THEY say time flies when you’re having fun and adventure-seeking octogenarian Lawrie Hutton is not the type to let his age keep him grounded.
The long-time Broken Hill Aero Club member, who recently turned 85, is on the verge of completing a marathon 13,000km flight to the four most extreme points of the Australian mainland – Wilsons Promontory in the south, Cape Byron in the east, Cape York in the north and Steep Point in the west.
An accountant before he retired, Lawrie received his pilot’s licence in 1988 along with his daughter Robyn Curtis, who convinced him to pursue an old dream.
He first thought of the flight in 2013 during the club’s 75th anniversary; his aim was to encourage older one-time pilots to get back into flying. Lawrie had planned to complete the flight with his wife Jean but when she died last November, he was determined to complete it himself.
His journey began on May 26 and he said the experience so far had been a spectacular one, despite some frustrations with weather and mechanical difficulties.
Initially he planned to make Wilsons Promontory in Victoria his first stop but after spending two days in Bendigo unable to take to the skies due to bad weather he changed his route and flew towards Cape Byron in NSW.
Lawrie’s adventure has seen him land in some of the most remote parts of the country.
He spent a week grounded in the old mining town of Charters Towers, Queensland, due to mechanical problems, but was grateful for the hospitality of the town’s engineer and son who put him up.
When he spoke to The Senior, Lawrie had reached Australia’s most northerly, easterly and westerly points, but was still waiting in Broken Hill for the weather to improve so he could complete that last leg to Wilsons Promontory.
“There have been frustrations with mechanical gear, frustrations with the weather, challenges to come up with a plan B and I think I’m up to plan X, Y or Z by now, but I’ve been so well received and had a lot of help,” he said.
He said there had been many highlights so far, including the chance to fly over the 478km stretch of railway line that passes through the Nullarbor, the longest straight section of railway line in the world.
He was also thrilled to have the chance to fly alongside Uluru, the Olgas and the flat-topped Mount Conner in the Northern Territory.
“One thing that has stood out is the vastness of the country,” he said. “In Queensland, you can fly for an hour or so and not see a station and WA is probably even more remote.”
Lawrie adopted the motto “never too old- go for it” for the challenge and hopes his efforts inspire other seniors to take on a challenge and rise to it.
