Planes land in Onslow, Port Hedland for the Sir Norman Brearley Commemorative Flight

A century after Norman Brearley created Australia’s first scheduled air service, 55 people have boarded 23 planes to recreate the journey through the North West. The monumental flight in 1921 between Geraldton and Derby was operated by Western Australian Airways. To commemorate the milestone 23 planes recreated the journey as part of the Sir Norman Brearley Commemorative Flight, named after the West Australian Airways founder. Planes descended into Onslow Airport on September 16 before continuing north with stopovers at Port Hedland, Broome and Derby. Shire of Ashburton President Kerry White said she was proud of Onslow’s involvement in this historic event. “Onslow’s involvement in the first commercial flight in the southern hemisphere is a significant historical achievement for the town,” she said. “It’s incredible to see the development of air travel within our region from the first flight in 1921 to our amazing Onslow Airport in 2021.”