Thankyou Australia - from an old coot

[John Heaton]

On Sept 3rd 1971 -50 years ago - a Qantas Boeing 707 - "City of Adelaide" - having left London Heathrow  - via Tehran - Hyderabad - and Singapore

touched down at 6.30am on the 3 day old - (now 50 yo) - Tullamarine Airport - (YMMB) - that had just replaced Essendon - as the  principal airport of Melbourne.

 

On board that flight were some 180 Immigrants - of which one was an 36 YO engineer - his 34 YO wife - 5 kids - aged 11 to 6 - and 14 suitcases 

 

Today of course we remember all this as if it were yesterday - and remember that as full blown Aussies - we were still - Immigrants in a new country

 

and we are very grateful to Australia - for bringing us to this great Country - and only charging us 10 pounds each - for just me and the missus 

 

Those 5 kids have further produced 10 Aussie grandchildren - 6 Aussie - great grandchildren - so far T.W.! -a small part of the 100% growth from 11 million 

in the 50years

 

Note:- - Englishmen and Aussies who read this - will know the reference to - "10 pounds each"

 

[wain71]

nice one John, seems like everything has turned out great, in what looks a lovely country with lots of space, mostly great weather and what I have always found to be very friendly people whenever I have met any...you must have created so many great memories over there as the kids have grownup.....so nice to hear a happy tale in these sometimes very unhappy times....

[vanderlay]

Hi John,

 

If you haven’t had a look at this already, you might find it interesting.

 

http://www.aussieairliners.org/b-707q/vh-ebf/vhebf.html

[John Heaton]

4 minutes ago, vanderlay said:

Hi John,

 

If you haven’t had a look at this already, you might find it interesting.

 

http://www.aussieairliners.org/b-707q/vh-ebf/vhebf.html

Now I find that is very strange -- since I think  I actually flew on a Qantas 707 with that name again in 1972 from Perth to Singapore

maybe they had a second one - but then again - it was 50 years ago and my mind is not what it used to be

[Scott Harmes]

Well, John, you got here before I did, as I was born in '78, but nice to have you here. 

[Aussie123]

Maybe it was this one before it was named 'City of Townsville'?

 

VH-EAF Boeing 707-338C (aussieairliners.org)

[John Heaton]

5 hours ago, Aussie123 said:

Maybe it was this one before it was named 'City of Townsville'?

 

VH-EAF Boeing 707-338C (aussieairliners.org)

Thanks for that mate - I thought for a minute I'd lost my marbles - because I have a memory of sitting in 1A looking at its name

in that Perth flight

[Sniper31]

A very nice story and insight into your family history John, thank you for sharing.

 

[Rodger Pettichord]

And today there are immigrants and refugees landing whose descendants will tell similar wonderful stories. Thanks to all who welcome the stranger. And thanks for sharing your story, John.

[Stillwater]

Great memories John. Celebrate the jubilee!

 

 

[flsm (Frank)]

Nice memories John.  There was another young engineer, an airport engineer even younger than you at the time, rushing around finishing things off at the new airport - that was me!  I was probably there when you and your family landed!  So nice memories for both of us.  Cheers.

[TerribleT]

Good on you John - you might have been a 10 Pound Pom in days of yore but you and your family sound pretty dinky-di to me now

[John Heaton]

3 hours ago, TerribleT said:

Good on you John - you might have been a 10 Pound Pom in days of yore but you and your family sound pretty dinky-di to me now

I wonder if anyone else spotted that??

[John Heaton]

3 hours ago, flsm (Frank) said:

Nice memories John.  There was another young engineer, an airport engineer even younger than you at the time, rushing around finishing things off at the new airport - that was me!  I was probably there when you and your family landed!  So nice memories for both of us.  Cheers.

OK - I can't resist telling you this story then since you know exactly what it was like there - on the 3rd day

 

As we were all stood around waiting for the baggage carousel to work - probably your fault - it was 6.30 am and you still sleeping -

this young bloke - I'll guess 18/20 - came up to us - pushing an empty 2 wheeled trolley -- and asked could he help us with our luggage

we said yes - and chatted for a while - learning that this was his first day on the job - and hadn't realised that  the plane  - first one of the day

was full of immigrants.

 

His face was incredible as he watched our 14 suitcases come out off the chute - and he had to call for help - so imagine the scene - when we came out of

the exit .

 

My new boss and another - were waiting outside - they were expecting 7 of us of course - and had a spare taxi waiting - we needed 2 more 

I told my boss - the porter was on his 1st day - so he tipped him $20 - and he must have thought again about being a porter at the new airport

[John Heaton]

9 hours ago, Stillwater said:

Great memories John. Celebrate the jubilee!

 

 

Brilliant one of my favourite groups - I just sent the URL to my 5 kids -Thanks Mate!

[boetie]

I echo your sentiments John. I've been here in Oz since 1983 as a 17yo. My parents brought my family here from Zimbabwe to give me and my siblings some kind of a better future. Our life here is blissful.