HONOURING AVIATION PIONEERS LAWRENCE HARGRAVE AND SIR CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH

HONOURING TWO AUSTRALIAN AVIATION LEGENDS AT HARS

Visitors to the HARS Aviation Museum can step into Australia’s remarkable aviation history on Saturday 11 July at 11am, with a special presentation celebrating two of the nation’s greatest pioneers of flight—Lawrence Hargrave and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Held upstairs at the Lawrence Hargrave Centre beside the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame, the presentation will feature Professor Michael Hough AM, Patron of the Lawrence Hargrave Society, and Richard Webb, renowned builder of Hargrave box kite models.

Through animated illustrations, historic film and rare displays, Professor Hough will explore Hargrave’s ground breaking kite experiments at Stanwell Park, his pioneering work on the rotary engine, and the continuing efforts of the Lawrence Hargrave Society to preserve his legacy. The presentation also highlights Kingsford Smith’s legendary achievements aboard the famous Southern Cross, including the first successful trans-Tasman flight.

Following the presentation, visitors can inspect the full-size flying replica of the Southern Cross and the historic de Havilland Tiger Moth, both housed in the HARS hangars.

The event coincides with HARS’ popular Tarmac Days, with scheduled engine runs and aircraft activities planned throughout the weekend, subject to weather and crew availability. Highlights include the former RAAF Orion, DC-3, Caribou, Vampire jet taxi runs, and progress on reassembling John Travolta’s former Qantas Boeing 707. Visitors can also explore the cockpit section of a Boeing 707-338 and enjoy guided tours of the museum’s extensive aircraft collection, including the Boeing 747-400.

The presentation is free with normal HARS museum admission. Entry includes guided tours and access to all museum attractions.