Brocklesby
A map of the village can be found here(PDF, 547KB).
Click here to visit Brocklesby.
Brocklesby began in 1870 when the Maxwell Brothers secured the first blocks from Goombargana Station and “The Olives”. In 1882 the Culcairn/Corowa rail line was built using large gangs of workmen housed in “tent cities”. The designated distance between railway stations was approximately 10 miles apart; land was purchased from Mr Mitchell, of “The Olives”, for railway yards and town development. The Brocklesby Hotel was built in 1878, with a larger substantial brick hotel being built in 1918. In 1881 the post office was opened in the hotel then transferred to the railway station in 1892 and by 1910 moved to a separate office/home on Main Street. The Brocklesby Public School was opened in 1898.
Brocklesby’s main claim to fame occurred on Sunday morning 29 September 1940, when two Avro Anson training planes were involved in a mid-air collision over Brocklesby. The planes were joined together in “pick a back” style 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 the planes were landed without causing any more damage. Many tales were told from families on their way to church, with most never seeing a parachute before. With headlines in newspapers worldwide and unable to prove if the incident was caused by accident or carelessness, Fuller’s recommendation for a decoration was rejected. Located in Blacksmith Park, Brocklesby is a part of an engine and interpretative signage. A plaque relaying the historic story is situated at the landing site on Howlong/Goombargana Road, Brocklesby.
Experience Brocklesby
- View the Avro Anson Display in Blacksmiths Park.
- Play some tennis.
- Let the children play at the playground or simply enjoy a BBQ.
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