Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
August 19, 1972 In the southeastern area of Australia’s state of Queensland, Caloundra Airport on the Sunshine Coast was officially opened. This airport is specifically located in Caloundra West, a suburb of the coastal town of Caloundra. Those taking part in the Saturday afternoon opening of Caloundra Airport included Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1911-2005), who was premier... Continue Reading →
August 14, 2011 In northeastern Australia’s state of Queensland, a newly built bridge in the city of Mackay was officially opened. This road bridge, which crosses the Pioneer River, replaced another bridge that had stood at that location for about seven decades. The first of these two bridges was inaugurated on March 30, 1938, by... Continue Reading →
August 13, 1877 In Australia’s colony (now state) of New South Wales (NSW), a railway station in the town of Quirindi was opened to considerable fanfare. This station was built as a link for the Main North Line – also called the Great Northern Railway – in that region of Australia. The next day’s edition... Continue Reading →
June 7, 1886 The fourth and current version of the facility serving as the base of operations for Star Boating Club was officially opened in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington. The origins of Star Boating Club can be traced to 1866. It is the oldest rowing club in Wellington and one of the earliest... Continue Reading →
April 4, 1993 A long-distance walking trail in the Australian state of South Australia (SA) was officially opened in its entirety. Lynn Arnold (born in 1949), who was premier of SA from September 1992 to December 1993, presided at this event. The trail was named after artist Hans Heysen (1877-1968). The German-born Heysen spent most... Continue Reading →
March 25, 2007 A two-tunnel tollway in Sydney, Australia’s most populous city and the capital of the state of New South Wales (NSW), was opened two months ahead of schedule. This structure, collectively called the Lane Cove Tunnel, serves as a link between the section of M2 Hills Motorway that is in the suburb of... Continue Reading →
February 26, 1934 An airport on the northwestern coast of Australia’s island state of Tasmania was opened. This regional airport is adjacent to the town of Wynyard and about 11 miles (17 kilometers) west of the port city of Burnie. Approximately 3,000 people showed up for the Monday afternoon debut of this airport, which was... Continue Reading →
January 18, 2015 In the Australian state of Queensland, a ferry wharf on the northern side of the Brisbane River was inaugurated. This wharf is specifically located near the intersection of Park Road and Coronation Drive in Milton, an inner suburb of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane. Graham Quirk, who was lord mayor of Brisbane... Continue Reading →
January 17, 2004 In Australia, the first freight train to travel on the Adelaide-Darwin railway line in its entirety reached the end of its long journey. This long-anticipated line serves as a major transportation link between the cities of Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia; and Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern... Continue Reading →
December 1, 1863 In the east-central section of New Zealand’s South Island, a railway line between the city of Christchurch and its suburb of Ferrymead in the Canterbury Region first went into service. Several days later, the area newspaper known as the Press confirmed “that the Ferrymead Railway was opened for traffic, with a general... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 