Some interesting reading about some of the Firsts in Australian Aviation. It’s interesting to see how far we’ve come! Interesting to read that the first aviator to be licensed as an Australian pilot was in 1911.
| Year | Date | Event | Location | Machine | Aviator(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1858 | 1858-02-01 | Balloon flight | Richmond, Victoria | “Australasian” Balloon | Joseph Dean |
| 1879 | 1879-04-14 | Parachute descent (of balloon and pilot) | Melbourne | “Aurora” Balloon | Henri L’Estrange |
| 1888 | 1888-12-08 | Parachute descent | Ashfield, New South Wales | “Gem” Balloon | J.T. Williams |
| 1894 | 1894-11-12 | Unpowered flight using heavier-than-air device (kites) | Stanwell Park, New South Wales | Four box kites | Lawrence Hargrave |
| 1909 | 1909-12-05 | Flight of heavier-than-air machine (glider) | Narrabeen, New South Wales | Taylor Biplane Glider | George Augustine Taylor |
| 1909 | 1909-12-09 | Powered flight of heavier-than-air machine | Sydney | Wright Model A | Colin Defries |
| 1910 | 1910-07-16 | Flight of Australian-built plane | Mia Mia, Victoria | Duigan pusher biplane | John Duigan |
| 1911 | 1911-12-05 | First airman to qualify as pilot in Australia (Licence No. 1) | Sydney | Bristol Boxkite | William Ewart Hart |
| 1912 | 1912-08-06 | Military pilot | England | Deperdussin monoplane | Henry Petre |
| 1914 | 1914-03-01 | Military flight | Point Cook | Bristol Boxkite | Eric Harrison |
| 1914 | 1914-05-11 | Seaplane flight | Sydney | Maurice Farman “hydro-aeroplane” | Maurice Guillaux |
| 1914 | 1914-07-18 | Air mail | Melbourne to Sydney | Blériot XI | Maurice Guillaux |
| 1919 | 1919-08-06 | Air mail over-water flight (in Southern Hemisphere) | Adelaide to Minlaton | Avro 504 | Harry Butler |
| 1919 | 1919-11-16 | Crossing of continent | Melbourne to Port Darwin | B.E.2e | Henry Wrigley and Arthur Murphy |
| 1919 | 1919-12-16 | Bass Strait | Stanley, Tasmania to Torquay, Victoria | Boulton Paul P.9 | Arthur L. Long |
| 1924 | 1924-05-19 | Circumnavigation of continent | Point Cook, Victoria to St Kilda, Victoria, anti-clockwise | Fairey III floatplane | Ivor McIntyre, Stanley Goble |
| 1928 | 1928-05-17 | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Cloncurry, Queensland to Julia Creek, Queensland | de Havilland DH.50 | Arthur Affleck |
| 1934 | 1934-10-01 | Autogyro flight | Essendon Aerodrome | Cierva | Douglas Robertson |
| 1937 | 1937-11-21 | Parachute descent by female | Essendon | Airco DH.4 | Jean Burns |
