It was 100 years ago today that the first air mail flight left Lismore loaded with precious bags of letters. The journey took one and a half hours and involved a pilot and a Royal Mail contractor.

The Tiger Moth plane was bound for Casino and Tenterfield and today, a re-enactment of that flight will take place from Lismore at 12.30pm in a very similar plane to the one that made the trip 100 years ago.

The reenactment of the flight is the brain child of Geoff Wotherspoon – a local historian with an avid interest in stamps.

While the world has moved on to split second communication technology, Geoff’s dream was to see this reenactment happen.

Geoff spent three years researching the history of the aerial mail service in Northern New South Wales and recently, published a book ‘Per Aerial Mail’.

Geoff and Betty Wotherspoon in front of Lismore’s oldest remaining post box.

He gathered support from politicians and local community members to make it happen and even created a commemorative set of envelopes with stamps created that people can post.

Today, June 26, 2020, Geoff and his mother Betty Wotherspoon will be watching the plane take off on it’s historic journey again.

Geoff said the plane will depart at 12.30pm from Northern Rivers Aero Club in Lismore, arriving in Tenterfield at 2.30pm with a stopover in Casino on the way.

He has even co-ordinated the children from Mummulgum School to wave to the Tiger Moth as it flies overhead.

Geoff said the children have been given stationery to write letters which will be carried on the plane, along with letters written by local politicians and community members.

People are welcome to come along and watch the historic flight take off from Northern Rivers Aero Club at Airport Drive, South Lismore at 12.30pm.

His book an commemorative stationary is available for sale in Lismore at the Penny Man shop in the Star Court Arcade.

For more information, read about Geoff Wotherspoon, his family and the historic mail flight in this Sunday’s Sunday Profile on The Lismore App.