Indee Station (site of plane crash)

Statement of Significance

Indee Station is significant as the site of one of the worst aviation disasters in Australian history.

History

On the morning of 31 December 1968, a chartered MMA Viscount 700 plane crashed at Indee Station, becoming one of the worst aviation disasters in Australian history. The plane was due to arrive in Port Hedland just before midday, having flown from Perth. At 11:34am a fire broke out in one of the plane’s engines, and shortly afterwards the plane crashed into the scrub at Indee and subsequently exploded, killing all five crew members and twenty-six passengers on board the plane. The station owner and station hands who had witnessed the event arrived at the scene half an hour after the impact to search for survivors, but found only charred debris. By noon the temperature had reached 45c. It was not until evening that an investigation squad could arrive at the scene to inspect the wreckage, which was spread over a kilometre. Mount Newman Mining Company (BHP) sent air-conditioned dongas to the site to house the officials at the scene, and to accommodate the deceased until Port Hedland Hospital was equipped to receive what was the largest number of casualties ever experienced. The plane, named the Quininup, had been on the Perth-Port Hedland route since September, and the flight captain, Brian Bayley, had served in the RAAF during WWII. The three hostesses were aged 23 and 24, with one of them, Gail Sweetman, having been Western Australia’s 1965 Miss Australia entrant. Despite ideal weather conditions on the day, unusual turbulence was indicated, and later evidence at the inquiry reported that all Viscount 700 aircraft were faulty. The model was soon removed from service in Australia.

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