In the year that it marks 100 years since its construction the idyllic Hinkler House received two very special visitors.
Her Excellency the Governor of Queensland The Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM and Professor Graeme Nimmo RFD recently visited the Bundaberg Region and took the opportunity to explore the history of pioneer aviator Bert Hinkler at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation and Hinkler House.
The two tourist attractions are located within the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens and tell the story of the local Bundaberg boy whose fascination with flight led to record breaking feats and international recognition.
There are self-guided and guided tours available to book online or directly at Hinker Hall of Aviation, at 6 Mount-Perry Road, Bundaberg, with a special resident rate for locals.
In celebration of Hinkler House’s centenary the Bert: Out of the archive IV exhibition is currently on display and free to view in the Lex Rowland Gallery at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation during opening hours.
History of Hinkler House
Sitting proudly within the manicured lawns of the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens is Bert Hinkler’s English home which was dismantled and rebuilt in its current location 40 years ago.
Originally built by Bert and Nance in 1925 in Southampton, England, the house was scheduled for demolition in the early 1980s.
A passionate group of locals, led by Lex Rowland alongside Stan Lohse and Merv Purkiss who were dedicated to preserving the memory of the aviation great, steered a community campaign to purchase and relocate the house.
Brick-by-brick it was reconstructed at it’s new home, returning a piece of the pioneer aviator’s legacy to his Bundaberg roots as an enduring tourist attraction.
Read more about the relocation efforts, which included a huge community fundraising campaign, here.
