On the 12th of November 1934 the Press reported that “The first regular air mail service in New Zealand, and one of only two or three in the world in which no surcharge is made for air transport, will begin on December 31, between Hokitika and Haast and Okuru. The mail will be carried by Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., the new name of Tourist Air Travel and Transport Services, Ltd., the company which Mr J. C. Mercer, chief pilot to the Canterbury Aero Club, has been busy organising for some months. The company, which has the co-operation of the Railway Department as well as of the Post and Telegraph Department, will make the first of the daily passenger flights on December 18.
Because of the company's arrangement with the Railway Department, it will be possible for passengers wanting to go to South Westland to get off the train at Inchbonnie, about 10 miles west of the Otira Gorge, and fly from there, or to connect with the aeroplane at Hokitika. The Railway Department will be the chief booking office for the service. Although the machine has accommodation for four passengers, it is intended, until some of the landing grounds on the route are extended, to carry only two passengers and baggage, so that it is expected that sometimes two flights will have to be made from Inchbonnie to the glaciers, and two from Hokitika, on one day. The co-operation is also extended to motor transport, and it will be possible for passengers to go to the glaciers by rail and air, and back by service car and rail, or vice versa. People who leave Christchurch in the morning and fly from Inchbonnie will be at the glaciers for afternoon tea the same day. Whereas at present it takes four days' travelling to get to the glaciers and back, with the air service only two days will be necessary. Week-end trips will be a feature, for it will be possible to leave Christchurch on Saturday morning, spend Saturday night, Sunday, and Sunday night at one of the glaciers, and be back in Christchurch on Monday evening.
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| The Press, 17 December 1934 |
Enquiries have already been received from Dunedin about round trips from
there. The suggestion is that people will go to the Southern Lakes and over the
Haast Pass, be picked up near the Burke Hut and flown to Hokitika or
Inchbonnie, catching the train there. Though a weekly service as far south as
Haast and Okuru - 160 miles from Hokitika - will be operated, mails will be
carried only once a fortnight. The mail will leave Hokitika at 8 a.m. on
alternate Mondays and be back there by 4 p.m. At present the mails take four
days to go through - a day to Weheka by service car and three days from there
by pack-horse. Quickly-flooding streams sometimes lengthen this schedule. Air
time for the journey is an hour and a half.
In preparation for the launch of Air Travel (NZ)’s services the Public Works Department, in conjunction with the Unemployment Board, was engaged on work in levelling areas for runways at a number of aerodromes at Westport. Hokitika, Inchbonnie, Waiho, Haast, Bruce Bay and two sites at Okuru. In 2009 86 year old Kevin Ryder wrote to Richard Waugh saying, I remember the tent city, It was build mainly on the urging of Randal Topliss who farmed there but had been Squadron Leader Topliss in the First World War and flew fighters planes.
In her book 'Hidden Valley', a history of the Rotomanu, Poerua and Inchbonnie area, Rona Adshead records that in the early 1930s Randall's passion for aircraft came to ultimate fruition. Nothing less than his own private airstrip. It was constructed near the site of the first Anderson and Faulkner sawmill. Then the government agreed to assist by bringing in an unemployment gang of about eighteen men to upgrade the aerodrome to commercial standards. There was one major hurdle. Inchbonnie no longer had any kind of boarding house. So, for two testing years, winters included, 1933-35, the workers were accommodated in tents, doing everything themselves. They were confronted with a massive task. Slog, slog, slog, through that unyielding stone with the soil taken away by wheelbarrows over planks. Pick and shovel to make 4,000 linear feet of wooden box drains and double that for tiled drains. Eventually the main runway extended for 1,200 ft and there was a total of 52 acres that were fenced in.
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| 1936 New Zealand Air Pilot |
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| An original survey December 1935 - Note the site of the "tent city" at top right |
So who was Randall Topliss? New Zealand aviation historian Errol Martyn has provided an extensive background from his research and archives.
Randall was born in Christchurch in 1894, the son of Henry and Mary Topliss. He did all his education in Christchurch before becoming an apprentice engineer with Topliss Brothers of Christchurch and at the same time attending for three years the Canterbury College, School of Engineering, as an evening student studying electricity and general engineering.
He joined the New Zealand Territorial Force in June 1913 before departing for the War in Europe in April 1916. In March 1917 he paid for £110 for "tuition in flying" with Bournemouth Aviation Co. Ltd before applying for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. Meanwhile he attained the RAeC aviator’s certificate (No 4540), at Bournemouth Aviation School, Bournemouth, in a Caudron Biplane on the 24th of April 1917. He subsequently was "selected for a course of instruction in the R.F.C. Officer Cadet Wing with a view to qualifying for a Commission" and was instructed to enlist and should present himself at the Recruiting Office, Royal Flying Corps, South Farnborough, Hants, on the 26th of May 1917. He was appointed to a commission with the RFC as a Second Lieutenant (on probation), on the 2nd of August 1917. He graduated and gained his ‘wings’ and was confirmed in rank on the 25th of September 1917 before embarking for France on the 22nd of November and being appointed to 64 Squadron which operated the de Havilland DH.5 and Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a aircraft.
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On the 8th of March 1918 Randall Topliss took off on a patrol at 1000 hrs after which he was seen to engage a German aircraft. He went into a dive, gave chase and was last seen at 9,000 feet headed west. He was now attacked by Leutnant Wolf Magnus Freiherr von Manteuffel-Szöge of Jasta 35, which was based at Emerchicourt, north-east of Cambrai, who damaged the SE 5's engine [sic] which soon stopped and then it force-landed at Bourlon Wood at 1140 hrs. Captured he became a prisoner of war until the end of the war.
Within a year after he arrived back in Wellington (on the 27th of July 1919) he was farming with his father at ‘Brucedale’, Inchbonnie marrying Edith (Win) Stimpson in 1921. Ever the engineer and pilot Randall introduced the first tractor to the district, devised his own steam powered, vacuum pump milking machine and built his own hydro electric scheme. He was also instrumental in having the airfield developed at Inchbonnie.
The September 1936 issue of the 'Wings' magazine, reporting on the West Coast United Aero Club, records, Mr R Topliss, of Inchbonnie, who flew with the R.F.C. and R.A.F. during the Great War, had his first solo on 24th July, after being out of the air for eighteen years, and we are very pleased to welcome Mr Topliss to the ranks, of our active flying members again. He is very keen, and has spared no effort to bring about the completion of the landing ground on his property at Inchbonnie. It seems that, on occasions, Captain Mercer let Randall fly some circuits in the Fox Moth.
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| Randall Topliss and his two sons David and John on the farm at Inchbonnie |
During the Second World War Randall was appointed to the Home Guard committee, Inchbonnie, as Commander in January 1941 and as Captain and Officer in Charge of ‘D’ Company, 2 Battalion, on the 1st of August 1941. He died at Hokitika, where he was living, on the on the 26th of January 1954.
Meanwhile the formal hearings for air services under the recently passed Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Act were heard by the Transport Co-ordination Board in Auckland on the 30th of November 1934. Two applications heard. East Coast Airways Ltd was applying for authority to run a daily return service between Napier and Gisborne throughout the year.
The second application was made by Mr. J. C. Mercer on behalf of Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., with a capital of £3000, for a continuous licence to operate between Inchbonnie, Greymouth, or Hokitika to the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier's, the service to connect with the passenger trains running to the West Coast from Christchurch. He also asked for a licence to operate once a week between Hokitika and Okuru and Haast, with intermediate stopping places. Newspaper coverage reported that Mr. Mercer said that the company had secured a contract to deliver mail on the latter service on alternative Mondays. At present the mail was delivered fortnightly and took approximately four days each way. His company undertook to deliver it and return to Hokitika on the same day. The settlers in the territory were developing the landing grounds, realising that with the advent of an air service their isolation would be ended. Passengers could leave Christchurch in the morning and reach the glaciers the same afternoon, and the total fare would be 30s more for the return journey than the present outlay for train, hotel, and service-car expenses. He had landed at the various places mentioned, and an experienced pilot should have no difficulty in judging when the grounds could be used according to weather conditions. The company had ordered a de Havilland Fox Moth, one of the best aeroplanes in the world, and equipped with a remarkably efficient engine. It could carry four passengers besides the pilot, but the company proposed to carry only two, as some of the grounds were not fully developed. Mr. Mercer said that he himself would be the pilot, and he had made arrangements for an assistant pilot if relief was necessary, at any time. There would be a certified ground engineer with headquarters at Hokitika. Mr. Mercer said that he had been flying in New Zealand for the past eighteen years, and during the last fourteen years he had had no mishaps. His flying time totalled 3975 hours. He believed that the West Coast was perhaps one of the two places in New Zealand where it might be possible to make ends meet with a commercial air service.
Objecting to the Air Travel (NZ) application were West Coast Airways Ltd., and N.Z. Airways Ltd,, for whom Mr. H. J. Knight appeared. Mr. Knight said that the application before the board was made by a company that had been only recently formed and was for a licence for a new service. He submitted that it could not be properly dealt with at that stage in view of the fact that other applications in respect of the same territory had been lodged by companies in existence for some time. Evidence was given by Mr. A. H. Nancekivell that West Coast Airways Ltd., had been registered in August 1933, since when it had carried on the air-taxi services established in April 1932. It had operated over the territory covered in the application of Air Travel (N.Z.) Ltd., and further afield, and had an arrangement with the Westland Hospital Board for the conveyance of patients. In reply: Mr. Mercer, the witness said that the operation of air services was not his only means of livelihood. He would not agree that the formation of Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., was discussed with him before his own company came into being. Mr. H. M. Mackay, managing director of N.Z. Airways, Ltd., said that his company had been registered and in operation since 1928. The main base was at Timaru, and its operations covered the whole of the country. It was also an applicant for a licence for the territory referred to in the application of Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., and had been, in touch with West Coast Airways, Ltd., with a view to coordination, and possible amalgamation. Mr. Mercer submitted that in view of his aviation record and the fact that his company had secured the mail contract it was entitled to the licence.
The chairman of the Transport Co-ordination Board, Sir Stephen Allen,
announced that that Board would reserve its decision which would be given in a
day or two.
On the 4th of December 1934 it was announced that the Board was of the opinion that in consideration of the fact that two other applications affecting the West Coast were pending Air Travel (N.Z.)’s application should not be determined finally until the other applications, including the company’s application for an air-taxi license radiating from Hokitika, could be heard. In the meantime, as the applicant, company was ready to commence the proposed service from Inchbonnie, Greymouth, or Hokitika to the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers and Okuru, South Westland the board had decided to license the service for a short period, and at a later date to consider together the rival claims of all concerned. A license would accordingly be granted for a period of three months, commencing from the date of the decision, the company to have the right to apply for an extension of the period. The service, it was slated, was to commence on or before January 1, 1935, the route, timetable and fares, and type of machine (a de Havilland Fox Moth with a passenger-carrying capacity of four persons, excluding the pilot) as applied for being approved.
In the first week of December 1934 Air Travel (NZ)’s first aircraft, de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI arrived at Lyttelton from England on the Port Fairey on the 8th of December 1934 while in Hokitika Air Travel (N.Z.) had built a hangar at the Southside aerodrome. On the 15th of December, having been assembled at Wigram, ZK-ADI was successfully tested by Mr J. C. Mercer, and flown by him to Hokitika in the late afternoon of the same day in preparation for the launch of the air service. The company planned to connect with the 10 a.m. express from Christchurch at Inchbonnie at 2.45 p.m. and again at Hokitika at 6.15 p.m., enabling passengers to reach the glaciers by rail and air on the day of their departure from Christchurch. This service will be conducted daily as required.
Air Travel (NZ)’s inaugural service was flown on the 18th of December 1934 with Bert Mercer flying Fox Moth ZK-ADI from Hokitika to meet the express at Inchbonnie. The aerodrome was at the Topliss farm some 2½ miles from the railway station and transport between the two was by Randall Topliss' car. Two passengers, Mr Henry Worrall, chairman of directors for Air Travel (NZ) Ltd and Mr G H Christie, left Christchurch by the 10 o'clock express and arrived at Inchbonnie at 2.55 p.m. Air Travel (NZ)'s air service started when the Fox Moth ZK-ADI left Inchbonnie at 3.20 p.m. and arrived at Hokitika aerodrome at 3.40 p.m. The machine left Hokitika at 3.55 p.m. and after flying over the glacier, arrived at the hostel at Franz Josef at 4.50 p.m. Afternoon tea was taken at the hostel, and the machine left at 5.35 p.m., arriving at Inchbonnie at 6.30 p.m., connecting with the 7 p.m. mixed train heading back to Christchurch. The coverage in the Press reported that The trip was an excellent one in every way, the machine proving particularly comfortable, and one of the passengers, with hardly any previous experience, enjoyed the sensation of flying perfectly. From the point of view of scenic attraction the trip is without parallel in New Zealand.
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| The arrival of Air Travel (NZ)'s first flight at Franz Josef on 18 December 1934. The flight had started at Hokitika and had met the express from Christchurch at Inchbonnie. From there the two passengers, Messrs H. Worrall and G. H. Christie were flown in de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI to Franz Josef. From left, Harry Worrall and G H Christie, Bert Mercer, and Franz Josef locals Peter, Alex and Stephen Graham. Photo : Mercer Collection |
Kevin Ryder continues with some of his memories of Bert Mercer and Air Travel (NZ)'s Inchbonnie operations. I do remember Bert Mercer quite clearly... I remember Bert Mercer flying over our house and often waved out to him... He used to fly into Inchbonnie and land on the Inchbonnie aerodrome. He then borrowed a car from Mr Randal Topliss who lived nearby to go to the railway to collect passengers and to take them south to the Franz, the Fox or points further south. At other times Randall or his wife Edith did the driving between the railway station and the airfield. The express train going west went through Inchbonnie on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at about 3pm. An agreement that Mr Bruce, the land owner, had with the Railways, was that all trains must stop if required. (He gave the land the rail was built on under these conditions). Many years later, in 1987, another Inchbonnie local Fiona Schaffery, won a battle insisting that the newly inaugurated Trans Alpine Express stop at Inchbonnie according to the gift of land by Mr Bruce all those years before.
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| A December 1935 plan of the Inchbonnie aerodrome |
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| The PWD Department description of Inchbonnie aerodrome as at 14 May 1936 in the NZ Air Pilot |
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| The Inchbonnie railway station in the early 1930s with Old Joe Moughan, Rachel Rothery, Alfred Rothery and Sam the dog. The cream cans are ready to be lifted onto the train. Photo via Ray Cowan, https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/25373 |
Inchbonnie was never a major part of Air Travel (NZ)’s services but at time there were glimpses of those that used the service in the newspapers. The Press reported that on the 26th of January 1935 Mr J. C. Mercer, with the Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd. aeroplane, made another ambulance flight to-day to Bruce Bay, in far South Westland, to bring out to civilisation a Maori child who has been ailing for some time. Leaving Waiho in moderately fine weather early this morning, he flew down to the bay and landed on the beach near a new sawmill which is being constructed there. The sick child, with its mother, had been waiting there for the arrival of the aeroplane, having first had to cross the river on horseback to reach the bay. The child was in Hokitika to a doctor in less than two hours after leaving Bruce Bay, making in that short time a journey which in ordinary circumstances might have taken three days. Mr Mercer returned with a woman passenger to Waiho and picked up Mr A. O. Wilkinson (Christchurch), secretary to Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., with whom he made a record flight back to Hokitika in 35 minutes, beating the previous record by a few minutes. By car, it takes the best part of a day to do the same trip. The journey up was in fine weather, with the conditions fairly smooth. After dropping a woman passenger at Hokitika, the aeroplane left with Mr Wilkinson to connect with the express to Christchurch at Inchbonnie.
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On the 5th of February 1935 Pilot J. C. Mercer yesterday flew three passengers to Inchbonnie from Waiho, leaving at 10 am., and caught the express for Christchurch. He then returned to Hokitika, and left at noon with a passenger and mails for Waiho, whence he took another passenger for Okuru, and then went on to Haast and Okuru. Coming back he picked up a Bruce Bay passenger, and reached Hokitika at 3.45 p.m. At 4.15 p.m. he departed with a couple of passengers for Wellington, landing at 6 p.m. in Nelson, and resuming at 6.30 he reached Rongotai drome at 7.30 p.m. The passengers attended today’s sitting of the Transport Licensing Authority.
On the 3rd of April 1935, after taking a further party of deerstalkers from Okuru to the Landsborough region yesterday, Mr. J. C. Mercer transported a couple of passengers from Okuru to Hokitika in his aeroplane, and then went to Inchbonnie whence he took aboard from the express a couple of passengers whom he flew to Waiho, while he intended today to take more deerstalkers to Landsborough.
On the Tuesday afternoon of the 9th of July 1935 Miss Florence Cron, of Haast, travelled to Christchurch. She had had breakfast at home that morning, less than nine hours earlier, and had flown with Mr Mercer, to Inchbonnie, where she caught the express. Before the air service started it would have taken her nearly four days to reach Christchurch, if the weather had been good enough to allow the pack-horse section of the journey, south of the glaciers, to be done in two days.
The Press of the 13th of September 1935 reported on a “Journey of a Newspaper”. A copy of "The Press" which within 15 hours had made the journey under the Alps and then over them back to Christchurch was received in the office of the newspaper last evening The paper was dispatched by train with the usual West Coast batch early yesterday morning, and was picked up at Inchbonnie by Mr J C Mercer, of Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., and flown to Hokitika. Mr Mercer read the paper then enclosed it in its original wrapper bearing the words "Delivered by air," and gave it to Mr J. J. Busch, commercial pilot to the Canterbury Aero Club, who was leaving with a cargo of whitebait to fly to Christchurch. The copy of “The Press” arrived in Christchurch again shortly after 5 p.m.
The Grey River Argus reported a long day for Captain Mercer in early December. Pilot J. C. Mercer earlier in the week covered a long distance in the course of a day, after leaving the aerodrome here at 4.30 a.m. He took a passenger from Inchbonnie to Okarito, returned here (to Hokitika) and then went back to Okarito, whence a passenger was taken to Christchurch, and finally he flew back to Hokitika, arriving shortly before 7 p.m.
Air Travel (N.Z.)’s second Fox Moth arrived at Hokitika on the 3rd of October 1935. Previously owned by the Prince of Wales the Royal Fox, de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth G-ACDD, was to carry its British registration for two months. In early November it had a mishap near Haast followed by a second mishap on the 4th of December 1935. The Grey River Argus reported Captain Mercer had flown to Inchbonnie in the course of a try out in the machine, following repairs, as the result of a forced landing on the Haast beach some weeks ago. The engine was functioning perfectly on the way to Inchbonnie, but on the return, when over Humphreys, the engine cut out without warning, and Mr Mercer had to come down on the river bed in the Arahura. The machine struck the ground heavily, the propeller being smashed, and the under-carriage damaged badly. G-ACDD's visit was probably the only international visitor to Inchbonnie aerodrome. The aircraft was out of the air for some weeks before taking to the skies again as ZK-AEK.
But it wasn’t just an “international” plane at Inchbonnie. International visitors also used the Inchbonnie service. On the 4th of December 1936 the Press reported that Miss G. Drayton (London), secretary of the central executive committee of the Victoria League, who arrived in Christchurch yesterday, and is the guest of Mrs J. Mowbray Tripp, Park Terrace, will leave tomorrow morning for Inchbonnie, and from there will fly to the Franz Josef Glacier. She will return to Christchurch on Monday.
On the 10th of March 1938 Dr Maurice Laserson, of Geneva, an extensively travelled journalist, at present on a world tour, travelled from Inchbonnie to Waiho by plane, and was to make a further flight from Waiho to Weheka the following day. Dr Laserson, who has travelled in 38 countries, gave an address to several guests at the morning reception held by the Canterbury. Travel Club in Christchurch on Wednesday.
A report in the Auckland Star on the 18th of July 1938 spoke of Amazement at the grandeur of the mountain scenery of South Westland, the beauty of the glaciers in winter, and the views obtained in his flight over Mount Cook was expressed by Mr. Arthur Merian, of Honolulu, when he paid a short visit to the West Coast. Mr. Merian, who had only a few hours at his disposal, yet determined to see the beauty of South Westland before he left New Zealand, made, the flight in a machine piloted by Captain J. C. Mercer. Mr. Merian boarded the aeroplane at Greymouth at 7 a.m. and after stopping at the Franz Joseph Glacier Hotel for breakfast, went on to the Fox Glacier and the surrounding mountain country, finally landing at Inchbonnie, where he caught the Christchurch express at 11 o'clock.
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| Air Travel (NZ)'s timetable, including Inchbonnie services as in NZ Wings, 5 November 1938 |
The annual statements of the Public Works Department give some indication at the maintenance and ‘development’ of the Inchbonnie airfield. In the statement to the 31st of March 1935 by the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, it was reported that “construction work is in hand at Inchbonnie.” The 1937 statement by the Hon. R Semple of reported that at Inchbonnie, Development of this ground has been completed during the year. The ground is well drained and suitably located for extensions when necessary and in 1938 the same minister reported, This field has been maintained by the Department as an aerodrome in a remote locality. Improvements to the surface and drainage have been carried out and two windsocks provided.
The Air Department Report to the Year Ended 31 March 1939 gave interesting aerodrome traffic statistics which indicate the lesser importance of Inchbonnie as compared to Air Travel’s southern destinations.
In 2024 Arnold Jensen wrote to Richard Waugh recounting in a couple of emails flying the Air Travel (NZ) air service from Fox Glacier to Inchbonnie. Arnold writes,
My father worked on the Gillespies Beach Gold Dredge from about 1929 until 1942 and ultimately managed it after gaining the appropriate qualifications. It was a thirteen mile specially built road from Fox Glacier to Gillespies Beach. Previously it was an 8-mile bush track which my mother walked quite often usually to have lunch with a Māori lady once a month on a farm near Weheka. Another snippet of my memory is traveling home from Fox seated in the back of the car looking at the glacier in the moonlight. On the way we would have driven past the Fox Airfield. The pilots also used to occasionally drop complementary newspapers from open cockpits with a cherry wave if they were passing Gillespies on their way south.
My late mother and I flew from Weheka to Inchbonnie in the Fox Moth about 1939 to catch the train to Christchurch. I can still remember portions of the flight, in particular the pilot grinning at me through the very small window which gave him a view into the cabin from his open cockpit. I remember walking through a track with gorse on each side and when we arrived at the railway line. Also exciting was waiting for the train at Inchbonnie station and seeing the monster arrive and stop to allow us to board. To my rather young mind the steam engine would seemed huge particularly viewed from the ground and I do vaguely remember having to clamber up the steps to get into the carriage.
With the outbreak of the Second World War flights to Inchbonnie became increasingly infrequent. The Grey River Argus of the 19th of March 1940 reported that a Mr R Smith and Mr Sankie had flown from Inchbonnie to Waiho the previous day. This was the last newspaper recording of an Air Travel (NZ) flight to Inchbonnie, though it must be noted that not all flights were recorded and later during the War the practice of reporting air travellers ceased.
Hidden Valley gives, something of the aerodrome's history during the Second World War. The war years did not mean that the Inchbonnie Aerodrome languished into disuse and overgrowth. It was kept fully operational and clearly defined with windsocks and yellow marker boards in case it might be needed as an emergency airfield. Mechanical means were brought in during the latter war years to maintain the standard and a pine plantation was felled to give additional clearance, should it be required by larger aircraft. Chief fertiliser for the runway was sulphate of ammonia as it helped to choke out the flat, spreading weeds and encouraged the growth of non-slippery ryegrass. Sheep and cattle were grazed without restriction and generally removed in time for a flight, but sometimes an incoming aircraft had to make a preliminary sweep to scatter them. A small office was also built for the use of the Homeguard. The main function was a telephone which connected to the Topliss house and thence to the Inchbonnie Post Office. Randall was captain of the Homeguard and took his responsibilities very seriously. Kathleen Luxon writes, My eldest brother Bob (89) can remember going with my dad and Randall Topliss in a Model Ford T truck in 1943 (aged 8) to gather rocks from Rapahoe and they placed them around the airfield. He imagines for drainage because there was talk of the airfield needing to be used if there was a Japanese invasion!
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| A couple of RNZAF official photos on Inchbonnie aerodrome... on 16 February 1942 |
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| ...and on 21 January 1943 |
The Greymouth Evening Star of the 11th of December 1946 reported on the Westland County Council receiving a letter from the Acting Controller of Civil Aviation wrote inquiring if the council had any objection to the closing of the Inchbonnie airfield, which had become unserviceable for some time, It was decided to inquire what is the attitude of the Grey County Council, in whose area the airfield is situated, and if that body is objecting, the Westland Council would support the objection. This would seem to indicate that Air Travel (NZ) had definitively ceased operating to Inchbonnie. Certainly, when Air Travel (NZ) became part of the National Airways Corporation on the 1st of October 1947, Inchbonnie was not included in the NAC network.
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It seems, however, the aerodrome survived. Hidden Valley records, Post-war increased activity with the aerodrome, plus the development of Hokitika Airport, led naturally into the keeping of weather records from 1948. At first they were relayed to Hokitika, then monthly reports were kept and finally they were sent daily to Wellington by telegram. Mrs Topliss undertook this duty with four observations every three hours between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. She was required to record wind speed, direction, cloud height, rain, if any, and visibility. The years 1947-50 were the busiest period for lnchbonnie Aerodrome. The Internal Affairs Department used it as a base for supply dropping to deer cullers. Then the Southern Scenic Airways, Queenstown, took over with their Auster aircraft... When the 2,070 acre property was sold in 1954, the aerodrome was still fully functional. Randall and his father had died within a month of each other, in February-March of the previous year, and Mrs Topliss had made an immediate decision to relinquish the farm.
Following Randall's death the Air Department advised that it no longer needed the land for an aerodrome at Inchbonnie and the caveat affecting the land was removed enabling it to be sold as part of the Topliss farm. Approval was granted on the 7th of September 1954 for any "equipment" on the aerodrome to be removed.
I final memory of the Inchbonnie airfield was recounted by Gordon McMillan in an email to Richard Waugh. Gordon writes, I flew out of the airfield in 1964, Allan Crooks took me and my younger brothers for a ride in his Piper Cub airplane. He could only fit me in the plane but managed to fit my two younger brothers in for their ride. I also watched the two-engined Dominie plane fly out supplies for the deer cullers in the Otira and Mt Alexander areas. I cannot remember when that was but I was a lot younger then, a primary school kid, but we remembered seeing all the zips on the outside of the plane.
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| The Inchbonnie railway station on 5 February 2024 before its restoration for the 90th anniversary. The Inchbonnie airfield 5km north-west more or less in the direction of the left hand side of the photo |
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| And after its restoration on it was place back in situ of 16 December 2024 |
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| The south-eastern boundary of the airfield, the tree line being seen in the airfield maps above |
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| The Inchbonnie airfield was somewhere out there in the paddock |
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| The elusive photo... a photo of a Fox Moth on the Inchbonnie aerodrome is still to be found |
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| ... unless this is Inchbonnie??? A mystery to be solved |
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