Brocklesby began in 1870 when the Maxwell Brothers secured the first blocks from Goombargana Station and “The Olives”, with land used for railway construction and worker housing from 1882. The…
Brocklesby began in 1870 when the Maxwell Brothers secured the first blocks from Goombargana Station and “The Olives”, with land used for railway construction and worker housing from 1882. The Brocklesby Hotel was built in 1878 and the town continued to grow through the 19th century.
Brocklesby’s main claim to fame occurred on 29 September 1940, when two Avro Anson training planes were involved in a mid-air collision over Brocklesby. The planes were locked together with the impact of the top machine crushing the cockpit of the lower, leaving the landing gear untouched and the engine still running full throttle. Pilot Jack Hewson and observers Hugh Fraser and Ian Sinclair ejected, leaving pilot Len Fuller to use his skills to steer the planes away from the town to a clear paddock, where they landed without causing any more damage.
Part of an engine and interpretative signage is located in Blacksmith Park. A plaque relaying the historic story is situated at the landing site on Howlong/Goombargana Road, Brocklesby.
