I saw a poster about this plane ride – to go with the postal plane to deliver mail and packages to the outback. The pictures posted are from the first part of the flight over the Atherton Tables where they raise lots of vegetables and fruit.
It was a very exciting flight. To see the terrain from the air was great. There was just the pilot and myself and there were many, many stops. Some were near small towns and there would be people waiting at the small air strip. I was allowed to get out and talk to people and watch the unloading and loading of new cargo being shipped off.
After the small towns, we were in the outback and landed on small dirt strips on a ‘station’ (farm) ‘homestead.’ There was always a truck kicking up dust as it came to meet the plane. We also woke up kangaroos and they would be hopping away.
The people living in the outback live a very solitary life. Mostly family members and at times of the year a large barracks for workers that travel from farm to farm rounding up cattle, mending fences, anything needed. The lady of the farm is responsible to cook and feed all these workers. I was told it took an acre of land per head of cattle.
They had only radio when I was there. That’s what they used for communication with the rest of the world, and the connection to teachers for school for the children. The young people found that marriage to a “city” person did not work out, so at slack times of the year they had parties and dances for the young people to meet. They had to travel so far to attend these get-togethers that each host was expected to “put people up.”
At one of the farms, the pilot and I were invited for “a cuppa” at the main house. We were served tea and small cakes, but best of all we had a great conversation with the lady of the homestead. She told me a little about her life and the house I visited was very basic like a cabin. I was amazed at the life she led, and she told the pilot she could not understand the American Lady traveling all over the country by herself!
The flight went all the way to Heathlands and the Pilot took a swing over the water before heading back.
Great experience!
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