Inchbonnie 90

90 years on from the commencement of scheduled air services in New Zealand on 18 December 1934 some 300 people plus gathered at the site of the long gone Inchbonnie aerodrome to remember the day Mr H Worrall and Mr G Christie took the West Coast express from Christchurch to Inchbonnie, then driven from the railway station to the aerodrome before being flown in Air Travel (NZ)'s De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI to Hokitika and on to Waiho (Franz Josef). After champagne was drunk and afternoon tea taken at the hotel they flew back to Inchbonnie to catch the evening mixed train back to Christchurch. And so began domestic airline services in that continue to this day under the name of Air New Zealand.

Returning for the event was the same Fox Moth ZK-ADI...

My trip to Inchbonnie started at the railway station - where not the Express but a coalie trundled through the newly restored railway station. Ironically the Express was over an hour late into Greymouth on the anniversary day.

Then it was down for the aerodrome site for the arrival of the star of the day...

De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI had been out of the air for six years and only flew for the first time after its rebuild on the Friday before. Sadly the old aerodrome was deemed for it to land but nonetheless it 

Between the two fly overs was the official unveilings... 

Grey District mayor Tania Gibson reads the inscription on the plaque

Unveiling the information panel were the youngest and oldest children from Lake Brunner School

Helen Hutchison who worked for many years for West Coast Airways, NAC and Air New Zealand at Hokitika airport with aviation historian Rev Dr Richard Waugh and myself

At the evening talks the children of Lake Brunner School displayed some of their craft and project work which they had done as their part of the study of Inchbonnie 90

Aviation historians John King and Graeme McConnell were both celebrating birthdays. John was instrumental many years ago at pushing for recognising the national significance of these first West Coast flights. Graeme has designed 30+ plaques around the country that record our aviation history

A great day and typically great West Coast weather