Melrose died in July 1936, at the age of 22, when his new high-wing monoplane "Billing", a Heston Phoenix registration VH-AJM, broke up in turbulence over South Melton, Victoria on a charter flight from Melbourne to Darwin. Two days later, over one hundred thousand people lined the streets of Melbourne to pay their last respects. Black and white photographic image of Charles James Melrose, the only Australian contestant and the only solo flier in the England-Ausralia air race, 1934. He is being chaired by R.A.A.F. men. Two years later Melrose crashed.aeroplane, aviation, flight, pioneer pilot, charles kingsford smith, p. taylor

Edna Barrie at the cairn, photo received from Graeme Minns in 1988. The cairn marks the site of Jimmy Melrose's plane crash in Melton South. The accident which happened on July 5th 1936. In 1934 Melrose made headlines with a series of spectacular flights. In July of that year, he set around Australia record and in that year established a new solo Australia England record when he flew to England to compete in the MacRoberston race with a De Havilland Puss Moth VH- YQO. The only Australian and the only solo pilot to complete the course within the time limit. He was seventh in finishing order and third in the handicap section making news again during the race with a dramatic landing in Darwin with empty fuel tanks. Late in 1935 Melrose imported the Phoenix for his “Adelaide to Anywhere” Charter Service. The previous year the Heston Aircraft Company had taken over the interests of the well known Comper Aircraft Company, and the first production of the new firm was the Phoenix, a single-engined all wooden five seater machine of sesquiplane configuration. The forward half of the fuselage was a streamlined rectangular section and the rear portion was a monocogue shell; the whole was of plywood fabric covered. The wing was built up of spruce box spars and lattice ribs, ply covered from the leading edge to the front spar and the fabric covered over the remainder. The tail surfaces were of similar construction. The most notable feature of the design was the lower stub wing which ran right across the fuselage embodying two box spars, plywood covered it housed the main undercarriage wheels when retracted and provided a substantial anchorage for the Nu form wing struts. The Dowty undercarriage retracted inwards, operated manually by hydraulic packs, Dual control fitted, with side by side seating for the pilots and three passenger seats behind. Power was a 200 h.p. De Havilland Gipsy VI 6 cylinder inverted in-line air-cooled engine. Six Phoenix were built; five of them registered in Great Britain and one of those was later sold abroad the remaining four were impressed into the R.A.F. in 1940. Specifications were: 40 feet 4 inches length 30 ft 2 ins height, 9ft 7ins, wing area 270 sq ft, Tare weight 2,600lbs loaded weight 3,300lbs; cruising speed 360 m.p.h. landing 50mph ceiling 14,000 ft range 700 miles. Melrose’s machine the first production aircraft was built early in 1936 and test flown of the 24th March. Painted green it carries the words “South Australian Centenary 1936” in silver of the fuselage and the name “Billing on the engine cowling in honor of Melrose’s uncle Noel Pemberton Billing, pioneer designer and founder of the Supermarine Aviation Company. The delivery flight was planned as a goodwill mission to publicise the forthcoming South Australian Centenary celebrations. Melrose left Dympne on the 9th April 1936, and flying via Marseilles, Naples, Athens, Baghdad, Basra, Karachi, Jodphur, Calcutta, Akyab, Penang, Singapore, Lombok, Darwin, Newcastle Waters and Alice Springs reached Adelaide on the 25th of April. Continuing the goodwill flight to other States, he visited Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Grafton, Brisbane, Coff’s Harbour, Sydney again, Launceston, Hobart and Mount Gambier before returning to Adelaide on the 13th May. During June Jimmy made some charter flights and early in July was engaged by Mr. A.J. Campbell a director of several mining companies from Melbourne to Darwin to commence at Essendon on the4th July. However on that day low cloud and steady rain caused the postponement. There was little improvement and Melrose was advised to delay the departure again. However he wished to reach Oodnadatta that night, and when he observed the break in the clouds decided to leave. He planned to climb above the cloud and fly to Adelaide at 3,000 feet. The aircraft was airborne about 8.10 a.m. and was last seen from Essendon climbing above the clouds. At 8.45 people at Melton (30 miles West of Melbourne) heard an approaching aircraft. The engine noise increased abnormally and eye witnesses saw the machine fall out of control from the cloud base about 800 feet and then disintegrate, fragments were scattered for 1½ miles and both occupants were killed. Hand written carbon copy by Edna Barrie.Typed by Wendy Barrie March 2014 Last Flight of Jimmy Melrose by John Burke Parade Magazine July 1972 Page 2 –4 This article gives the take off time of 7.50 am from Essendon Airport Eyewitness account at the time Maisie Arthur’s description. Newspaper article. Edna Barrie at the site of the 'Cairn'local identities, local significant events

This artefact originates from a petroleum company which operated in Victoria from 1933 until 1945. The Alba Petroleum Company of Australia Pty. Ltd. was established by P. J. Adams and A.G. Wales. They had distribution facilities in the industrial estate of Newport in Victoria and also marketed to South Australia and Tasmania. Their advertising during World War 11 emphasised the need to keep petrol profits in Australia. They claimed to have the largest independent bulk storage unit in Australia. They pioneered the use of tar alcohol which was blended with "standard motor spirit to produce a super fuel. They were marketers of ALBA Super, the Aviation Quality Spirit containing Australian produced alcohol, ALBA motor spirit, ALBA power kerosene and ALBALITE lighting kerosene. In 1945 after the war ended, ALBA was incorporated with the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, which in turn, became AMPOL Petroleum Ltd in 1949.This artefact is representative of an Australian innovative company and a product which was widely used on a local, state and national level for industrial and domestic applications.A cylindrical steel/metal can for petrol storage and transfer. It has the brand name of the company ALBA embossed into the lid.On lid: " ALBA"alba petroleum company, ampol, petroleum companies australia

Basil Watson departed Melbourne on 24th January 1917, on the initial leg of Australia's first 'barnstorming' aviation tour, promoted by the entrepreneurs Albert Sculthorpe and R. Sissons. During the trip, which lasted over a month, Watson visited Warrnambool, Hamilton and Mount Gambier, before returning via stopovers at Casterton, Hamilton, Warrnambool and Camperdown. At each town he presented a public flying demonstration for crowds of spectators, featuring his usual aerobatic displays with feats such 'looping the loop', upside down flying, somersaulting and 'perpendicular nose dives', generating much amazement and admiration. The promoters had received approval from the Postmaster General's Department to carry an experimental airmail consignment on the return journey from Mount Gambier, and Watson landed in Albert Park on his arrival back in Melbourne on 27th February, carrying over 1,000 pieces of airmail collected from each of the towns on route. Much of the mail was in the form of official souvenir postcards commemorating the event, which were reposted on arrival to local addresses in Melbourne. Churchward, M. (2017) Basil George Watson, Pioneering Aviator (1894-1917) in Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/articles/15473 Accessed 18 December 2018.Book. ' Basil G. Watson, Pioneer Airman, the Mount Gambier to Melbourne 1917 experimental air mail'. Grey cover, 39 pages with photographs and illustrations.H.N. Eustisbiography, aviation, basil g. watson, aviation, airmail, bendigo, basil g. watson.eric j. ames pty ltd printers, 14 chesser street adelaide

This booklet relates the life of Basil Watson. It tells in detail his early life, background, his home built aeroplane, his display flights and his tragic death and the story since. This year marks 100 years since one of Australia’s pioneering aviators, Basil Watson arrived in Warrnambool and delivered the first airmail to the town. Basil Watson was born in Bendigo in 1894. His interest in aviation which began at a young age, took him to England at the commencement of WW1 where he worked at Brookland in aviation workshops and as a test pilot. Despite crashing and suffering injuries he was not deterred. He returned to Australia and by 1916 Basil had built his own plane. He soon took to the air performing tricks and barnstorming to the delight of onlookers. His connection to Warrnambool lies with his delivery of the first airmail to the town, an event which was filled with much excitement. Basil Watson, pioneer aviator landed his 50hp home built aeroplane on the racecourse on Saturday January 27th 1917, after a flight from Point Cook. The trip of 166 miles took just under two hours, and set a record non-stop cross country flight for Australia. Watson was heartily welcomed by the Mayor, to whom he delivered three letters, the first aerial post to Warrnambool. One of the letters, from the Mayor of Melbourne Sir David Hennessy to the Mayor of Warrnambool is now in the W&DHS collection: I have much pleasure in sending you greetings by aeroplane piloted by my friend, Mr Basil Watson. I hope when the cruel war is over and victory crowns our efforts, we, over the Commonwealth, will be able to fly from one State to the other. With best wishes for the New Year. Yours truly, DV Hennessy. Basil Watson was unfortunately killed two months after his historic visit to Warrnambool. While participating in an air show at Point Cook, the plane he way flying that day crashed into the sea. This booklet tells the story of an interesting part of Warrnambool and Australia's aviation history. It has special significance as it enlightens two significant items in our local collection, namely the letter which he delivered and the seat from his aircraft.A small 29 page booklet with blue and white photograph of Basil Watson in his aeroplane. It contains a number of black and white and some colour photographs. Introduction from the author, "This small booklet recognises the short career of Basil Watson. He came to my attention when researching the French aviator Maurice Guillaux who carried the first official air mail in Australia, Melbourne to Sydney in two and a half days 16/18 July 1914..... Tom Lockley 1 June 2017. Handwritten inside front cover,"These items may be of interest to add to your material about Basil Watson. Its a pity that the 100 year anniversary of his flight was not more widely recognised but thank you for mounting some of his records. Tom Hockley."warrnambool, basil watson, first airmail flight, aviation career of basil watson