A Ripping Yarn Of Sydney’s Soaring Seaplane Past

A new book celebrating Sydney’s golden age of flying boats has touched down at Rose Bay, shining a light on the waterfront suburb that once connected Australia with the world. Sydney Seaplanes: Honouring Heritage, Embracing the Future was launched this week by author Carolen Barripp alongside former Qantas chief Alan Joyce and Sydney Seaplanes owner Dr Jerry Schwartz.

Described as a ripping yarn, the book reveals surprising pieces of aviation history, from the country’s first international runway being entirely water based to the early use of lie flat bunks in long haul travel.

Rose Bay’s aviation story began in the early twentieth century with the rise of the flying boat, a remarkable machine that helped overcome Australia’s tyranny of distance by opening long routes across oceans.

These aircraft carried mail, freight and passengers at a time when travel between continents was slow and uncertain.

Qantas Empire Airways, formed by Qantas and Imperial Airways, operated from Rose Bay under the Empire Air Mail Scheme, which aimed to modernise communication across the British Empire.

Joyce notes in his introduction that 1938 marked a historic moment when Rose Bay became Australia’s first international airport, home to aircraft including the Short Empire, Catalina and Sunderland. Passengers enjoyed comforts never before seen in air travel, with lie flat bunks, lounges and waiter service, along with stories of golf played during scheduled stopovers.

Yet the long ocean legs were often eventful, with crews navigating rough weather and other challenges.

The outbreak of the Second World War brought the glamour to a halt as Rose Bay’s facilities were repurposed for military operations. When peace returned, thousands of Sydneysiders filled the shoreline to welcome prisoners of war returning home.

Lie flat beds with tea served to your bed. Credit: Qantas Heritage Collection

Flying boat services resumed after the war, linking Australia with Europe and destinations across the Pacific, with former RAAF pilots taking up civilian roles on sightseeing trips and charters. The era came to an end as land based airports expanded and modern aircraft designs took over, with the final service to Lord Howe Island ending in 1974.

Over the following decades, Rose Bay evolved into the home of Sydney Seaplanes, though establishing a permanent base was far from simple. Ageing infrastructure and long standing friction between councils, government and residents complicated progress, but persistence from industry pioneers eventually led to today’s world class facility.

Sydney Seaplanes now operates Cessna Caravans and de Havilland DHC 2 Beavers, with scenic flights and coastal transfers departing from its waterfront lounge, which doubles as a restaurant led by chef Natali Mikailoglu. A small museum inside the lounge preserves the history and spirit of the flying boat era.

Aviator Dick Smith, Alan Joyce, Sydney Seaplanes Rod Harys and Jerry Schwartz