John Heaton Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 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" 7 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 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.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanderlay Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 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 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted September 3, 2021 Author Share Posted September 3, 2021 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 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Harmes Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 Well, John, you got here before I did, as I was born in '78, but nice to have you here. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie123 Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 Maybe it was this one before it was named 'City of Townsville'? VH-EAF Boeing 707-338C (aussieairliners.org) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted September 3, 2021 Author Share Posted September 3, 2021 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper31 Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 A very nice story and insight into your family history John, thank you for sharing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 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. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillwater Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 Great memories John. Celebrate the jubilee! 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flsm (Frank) Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 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. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerribleT Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 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 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 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?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 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 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 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! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boetie Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 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. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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