Darwin in the 80's
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Australia
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Not just Dix
...Darwin had the lot back in the day, before the Southern Wowsers Brigade of Political Correctness moved up and ruined everything.
Does no one remember Fannies? Or Boobies? (greasy all night servo/takeaway in Ludmilla). Does no one remember the routine?
We'd start out at Fannies, then head to The Don (first 'casino' Darwin ever had) til it closed at 2am, then we'd crawl round to Dix to finish the night off at 6am (when it closed). I can't tell you the number of times I'd go home from Dix, have a shower, get changed, and then head straight to work...
Miss those magic days.
Does no one remember Fannies? Or Boobies? (greasy all night servo/takeaway in Ludmilla). Does no one remember the routine?
We'd start out at Fannies, then head to The Don (first 'casino' Darwin ever had) til it closed at 2am, then we'd crawl round to Dix to finish the night off at 6am (when it closed). I can't tell you the number of times I'd go home from Dix, have a shower, get changed, and then head straight to work...
Miss those magic days.
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Darwin's Queen Mother
I remember John Spellman - The Wine Bar, right? (my parents haunt, that was).
But The Queen Mother was my fave. I'll never forget the morning he rolled up in my parents driveway in some convertible, at 6am, wearing a royal red 'robe' and carrying a sceptre, calling out to me to, 'Wakey, Wakey, my dear girl! It's Regatta Day!"
My dad woke up spitting chips until he saw who it was, then he was all hypocritical smiles and gushes.
I wonder if the Queen Mum's still around?
But The Queen Mother was my fave. I'll never forget the morning he rolled up in my parents driveway in some convertible, at 6am, wearing a royal red 'robe' and carrying a sceptre, calling out to me to, 'Wakey, Wakey, my dear girl! It's Regatta Day!"
My dad woke up spitting chips until he saw who it was, then he was all hypocritical smiles and gushes.
I wonder if the Queen Mum's still around?
The female pilot in the Nomad picture looks like Kamma Lynn. Great pilot, now a 777 Capt with EK in DXB. She use to roll her own cigs and stay the distance with the boys at the bar. Top girl and a real character.
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I worked for Doug Muir in 64 when Ossie was Chief Pilot. Can only agree with all Glen says. On arrival in Darwin I was booked into the old Arafura Hostel in Parap, more like a jail than anything this young bloke had seen. Ossie and Shirley decided it was not the place for a 19 yo so moved me in to be part of the family until Doug moved the business to Perth and took me with him.
He was a character but always had the welfare of his staff in mind.
From starting out flying Austers around the Top End in the 50s to operating RPT he leaves a big legacy.
He was a character but always had the welfare of his staff in mind.
From starting out flying Austers around the Top End in the 50s to operating RPT he leaves a big legacy.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
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Not a pilot but spent some time in Darwin and surrounds around '81
and then late '90's onwards as well.
Recognised a few of the names in the OP's post.
DarwinEscapee
Agree, with you re the Southern PC brigade, Darwin has change a lot
and some of it not for the better !
and then late '90's onwards as well.
Recognised a few of the names in the OP's post.
DarwinEscapee
Agree, with you re the Southern PC brigade, Darwin has change a lot
and some of it not for the better !
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Weighman
Wow, what a nostalgic blast from the past. Was in Katherine from 81-86 and Alice 87-89 working for Tillair. Great to hear the names and stories.
Might add some myself in the future.
Might add some myself in the future.
long live the old days!
Thread Starter
When did the Nabarlek mine run shutdown?
Did Pelair run out there seven days a week on the shuttle or just Monday -Friday?
Did Pelair run out there seven days a week on the shuttle or just Monday -Friday?
Last edited by Stationair8; 29th Dec 2013 at 02:35.
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A few more names
Jeff James local windsurf salesman
Faulkner boys George ???? Refuellers
Tony Hicks Air Frontier
Ron Hart Police Airwing
Steve Jones Pelair
Tas Chris Perkins and John Lawrie
Trevor and Margie James Pheonix Aviation
Scott Werleman Nt Police now Airnorth
Rob Guerrara Bolla
Ed Keane three greens
Ex Air France pilot who put an airbus into bush tried to get a job with Ammans
Devo
Jeff James local windsurf salesman
Faulkner boys George ???? Refuellers
Tony Hicks Air Frontier
Ron Hart Police Airwing
Steve Jones Pelair
Tas Chris Perkins and John Lawrie
Trevor and Margie James Pheonix Aviation
Scott Werleman Nt Police now Airnorth
Rob Guerrara Bolla
Ed Keane three greens
Ex Air France pilot who put an airbus into bush tried to get a job with Ammans
Devo
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Lots of names, planes and places recognised here from the 80's ......
I did my first 2500 hours in and around Darwin in the 80's. I did the RAC casual pilot thing to get that magic first 500 hours JH said I needed for my first job with Air North! Then it became 1,000 hours with an instrument rating ....... Ossie gave me my first FULL time job at Maningrida and notched up about 800 hours in that Baron TOV (it had 15,000 hours on it then and had the old reverse sense DG and BIG black and white AH) and about 800 hours in ECO over 20 months! Got to know Karl pretty well and I believe he has past away now. I was on the good side with Karl one week and the off-side the next. He told me he had a steel plate in his skull from his war would, which would explain some of his mood swings. I got to respect Ossie over that time and really saw some pilots come through with some strange attitudes that really gave him the reputation for sacking guys. I got sacked regularly it seems but I never got told by the man himself. Got to admit, we were young and probably cost him some serious money over the time! Saw some crazy airstrips and even got to land on Cape Wessel Island in the Baron! It was like landing on a ball!
I even did some time in Maningrida with MGPA in the part banana they had.
I remember being told that Ossie gave food parcels to the NTAC pilots that went on strike, probably to keep them out of the air longer but hey, would some food parcels keep guys on strike? No doubt gave him a smile though.
I do remember all those names of pubs, fast food places named after the genetalia: DIX, BOOBIES, FANNIES .......
Wasn't around for Air Frontier but my instructor for my PPL was a Tony Hicks! Same person maybe? He was an instructor at RACWA in the late 70's.
All good memories so keep it coming everyone!
I did my first 2500 hours in and around Darwin in the 80's. I did the RAC casual pilot thing to get that magic first 500 hours JH said I needed for my first job with Air North! Then it became 1,000 hours with an instrument rating ....... Ossie gave me my first FULL time job at Maningrida and notched up about 800 hours in that Baron TOV (it had 15,000 hours on it then and had the old reverse sense DG and BIG black and white AH) and about 800 hours in ECO over 20 months! Got to know Karl pretty well and I believe he has past away now. I was on the good side with Karl one week and the off-side the next. He told me he had a steel plate in his skull from his war would, which would explain some of his mood swings. I got to respect Ossie over that time and really saw some pilots come through with some strange attitudes that really gave him the reputation for sacking guys. I got sacked regularly it seems but I never got told by the man himself. Got to admit, we were young and probably cost him some serious money over the time! Saw some crazy airstrips and even got to land on Cape Wessel Island in the Baron! It was like landing on a ball!
I even did some time in Maningrida with MGPA in the part banana they had.
I remember being told that Ossie gave food parcels to the NTAC pilots that went on strike, probably to keep them out of the air longer but hey, would some food parcels keep guys on strike? No doubt gave him a smile though.
I do remember all those names of pubs, fast food places named after the genetalia: DIX, BOOBIES, FANNIES .......
Wasn't around for Air Frontier but my instructor for my PPL was a Tony Hicks! Same person maybe? He was an instructor at RACWA in the late 70's.
All good memories so keep it coming everyone!
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Photo's
I have many photo's of my AirNorth days which I shall post when I have time. Many are of the social occasions, the Russian visit, VH-MMA, the people I worked with, could go on. Stories behind every photo.
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Jim Hillder
Does anyone know what became of Jim Hilder? I imagine that he may have departed the fix by now, but maybe not, although he would probably be in his eighties.
Ex-RAAF Meteor pilot in Korea, flew for TAA, and spent part of that stint on loan with the NT Medical Service on the old Herons out of DAR in the 60s. He was a close mate of my old man who worked for AWA out of the old terminal building. His wife, Kath, and my mum were great friends back in the DAR of old (when Smith St wasn't a mall!)
He joined SAATAS around 65/66.
Next time I saw him (79/81) he was flying the DAK for Connair. He then departed and went to PNG with Air Niugini and I understand that he was there for a few years. I think he was known as 'Jumbo' to the Air Niugini guys.
The last contact I had was when I bumped into him in the Green Room and that must have been around 96. I was on a work visit and went for a few afternoon beers on my lonesome out of nostalgia. Cowboy was still doing the rounds!
However, DAR just wasn't the same - it had lost something from the old days.
Anyway, if anyone can fill in the blanks as regards Jim and Kath I'd really appreciate it.
Ex-RAAF Meteor pilot in Korea, flew for TAA, and spent part of that stint on loan with the NT Medical Service on the old Herons out of DAR in the 60s. He was a close mate of my old man who worked for AWA out of the old terminal building. His wife, Kath, and my mum were great friends back in the DAR of old (when Smith St wasn't a mall!)
He joined SAATAS around 65/66.
Next time I saw him (79/81) he was flying the DAK for Connair. He then departed and went to PNG with Air Niugini and I understand that he was there for a few years. I think he was known as 'Jumbo' to the Air Niugini guys.
The last contact I had was when I bumped into him in the Green Room and that must have been around 96. I was on a work visit and went for a few afternoon beers on my lonesome out of nostalgia. Cowboy was still doing the rounds!
However, DAR just wasn't the same - it had lost something from the old days.
Anyway, if anyone can fill in the blanks as regards Jim and Kath I'd really appreciate it.