Once upon a time, many years ago, an Adastra Hudson crew were doing a survey based at Bourke, N.S.W. One day when returning from a survey flight they found a TAA Fokker Friendship parked in their usual spot, so they parked alongside. The only person aboard the F.27 was the Hostess who, when chatted up by the Adastra engineer, explained that the aircraft was on an "Around Australia" tourist trip and Bourke was one of their overnight stopovers….'The Wild West' which in those days meant anywhere 'back of Bourke'. The passengers and the other crew had gone to the pub in town and the Hostie was tidying up and getting organized for the next day's flight. The Adastra engineer was a cherubic, balding character with an expression of childlike innocence that could charm the birds out of the trees. When the Hostie had departed, the engineer announced that she had told him that there was a stack of sandwiches, sausage rolls etc etc left over from the flight from Sydney and the crew were welcome to help themselves as she would be getting fresh stock the next day. This went over very well with the crew who were soon seated under the wing and enjoying the sangas etc as they had had no lunch. At this stage, the engineer announced that there was a stack of cold beer in the F.27's buffet and maybe a cold ale would help to digest the sandwiches. This idea was readily accepted and after the first round of beers it was agreed that another round would do no harm. Tragically, being an Adastra crew, they soon 'got the taste' and before very long the only liquid in that F.27 was the kerosene in the fuel tanks! Early next day the crew were smitten by guilt and remorse and the engineer was dispatched to find the Hostie and confess. This he did and reported back that the poor girl was in tears with an empty buffet and an aircraft full of thirsty passengers. So the Adastra crew, being men of high moral character, held a tarpaulin muster and with these funds arranged for the Bourke publican to re-stock the aircraft. This was an expensive exercise and it would have been cheaper to have consumed the grog in the pub, but who can resist an open air picnic. The Hostie was relieved, but somewhat unforgiving and it is not known if she met up with another Adastra crew on her trip, but, if she did, you can bet your last dollar that she did not offer them any sandwiches!

Max Garroway
12th February 2003