Vickers Vimy G-EAOU about to touch down at the cleared landing ground at Fannie Bay, 1505 hours, 10 December 1919. Flown by Ross and Keith Smith, along with Wally Shiers and James Bennett as mechanics, the aircraft had departed Hounslow aerodrome near London at 0905 hours 12 November 1919. They flew a distance of 14,350 miles in 188hrs 20min, claiming the 10,000 pound prize offered by William Hughes' government for the first flight from England to Australia. The time allowed by the race rules was 28 days. The landing ground had been selected and cleared by Hudson Fysh, co-founder of Qantas; he cleared the area adjacent to the Fannie Bay Gaol, removing a large banyan tree and two scrub turkey mounds. All up costs were 700 pounds, later criticised in Parliament as a 'wicked waste of public money'.,