Bankstown has special memories for me too. I applied to join the RAAF in early 1951 and missed out. Thought if I learned to fly the RAAF interview board might give me another chance.
Hadn't a clue about which flying school at Bankstown to go to. Saw the name Kingsford Smith Flying School on a shed and took a punt. First two or three instructors on the Tiger Moths were nice blokes but their Polish accents were too thick for me to understand as they shouted down the Gosport Tube intercomms.
Then struck the jackpot when an Australian instructor by the name of Bill Burns flew with me. He was ex RAAF and was then a Qantas flight safety manager. First class instructor. Went solo after total of eight hours dual which was considered normal then. Bankstown was an all-over field in those days and ATC was by light signals. Change of landing direction notified by observing the signal square in front of the control tower.
Re-applied to the RAAF and flashed my new log book at the interview board. Got a telegram a few weeks later saying I was successful this time around. I reckon that was all due to Bill Burns for his good instruction. The senior officer on the interview board was Squadron Leader Paul Metzler. He had been a Catalina pilot when the Japs hit Pearl Harbour. A few days later his Catalina was shot down into the sea by several Zero fighters to the NW of Rabaul. Most of the crew were killed but Metzler survived and was captured by a Jap destroyer. He was repatriated after the war. He was my first Commanding Offiocer at Point Cook in October 1951.
See:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1005997
.