StateLibQld 2 185175
Dr. Jean White, Mrs Simpson, Reverend Fred McKay AIM Padre, Dr Gordon Albury (RFDS Cloncurry), Reverend John Flynn and wife Jean at a picnic at Cloncurry 1937
Dr Jean White first lady Flying Doctor. There were always stories around Kowanyama amongst the old people about early plane crashes on the Mitchell. An American Airforce bomber had run out of fuel and made a forced landing on the Gilgai plain at Umbaladey east of Shelfo in 1944. It was the first time a road was cut to the Mitchell River for the Airforce crew to drive their trucks to the site. With the help of Alex McLeod and a team of men the plane was repaired and flown back to Charters Towers. A second crash that was talked about came to light when Viv and Patrick Eric were mapping the old man’s clan country. An area was shown where the crash had happened at Tha lewen
Page 20
only a kilometre or so from Wul’a known as Water Place and running parallel to Perntenvm a short ridge west of Wul’a. There was little information about the crash by a “lady Flying Doctor” at the time but we now have the story. This year photos appeared on Normanton Facebook page, Normanton and Surrounds. Photos were posted by Craig Marsterson found while researching Gulf history in Townsville. The photographs shown here are just two of quite a few images of interest to Kowanyama. Craig was able to shed some light on who the “lady pilot” was and has provided us with the details with copies of published stories.
