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Dick Smith Landing SitePrint Page Print this page

The memorial is situated on the landing spot of Dick Smith's and John Wallington's epic historical journey across Australia in a hot air balloon in 1993. The two men returned to Tabulam in 2014 for the 21st anniversary of the flight and unveiled plans for a roadside marker and information bay to be erected opposite the site to be completed before the 25th anniversary in 2018. 

On June 18, 1993, just 40 hours and 23 minutes after setting out from Carnarvon in Western Australia, Mr Smith and Mr Wallington wrote their names in the record books when they landed their hot-air and helium-powered balloon north of Tabulam. The ballooning adventure, which started off as a race, had captured the country's imagination.

Tens of thousands of people watched as Mr Smith and Mr Wallington's balloon took to the air at Carnarvon at the same time as a balloon piloted by former ballooning champion Phil Kavanagh.

Mr Kavanagh had challenged Mr Smith to a race, with the winner being able to claim the title of first person to successfully cross Australia non-stop in a balloon (six previous attempts to accomplish this feat had failed). The gondolas of the two hi-tech balloons were fitted with satellite navigation and communication systems.

When Mr Kavanagh landed 3000km from his take-off point without finishing the race, attention concentrated on Mr Smith and Mr Wallington who were edging closer and closer to the east coast. They touched down near Tabulam after travelling 3867km or 2088 nautical miles west to east across Australia in fewer than 41 hours.

Dick Smith, AO is an Australian entrepreneur, businessman and aviator. He is the founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Dick Smith Foods and Australian Geographic, and was selected as the 1986 Australian of the Year.

Location

Address:Tabulam Road, "Lisheen" property, Tabulam, 2469
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -28.880278
Long: 152.570833
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Community
Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au