Before leaving the Sydney aerodrome, Richmond on their hazardous flight across the Tasman sea in early September, 1928, pilots Charles Kingsford-Smith and Charles Ulm, stated that afterwards they would make a tour of New South Wales centres to show appreciation of the public treatment given them after their epic trans-Pacific flight a few months earlier.

Tentative arrangements had been made to visit 30 centres in New South, with their aircraft "The Southern Cross" and a backup plane a four passenger DH50, called the "Southern Cross Midget". Due to Kingsford flying commitments the tour had to be postponed.

During the first week-end of June, 1933, local residents of Mudgee and district turned out in full force to welcome the world-renowned aviator and now knighted, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. In the famous "Southern Cross" aircraft, after circling Mudgee, "Smithy" made a perfect landing on V. Cox's property off the Sydney road.

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As soon as the "Southern Cross" landed the crowd surrounded the machine to catch a glance of Australia's aviation hero. He was introduced to a number of local residents and had a busy time signing autographs.

A welcome was extended to Sir Charles by Alderman E.A. Bartlett, the Mayor of Mudgee, Councillor W. Canton the President of the Cudgegong Shire Council and other district dignitaries.

"Smithy" replied that he held faith in the future of aviation as a means of rural development and improvement. Aviation was bringing the country and city closer together. It was his ambition to develop city-country airlines.

The Southern Cross brought several passengers to Mudgee. One was his brother, Wilfred Kingsford Smith (1882-1960), one time principal of the College of Civil Aviation. The back up plane was piloted by O.B. "Pat" Hall with Harry P. Purvis acting as mechanic.

"Smithy" stayed in Mudgee overnight and the following day in the "Southern Cross" with the backup plane left for the far-north coast to commence his promised tour of north-eastern New South Wales.

In one month both planes attended 30 centres. On joy rides "Smithy" personally piloted the "Southern Cross" giving flights of seven to ten miles. The back up plane gave similar flights at half he price. Both planes visited my home town of Maclean on Thursday, June 8, 1933.

At Coonabarabran on 24th. the back up plane crashed. The undercarriage was torn off and the front portion was damaged. At the time the plane was being flown by the relief pilot Tommy Pethybridge, a brilliant aero mechanic and the chief of technical training at the Kingsford Smith Aviation Training School at Mascot.

It was in November, 1935, when "Smithy" and Pethybridge took off from England in the "Lady Southern Cross" with the intention of breaking English airman C.W.A. Scott's record to Australia.

However, near the Bay of Bengal their aircraft struck the top of a tree and plunged into the sea. Their bodies were never recovered. Only a part of the plane's undercarriage has ever been found.

In February, 1936, Wilfred Kingsford Smith, Manager of W.A.S.P. Airlines Ltd. visited Mudgee and announced that when the local aerodrome received a permanent license the Sydney air service would be extended to Mudgee.

Then the Mudgee twice a week service would include Coonabarabran, then Narromine. In the meantime Mudgee would be added to the service then being carried on between Sydney and Dubbo.

The planes to be used were being constructed in Australia and fitted with Dehaviland Gipsy V1 6 engines, each of 200 horse power and on one engine capable of carrying a fully loaded plane. These planes will travel at 135 miles per hour and cover the distance from Sydney to Mudgee in about one hour. The single fare would be about seven dollars and the return fare ten dollars.

I have no information whether the services as proposed actually commenced, and if they did, how long they were sustained.