QANTAS Founders Museum

Witon was the birth place of QANTAS (Queensland and Northern Territories Aeriel Services) in 1921  moved to Logreach for its operational  purposes where Australia's first purpose built airstrip and the first QANTAS hangar was built and still exists today as a showplace for museum artefacts.  The museum is funded entirely by donations and sponsorships and is a purely voluntary organisation, a beautiful cafe attached with a wonderful outside area - reasonably priced as well, a welcome respite.

In the main musuem and galleries there are many film shows and interactive displays and the history of the 4 men who returned home after WW1 wondering what they were going to do with all of them having been flying in the war. Henry Fysh, Ginty Mcguiness, Kennedy (the first investor) and Walker.  These inspirational men wanted to tie the outback together where distances were so immense and so began what we now know today as QANTAS - I am sure they would turn in their grave if they could see what Alan Joyce is doing to the company they founded.  He is destroying a once mighty airline and I bet he is not taking a paycut as the founders had to do when the airline got into trouble near its beginning, Henry Fysh had to take a 12 1/2%pay cut as did all staff and directors - no golden handshakes in those days!!!!!!!!

You can tour the Boeing 707 'City of Canberra' which was the first registered Qantas jet aircraft..in Aust. and was discovered languishing in England at Southend airport so a team was sent to renovate, repair and bring it back to Aust. which was done and of course it now lives here happily in Longreach. and  wing walk is available on the wings of the 747 - only place in the world where one can do this.

 The original DC3 is here as is DH50 Iris the first aircraft used by the company that became the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service).  DH61 built in 1930 by Qantas and used on the Darwin sector of the London mail service.

Very interesting, we spent 4 hours there and really didn't finish but the dogs needed walking and you do get info'ed out.