‘Strathmore Star’


The Strathmore Star was one of several aircraft wrecked by a cyclone which devastated the Bowen (Queensland) region on 2 April 1958. The Auster was later rebuilt however, and is thought to still be flying as VH-SNK (Delamothe Collection, James Cook University).

Founder of Bush Pilots Airways Ltd., Edward (Ted) Cunningham, named all the aircraft in his fleet, always with the suffix Star.

Strathmore Star was named after the owner’s stud property, Strathmore, near Collinsville in north Queensland. Following is an extract from a letter which Cunningham wrote (dated 8 December 1989), recounting the circumstances of Strathmore Star’s demise… Continue reading “‘Strathmore Star’”