The photo above shows an Empire flying boat coming in to land on the Norman River at Karumba. The Civil Air Ensign flies proudly over the tents of the Queensland Public Works Department workmen constructing the base in this 1938 photo. The building behind the tree is the Control Building and to its right are the permanent staff quarters. The river and flying boat moorings are behind the buildings.

The photo above shows an Empire boat alighting on the Norman River at Karumba in 1938. After alighting, the boats tied up at a mooring on the far side of the river to be refuelled from a Shell fuel company barge. During refuelling, all passengers had to be brought ashore and had to climb up the ladder at the end of the jetty to the landing stage. They were then conducted over the base and given a 'cuppa'.

The objects at the land end of the jetty are flare buoys for laying a night flarepath. Although night flying as such was seldom practiced by the Empire boats, pre-dawn departures and after-dusk arrivals required the flarepath.

(Photos: CAHS/Ivan Hodder collection)

Click here to see the next in our series of pictures of the Karumba flying boat base

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