The Cairns Post of 28DEC38 (p.11) records: "Adastra Airways have finished up their aerial surveys, lasting over some months, for the Apinaipi Petroleum Company and Messrs Rodoni, the pilot, and Lavender, the photographer, have with the plane, returned to Australia."

Warren Ide advises that Frank Schneider joined much earlier than 1965 as previously stated. He appears in a 1954 photo and was already Photographic Manager when Warren joined in 1956. Warren has also supplied further information on Update #113 which see.

Recorded the passing of Jim Hilferty on 26APR23 at age 89.

Frank Wondrach advises that he was with the Photographic and Reprographic section from May 1971 to April 1976 as a Process Camera Operator, from there he went to the Dept of Main Roads.

Georgia Reeves advises that her great Uncle Albert "Alby" Lewis was chief engineer at Adastra for six years in the 1930s. He was Bunny Hammond's engineer during the 1920s when they went barnstorming in rural towns across NSW, QLD and VIC.

Added Owen McKenzie-Smith who is also listed as Owen Smith. His family advises that he is now deceased.

Mike Costello advises that his father, Brian Costello, passed away peacefully on 29MAR21 aged 79.

Sandra Williams advises that her husband Roy Williams passed away on 08SEP12.

Katrina Henningham JP advises that her step-father David Bland passed away on 03OCT20.

We record the passing of John Collins on 21JUN20.

Updated the listing for Clive Gibbons from Phoenix, the journal of HARS. At the time of writing, Clive is a volunterr with HARS.

Mira Melzig was not married when she started at Adastra, her maiden surname was Krygowska and she may have continued to use that name whilst she was at Adastra. She was with Adastra from around 1962 to 1965. Update thanks to Doug Morrison.

Added further details on Frank and Evelyn Follett. Also added a link to a biography of Evelyn Follett.

Laurie McLean (former National Mapping) advises that Jock Maxwell Head (born 14 November 1946) passed away at Port Macquarie on 14 August 2018. After Adastra, Jock had flown with National Mapping as a staff pilot for a few years based in Melbourne. Later he moved to Broken Hill and then to Port Macquarie.

Jacqui Ross advises that her father, George Ernest Smee, passed away in 1995.

Ann Martin (nee Duroe) has added Hannah Arnold and Elaine Slater to the list.

Ann Martin (nee Duroe) advises that she worked for Adastra Hunting Geophysics in the Mascot office in 1965.

Recorded the passing of Peter Woyzbun on 31OCT13.

Linn Stevenson advises that she was employed by Adastra as a cartographer in 1972.

Fran Sheffield advises that her husband Trevor Sheffield passed away on 27JAN16.

Elmo Phipps advises that Mick Magee passed away in Melbourne on 02DEC15. Mick flew Ansons for Adastra and later flew for Cathay Pacific. He also served in the RAN and DCA.

Warren Ide has provided the following additions.

Mavis Ashby
Sue Tipton
Barbara Waller
Eastwood (first name unknown)
Barbara Brisley
Sue Horne
Joyce Barday
Pat Ambler
Lyn Connors

All are sourced from a card which was presented to John Vinks on his retirement from Adastra in 1970. There are 43 signatures on the card although 2 are illegible. It is not known which department these additional people worked in but presumably they were in Photogrammetry with John Vinks. Warren Ide recently visited John Vinks who is now aged 90.
UPDATE 17FEB24: Warren Ide advises that none of these ladies were in Photogrammetry as previously stated and their departments are unknown. However, Warren recalls that Lyn Connors was in the Drawing Office.

Russ Jones advises that he worked in the Photographic Section from February to September 1965.

Added R.A. "Arch" Dunne, DFC as a pilot circa 1948. When interviewed by Greg Banfield for an article in "Aviation Heritage" (the Journal of the Aviation Historical Society of Australia, Vol 46 No 1, March 2015) Arch Dunne stated that he was employed by Adastra as a pilot "for a little while" before joining British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines. Earlier he had worked for the Australian agents for Fairchild aerial cameras.

Roger Young advises: "As an ex Fleet Air Arm Observer (Venoms, Vixens & Buccaneers) I was employed by Adastra as a Navigator for six months during 1966/1967. I flew with Rick Geary on Hudsons AGX/SMO from Merimbula. For my last couple of months I was with Rob Marty in Cessna DGD at Coffs Harbour, Brisbane and Taree. After leaving Adastra, I went into U.K. ATC. I finished my full time career as Manager, Aerodrome and Air Traffic Services at Hatfield Aerodrome. I still work part-time providing a Flight Information Service at Elstree Aerodrome - just North of London. I'm now 76".

Robert Montgomery advises that he was employed by Adastra as a Junior Photographic Assistant on 20JAN69 and left the company as a Process Camera Operator on 23JUL71.

Added Norm Adam (1905-1987) thanks to his daughter Karin McDonald. He left Adastra in 1936 and relocated to Melbourne to set up the aviation division for Brown & Dureau where he remained until retirement in 1970 as GeneralManager.

Added a contribution from Rosemary Peters: "I am the daughter of a former Adastra employee. My father was Cec Mohr. You have him listed as being employed from 1953 which is correct. He retired in 1973. He worked in the hanger as a Storeman and from the early 1960s he did some travelling as an assistant to the surveyors. He also did a lot of the cooking when they were camping. Some of the trips I remember him going on were to Port Hedland (they camped on Pippingarra Station - the family maintained years of contact with the station owner John Richardson and his family), Tennant Creek, Roma and Tasmania. My parents relocated to WA in 1986, Dad passing away on 8/2/05 and Mum in May this year. My fondest memories of Adastra were the wonderful Xmas parties they held for the kids."

Added Peter Wood and a first name for Bruce Yeo.Thanks to Warren Ide.

We have added a first name for Philip Blown, provided by his cousin Ken Watson.

We have received word that Ron Harrison-Williams (Hudson pilot circa 1966) passed away on 04JAN13.

Recorded the passing of Thomas McLachlan Cuthbertson on 01NOV12.

Recorded the passing of Maurie Miller on 04NOV12.

The "Southern Courier" of 24JUL12 records the passing of Dennis Heussner OAM on 06JUL12. "Just as the London Olympics are about to kick off the Maroubra Surf Club is mourning the loss of one of its members, Olympian Dennis Heussner. A top competitor, Heussner won 14 Australian titles in canoeing and represented Australia at two Olympics, 1972 and 1976. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2009 for his services to surf lifesaving and canoeing. Heussner won 15 Australian and 23 state board and ski championships. A natural lifesaver, he won six separate Australian long board championships and was a NSW ironman champion. He was inducted into the Randwick Hall of Fame in 1997 and the SLSA Hall of Fame in 2004. Maroubra Surf Club president Wayne Clare said: 'He was an exceptional competitor, however it was his role mentoring current competitors and future lifesavers where he will be greatly missed.' Heussner passed away on July 6 after suffering a long illness."

Recorded the passing of Ted McKenzie on 22MAY12.

Paul Stephens advises that he flew for Adastra after the Civil Aerial Surveys acquisition in 1974 but was retrenched the following year. He flew VH-CFV, KMF,CTR,DGD.

Sadly Mike Wood passed away in Sydney on 08FEB12.

Sadly Wal Bowles passed away at Nambucca Heads, NSW on 22AUG11.

Doug Morrison advises that Leslie Keith Snape died on 27 January 2010 aged 85.

The following has been received from Matt Thomson, second youngest son of Sid Thomson who worked for Adastra from 1966 til 1974. "Sadly I must inform you Sid passed away Saturday night 20 November 2010 at 2045. He passed peacefuly after a short battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Whilst in hospital we found your web site and it gave him great joy to see the photos and he told me some funny and interesting stories." Anyone who wishes to contact Matt should refer to the Webmaster.

Jim Page has updated his years of service.

Ian MacNeill has provided some details of his time with Adastra.

It has emerged that Bill Chambers accompanied Lionel Van Praag on the delivery flight of Hudson VH-AGJ to the Strathallan Museum in the UK in April 1973. Accordingly, his years of service have been amended to 1954-1973. Previously shown as a sheet metal worker, Rick Geary confirms that Bill was also an engineer.

Penny Stuckey advises that her father, Stewart Oswald Sawtell, flew for Adastra as a Navigator/Camera Op from 1951 until 1956. He was born in Kingaroy on 31 August 1927 and passed away on 14 January 2003. Although he was already on the list we have been able to add more detail thanks to Penny.

Robert Carpenter has contacted us to advise that he was a Darkroom Attendant with Adastra from 1954 to 1956. He has even identified himself in Album #1 photo N4. Good to hear from you Bob.

Conrad D Wenham has expanded and corrected the listings for himself, his brother Jon and Reg Nelson. Thanks Doug.

Neil Spencer has reminded us that Lance Nicholls was missing from the list. John Collins advises: "I am aghast about the omission of Lance Nicholls, one of the best navigators about, he could spend hours at altitude (17,000ft) without oxygen. Lance and I started Tucana Air Systems which Lance perservered with after we went our different ways. Last time I flew with Lance was 26/08/76 in Cessna 320 VH-DRK. This was possibly the swan song for Adastra ops."

John Collins has also added Ron Harrison-Williams. "I crewed with him at Rockhampton in AGE shortly before its demise. Ron was an ex Qantas radio operator who got his pilots licence after redundancy. I've no idea where he went from then."

Ron Pearce has highlighted the fact that engineer Greg Watts was not on the list even though there has been a photo of him on the site for some time.

The date of the crash of Hudson VH-AGO has been corrected from 01JUL57 to 24JUN57. This correction had been made elsewhere on the site some considerable time ago but this page slipped through the net. Thanks to Robyn Ellen for pointing it out.

John Brodie advises that he joined Adastra as a camera operator for five months in mid 1967.

Robin Baker has contacted us to contribute some memories of his time with Adastra.

Allan Bringolf advises that he was a geophysics and camera operator from 1963-1966. He flew in AGS, AGE, AGX, AGU, SMM and SMO on surveys of Leigh Creek, Weipa, Horn Island and Wewak NG

Sandra Williams advises that husband Roy is alive and well and living in the Atherton Tablelands. He has recently stopped flying due to hearing problems. He flew for Adastra in the 60s on oil search at Weipa, Katherine and Noumea, and on the Ikara project flying a Cessna 320. He flew for Qantas on Super Connies and was Transavia's test pilot for 13 years on the Airtruk.

Tony Whybrow advises that he joined Adastra in October 1965 flying the Cessna 180 VH-ASP out of Melbourne (his first aviation job), then 6 months as an Instructor with Civil Flying Services before returning to Sydney for 31 happy years with Qantas on DC-3, B707 and finally as a Captain on B747-400.

Sandra Motteram advises that her father, Allen George Motteram, was discharged from the RAAF at his own request on 07NOV55. It is believed that he joined Adastra soon after.

Tony Burgess advises that he was employed by Adastra from November 1959 until July 1965. Ted McMenzie promoted him from Camera Operator to Navigator in Wewak NG. in 1964. While in Wewak he trained a new Camera Operator in 1964, his name was John O'Keefe. He left that year and joined Ansett as a Co-pilot. Tony also trained another Camera Op. but he has forgotten his name. Like John O'Keefe he was only with Adastra a very short time. Tony is now retired after spending his working life after Adastra flying and training pilots in MMA.WA, Ansett WA, Malaysia Airlines and Rio Sul in Brazil. "My time with Adastra was the best."

Pat O'Connor advises that he was a Camera Operator with Adastra from 1965 to '66 initially on ground work for a Radist oil survey for WAPIT by DC-3 AGU from Cape Levique to Shark Bay WA, then Horn Island photo mapping PNG and The Great Barrier Reef on Hudson AGS, as well as photo mapping of the Canberra region on Hudson AG? out of Merimbula.

Nev Williams advises that he was with Adastra from 1968 to early 1970. He also advises that Don Forsyth was a co-pilot on the DC-3 from approximately 1968 to 1970 and may have also flown the Aero Commander. "As a result of John Messenger's accident we spent a lot of time at the AIM Hospital at Halls Creek and I married the Matron 15 months later. We have been living in Brisbane since 1970. Worked in General Aviation for a few years then as an Instructor for TAFE, finishing up as Principal Teacher Aircraft Section. Past 15 years saw us with our own business supporting Computer accounting systems and playing at retirement."

Bill Robbie advises that he commenced work with Adastra in November 1940 as a hangar boy at age 14. "I commenced work at 7 a.m. having ridden my bike from Balmain to Mascot one morning towards the end of November. As Hangar Boy, the first job every day was to sweep the hangar and workshop out, then graduate to menial jobs (like cleaning out the Waco or Dragonfly after someone had been airsick.) I only stayed 4 months and left in March 1941 to start radio training at Marconi School of Wireless." After a spell with DCA as an Aeradio Officer he joined Qantas and eventually retired in 1979 as a Boeing 747 captain.

Sandra Motteram advises that the correct spelling of her father's name is Allen Motteram.

Trevor Sheffield advises that Sylvia Scott was Jack McDonald's secretary from March 1963 to May 1968. She married Trevor Sheffield in November 1965.

Barrie Baker recalls that George Crutchfield was a co-pilot on DC-3 VH-AGU at Weipa in 1965. He was previously on the list as G. Clutchfield. Barrie has also provided a first name for Miles Lewis who was a captain on the DC-3 at the same time. Between them, Barrie and Kevin Pavlich have come up with a first name for Allan Bringolf who was also known as "Bluebeard" or "Bushy". Kevin Pavlich recalls that Miles Lewis started with the company on the same day that Kevin arrived in Weipa on 21MAY65.

Although previously listed here as D. Bagot, the report into the crash of Viscount VH-RMI near Winton on 22SEP66 records that one Harold Stewart Bagot of Liverpool Road, Enfield, NSW lost his life in the crash.

Don Gillies has contacted us to advise that: "I worked for Adastra as my first job after leaving school in 1948. I was the hangar boy for 3 months early in 1949 under Eric Haynes the Chief Engineer. Later I moved to Butler Air Transport where I spent 6 years doing my apprenticeship as an engineer. Having learnt to fly at 16, I became a pilot with Airlines of NSW in 1960 and remained with the company until 1980 when I had a heart attack, finishing as a training captain."