The Maroochy air crash was an aircraft accident that occurred at 11.10am on 30 December 1950 at
Maroochydore
Maroochydore ( ) is a coastal town in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.
The town was subdivided from the Cotton Tree reserve by Surveyor Thomas O'Connor in 1903. The land was acquired from William Pettigrew who had a timber de ...
beach,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, Australia. Three children were killed and fourteen others were seriously injured as a result of the accident.
CAC Wirraway
The CAC Wirraway (an Aboriginal word meaning "challenge") was a training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1939 and 1946. It was an Australian development of ...
Serial Number ''A20-212'' of the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
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, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
had been circling between Maroochydore and
Alexandra Headland
Alexandra Headland is a coastal Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb of Maroochydore in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Alexandra Headland had a population of 3,958 people.
Geography
Alexandra Headland is locat ...
during a routine shark patrol when it suddenly banked steeply and crashed onto the crowded beach in front of the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club. The pilot and his observer survived the impact of the crash.
Memorials
On 9 March 2013, a 2.4-metre 'Maroochy Air Crash Memorial' was erected at the site in memory of those killed and injured.
References
External links
Memorial detailsSunshine Coast set to have memorial to RAAF aircraft Wirraway after plane crash 60 years agoShirley remembers day she lost young brother (Graham Blair)Headstone for Pauline Probert, located in old Nambour CemeteryPhoto of Liam O'Connor on a camping holiday at Maroochydore, December 1950Map of location of air crashMarked image of aircraft flight path to beach from The Sunday Mail on 31 December 1950
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Australia
Aviation accidents and incidents in 1950
1950 in Australia
History of Queensland
Aviation accidents and incidents in Queensland
Accidents and incidents involving military aircraft
1950s in Queensland
December 1950 events in Australia
1950 disasters in Australia