The fear of losing his sweetheart inspired Arthur Butler to make a record-breaking flight from England to Australia in 1931. Now his grandson is fighting to preserve his legacy in Tooraweenah, the town his flight made famous.
It was 1931, and Cecil Arthur Butler was riding his pushbike through the fields of Liverpool in England.
"He would have done it in eight days, but he was held in an Italian prison for a day," his grandson Mark Pitts said. So, with financial help from the Garlings, Mr Butler successfully tendered the Queensland-to-NSW section of the England-Australia airmail route for four years. Mr Butler fought unsuccessfully against the proposal, before Ansett Transport Industries took over Australian National Airways and absorbed Butler Air Transport in 1958.Today, Tooraweenah is a thriving village of more than 200 people and part of the Gilgandra Shire Council area.Mr Pitts has formed an Arthur Butler Aviation Museum committee to restore the history and make Tooraweenah a prime aviation tourist destination.
History Monoplane Comper Swift Arthur Butler Tooraweenah Aviator Plane Air Transport Goodnews
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