Bert Hinkler
Bundaberg-born Bert Hinkler was a man fascinated by flight. His captivation with the wonders of air travel took him across the world and made him a pioneer and household name in his field.
Herbert John Louis (Bert) Hinkler AFC DSM was born in Bundaberg, Queensland on 8 December 1892, the son of a sugar mill worker. By the age of 19 Bert had hand-built man-carrying gliders and already flew them successfully at picturesque Mon Repos Beach near Bundaberg.
Bert Hinkler died in 1933 at the age of 40. He was endeavouring to establish yet another record-breaking solo flight when his aircraft crashed in the Appennine Mountains in Italy. Such was his celebrity that he was afforded a State funeral and buried with the rich and famous in a Florence cemetery.
For more information on Bert Hinkler visit the Hinkler House Memorial Museum and Research Association Inc.