it back to the station homestead and quarters. After unloading it I would take the station kids for a ride in the helicopter.
Writing of these times has been most rewarding when I can reminisce about what has been a great career. I do have one regret and that is selling my business in 95. Working for others was stress free, eventful, sometimes adventurous but not as rewarding. I wished I had kept it for just a few more years but I don’t dwell on that.
These days I don’t fly for pleasure, however I still get pleasure from ag flying or teaching others and passing on my skill. I am not a licensed instructor but at times people ask me to help them upgrade their skills.


This appears to be perhaps the only photo I have of the aeroplane I flew in North Queensland. My sister and brother in law, who were passengers in the hopper to Hinchinbrook Island off the coast of Ingham.