Qantas turns one hundred years old today and the airline named for the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service is celebrating its roots in Western Queensland.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The airline was set up by Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness and Fergus McMaster in 1920 and Longreach's Qantas Founders Museum said today they were celebrating a 100 years of incredible stories, achievements and innovation.
Museum CEO Tony Martin said they were the proud custodians of Qantas's history.
"Their story began 100 years ago today on 16th November when that company was registered in Brisbane," Mr Martin said.
"Their mission was to become an airmail service to the people of western Queensland."
The first flight was from Charleville to Cloncurry with the first board meeting in Winton before headquarters were moved to Longreach and then Brisbane, before more recently moving to Sydney.
The Qantas Founders Museum opened Luminescent Longreach in its centenary year using the historic aircraft gathered together as the canvas upon which 3D animation and illustrations weave a narrative of the daring spirit of early aviation to the present day.
In Sydney Qantas is celebrating its centenary with a low-level flyover of Sydney Harbour.
CEO Alan Joyce says celebrations of the significant milestone had been scaled down after a year that forced the nation's flagship carrier to ground 95 cent of the fleet, make 600 workers redundant and stand down 25,000 others because of the global pandemic.
"But it is a big milestone. You know, we are the oldest continuous operating airline in the world. It was founded in western Queensland by three entrepreneurs," Mr Joyce said.
"It was the tech start-up of its day. And it's a very proud moment that the company is celebrating 100 years."
While you are here, subscribe to our weekly email delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
