The Cracow connection, 1935

Passengers boarding a De Havilland Dragon aircraft at Cracow. The gold mining town of Cracow, two days journey by road from Rockhampton, was established in the 1930s. Ron Adair’s Aircrafts Pty Ltd commenced flights to the town on 29 December 1930, in a way not dissimilar to today’s fly-in/fly-out services to the mining industry. From February 1934 Aircrafts Pty Ltd was one of a small number of aviation organisations subsidised by the Commonwealth through a Special Grant because of their services to the community. Initially flying De Havilland Dragon aircraft, Aircrafts Pty Ltd also delivered newspapers throughout southern regional Queensland, as did Rockhampton Aerial Services, which flew to the Central Highlands from 1931 to 1936. By 1947 Aircrafts Pty Ltd employed 56 people. Two years later it changed its name to Queensland Airlines Ltd. The company ceased operations in December 1966 when control of its major shareholder was gained by Ansett-ANA.  Collection of John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.