Longreach legends
Wings over the outback
By Garth Hentzschel
Recognising the effectiveness of the flying service commenced in the Northern Territory, The Australia Eastern Territory soon followed with its own flying padre.
From classical times and in every culture mankind has looked to the skies to conquer the ocean of air. The airborne ministry of The Salvation Army came from two desires, mankind’s dream of flight and the Christian’s dream of service. The ministry of The Salvation Army’s Outback Flying Services has seen it fly high and low for over 60 years to bring the Bible to the bush, the land of the Morning Glory, the Min Min Lights, Dough bangers, Galah sessions, Jackaroos and Jillaroos, and the road trains, often doing so on a wing and a prayer.
With Australia being a sparse and desolate country, the Australian Eastern Territory saw the need to start its own flying padre service to cover approximately 2 million square kilometres of central and north Queensland. Lieutenant-Commissioner Bramwell Cook appointed Lieutenant Alf Dawkins, who had been flying on shark patrol missions each Saturday in his first corps appointment to pioneer a flying padre service similar to that operating from Darwin. In January 1965 a four-seater Auster Autocar (VH-BTE) was purchased for £2000 and based in Longreach.
Pilot – Lieutenant Alf Dawkins, 1965–1970
Alf spend some time “learning the ropes” from Captain Vic Pedersen before taking up his appointment in May 1965. His ministry mirrored that of his Australian Southern Territory counterpart, Alf describing his work as covering visitation to homesteads and small towns, oil exploration camps, beef road construction camps and railway sidings. This pioneering work in Queensland was as primitive as that in the Northern Territory. Soon after commencing Alf reported the Auster was damaged when I made a forced landing in rough country near the Diamantina River to avoid a fierce dust storm, as he had no instruments to help him fly in such conditions.
Pilots - Major Mert Darby, 1978–1983 and Major Don Hill, 1984–1991.
During Major Don Hill’s term a Cessna 182Q was purchased and a holiday program in Longreach was set up for school children, organised by divisional youth secretaries, Captains Chris and Sandra Holland. To assist with the large number of children attending Captains Kevin and Glenda Hentzschel from Bundaberg Corps brought a bus load of young people’s workers, under the leadership of Young People’s Sergeant-Major Garth Hentzschel to form The Salvation Army Youth Outback Outreach Team.
Pilot - Auxiliary-Captain Graham Nancarrow, 1992–1999
During Graham’s term, the Cessna became known as the Yellow Canary after he had it painted Salvation Army colours: yellow, red and blue. The ministry was now visiting 140 properties and among his activities Graham would share a prayer, do a Bible reading, deliver food, help on properties or pick up injured people as the little plane can land places that the flying doctor can’t.
In 1994, The Salvation Army became concerned about the impact the years of drought were having on those living west of the Great Dividing Ranges. There was an increase in marriage separations, financial hardship, isolation and suicide. The Salvation Army launched an appeal for Drought Relief which led to the introduction of rural chaplains to provide physical and spiritual relief for the people of the outback.
Pilot - Captain Colin Kingston, 2000–2007
The year 2000 saw three new developments for the Australian Eastern Territory flying service. Firstly, a new pilot, Captain Colin Kingston was appointed. Secondly, the service was moved from Longreach Corps to Mt Isa to allow the padre’s wife to travel with him and minister to the needs of the women of the outback. Thirdly, the Flying Padre Service changed its name to the Outback Flying Service. Despite these changes the ministry did not alter focus and Colin continued to bring the Bible to the bush even in such practical ways as helping with fencing, digging bores and counselling people suffering through the drought. Colin also organized food drops and visited evacuees after Cyclone Larry dumped its rain in west Queensland causing flooding. In June 2005 former flying padres of the Australian Eastern Territory gathered at Longreach to celebrate 40 years of the service. While the celebrations took place the demand for the welfare side of the ministry increased as another drought took hold. In October 2006 a new plane funded from a bequest left by Mr Keith Dawson was commissioned replacing the former Cessna 182Q which had been in operation for 21 years.
Pilot - Envoy Simon Steele, 2008–Present
During his first Christmas (2008) Simon distributed toys to many small communities. At the start of 2009 Simon had to borrow a helicopter to drop off food to communities isolated by flood waters. This showed how versatile helicopters could be in the outback as they can land anywhere and manoeuvre in tight airspace. After the floods Simon wrote a submission to territorial headquarters for a helicopter. Although undecided at present, the next stage of this ministry could be a “chopper chaplain”.
Whatever the future the mission statement of the Outback Flying Services remains: Our main function is to encourage faith and to minister to the spiritual need of the people,with the unwritten corollary that the officers serving in this position need tohave common sense, a sense of humour and a mighty faith in God,as many times all they have is a wing and a prayer.
*Garth R. Hentzschel is a Salvationist residing in Brisbane and is the Professional Experience Program Coordinator for the Christian Heritage College, lecturing in the areas of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. He is also director of Cross and Crown Publications.
This story is an edited extract of an article that first appeared in The Salvation Army’s Hallelujah! magazine.
