November–December 2015 6767IN 1982–83 AG’s founder, Dick Smith, became
the first person to fly a helicopter solo
around the world – a 55,000km flight that
would require him to overcome loneliness,
storms, bullets and his first-ever shipboard
landing. In late 1985 Dick launched
AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC. Two years later,
after three attempts, he reached the North
Pole, solo, by helicopter. In 1988–89 Dick
and co-pilot Giles Kershaw flew a de Havilland
Twin Otter aircraft around the world via both
poles. In 1993 Dick and co-pilot John
Wallington completed the first balloon flight
across Australia, and in 2000 the first flight
from New Zealand to Australia. Dick Smith
was named Australian of the Year in 1986 and
was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
in 1999. In 2000 he was named AGS Adven-
turer of the Year for his trans-Tasman balloon
flight (AG 60), and in 2014 received an AGS
Award for 50 years of adventure (AG 123).RYAN CAMPBELL (1994–)
In 2013, at the age of 19, Ryan became the first
teenager and youngest pilot to fly solo around the
world. He hoped to demonstrate the accessibility
of flying and prove it’s possible to achieve your
dreams. Departing from Wollongong in the
single-engine Spirit of the Sapphire Coast, he
returned 70 days later having covered 24,000
nautical miles and logging 180 hours in flight.LAWRENCE HARGRAVE
(1850–1915)
In 1894 Hargrave attached
himself to a train of box
kites and became the first
Aussie to fly. His work
in aerodynamics and
engineering also helped
pave the way for aviation.Dick Smith
(1944–)
“In my mind, the
flying machine will
tend to bring peace
and goodwill to all;
it will throw light
on the few unex-
plored corners
of the Earth.”
LAWRENCE HARGRAVEAG subscribers will receive a 20 per cent
discount on adult and family ticket prices- you must present the latest issue of AG
at the admission desk to redeem this off er.
ALSO complementing the exhibit, and beginning
in March, will be the AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC
Festival of Adventure, featuring 21 weeks of
events, films and lectures. For the full schedule,
visit http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/issue129
and http://www.australianmuseum.net.au.THIS ARTICLE WAS researched and written by
Lesley Cadzow, Fran Dorey, Ken Eastwood and
Howard Whelan. AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC
thanks the curators and staff of the Australian
Museum for their assistance with this story.
SMITH: COURTESY DICK AND PIP SMITH; CAMPBELL: COURTESY RYAN CAMPBELL; HARGRAVE: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 Greatest
Explorers is showing at Sydney’s
Australian Museum,
28 November 2015–18 July 2016.