FLIGHTPATH|At the time of QAN’s incorporation, Sir
Charles Kingsford Smith was setting up the
original Australian National Airways in
Sydney. To supplement his famous Fokker
F.VIIb/3m ‘Southern Cross’ on the pro-
posed ANA services to link Sydney with
Brisbane and Melbourne, ‘Smithy’ had or-
dered five brand new Avro Ten trimotor air-
linersfromtheEnglishfirmofA.V.Roe.The
founders of QAN had several meetings with
KingsfordSmithandsawthepossibilitiesof
opening an air link to the north by connect-ing with the ANA services. Following these
discussions, it was decided to place an or-
der for two new Avro Tens, plus one Avro
Five, for use on the proposed services from
Brisbane to Townsville. This early order
for, and subsequent placement in service
of, three multi-engine Avro types stresses
the significance of QAN in Australia’s avia-
tion history. It was the only other airline in
this country to introduce new Avro Ten
aircraft and was the only operator of the
smaller Avro Five tri-motor. QAN was alsoQueensland
Air Navigation Company
F
ollowing the pioneering efforts of the
two original Australian airlines - West
Australian Airways and Qantas - in
the early years after the Great War,
commercial aviation was well on its way to
becoming firmly established as a safe and
efficient means of transport. The twenties
saw steady advancement, although the full
potential of air travel had only barely begun
to be realised. In 1929, three progressive
and far-sighted Brisbane men banded to-
gether to form an air service company to
operate regular flights between the Queens-
land capital and northern cities as far as
Townsville. This concern was destined to
surviveforbarelyayearbeforeitdisap-
peared into obscurity.
ThemenwereCaptainJackTreacy,anex-
perienced airman, Mr Arch Winning, a
prominent businessman, and Mr Bert Porter,
askilledaccountant.Thecompanywasreg-
istered as Queensland Air Navigation Co. Ltd
(QAN)withofficeslocatedintheoldT&G
building in Queen Street, Brisbane. Treacy
became the Chief Pilot and Operations Man-
ager,Winningfilledthepostofchairman,
andPorterwasthecompanysecretary.Re-
cruitedasTownsvillemanagerwasL.C.
Woolrych, a district pioneer and prominent
local identity, who raised capital for the
fledgling QAN in the form of shares to local
investors. A leading Cairns businessman,
N.P. Draper, carried out similar duties.
Avro Ten VH-UNJ in Queensland Air Navigation markings featuring
the distinctive black and white chequered fin and rudder.
[All images via Ben Dannecker]VH-UNJ at the opening of Connor Park Aerodrome, Rockhampton, 2 March 1930.By Ben Dannecker