A conservation project was undertaken by Bundaberg Regional Council to preserve the structural integrity and historical authenticity of the important local landmark.
Originally built in the 1920s, Hinkler House is renowned as the home of Bert and Nance which was situated in Southampton England and is where Hinkler planned his historic flight from England to Australia in 1928.
It was relocated to Bundaberg in the 1980s by a group of dedicated locals who later formed the Hinkler House Memorabilia Museum and Research Association Inc.
The home is a treasured cultural asset that offers visitors a glimpse into the life and times of the aviation pioneer, whose innovative spirit helped shape early flight history.
Key upgrades completed during the restoration included:
• Installation of new hardwood posts replicating the original decorative chamfered edges.
• Repainting the verandah to match the existing colour scheme precisely.
• Salvaging and repurposing original timber wherever possible to maintain authenticity
On top of this restoration project rare audiovisual footage of Bundaberg’s pioneering aviator, Bert Hinkler, has been preserved for the future as part of the ongoing management of the Hinkler Hall of Aviation Memorabilia Trust collection.
A recent digitisation program has converted 78 collection items from ageing and soon-to-be obsolete file formats to modern digital formats.
The items digitised included vinyl records, film reels, tape cassettes, VCR recordings, CDs and DVDs.
In addition to digitising the audio of the vinyl records, the physical records were also scanned to preserve Bert Hinkler’s original signature which was etched on the front.
More Information on The Hinkler Hall of Aviation https://www.bundaberg.qld.gov....
For more information, please contact:
Kym-Marie Murphy | Supervisor - Tourism Venues
T 07 4130 4399 M 0419 215 721
E Kym-Maree.Murphy@bundaberg.qld.gov.au