Sydney to Port Moresby by DH-86

The DH-86, like all aeroplanes of that time, was unpressurised, and to ensure that passengers did not suffer the effects of lack of oxygen it rarely flew above 10,000ft (3km). As a result the aircraft often flew between or through cloud and passengers were frequently subjected to convective turbulence. When the turbulence was severe the more vulnerable passengers needed to use the brown paper airsickness bags provided by the airline.

After overnighting in Townsville in hotel accommodation provided by Carpenters we flew first to Cooktown where the aeroplane was refuelled. We then made what was, at that time, a long flight of about four hours to Port Moresby over the sea. The first glimpse of Papua was of coral reefs, a hinterland of dry-looking hilly country with straggly eucalypts and, in the distance, high mountains shrouded in cloud. The Kila Kila aerodrome was even more primitive than those in Australia. Within a few hundred metres of a native village a grassy undulating field contained a short narrow strip of gravel and one small solitary building housing the meteorological and radio offices. I was met by John (Doc) Hogan, the meteorologist I had come to replace. The only other member of the meteorological staff was Alan Hobson, of whom more later. The radio room was staffed by RAAF signals personnel from whom we obtained most of our weather reports from the Australian mainland.

Bureau of Meteorology