Retracing the Stinson Rescue - An alternate ending perhaps?

Join me as I retrace the steps taken by the rescuers of the Stinson airliner crash in 1937 in the McPherson ranges in Lamington National Park. I head into the crash the way Bernard O'Rielly exited after finding the wreck to get help, and I trek out along the stretcher track and down to Christmas creek, the way they took the survivors.

The stretcher track was cut in 1937 and has not been maintained since. Some 83 years on and it's kept alive only in parts by the occasional hiker following it. In many places it is completely overgrown and unclear.

History always fascinates me, but this crash has a personal element to it, my Great Uncle was there at the time. There were two ways down off the ridge, one would take the survivors by car to Beaudesert hospital (QLD) and the other by rail to Kyogle hospital (NSW). And with QLD police being in charge, the path to QLD was chosen. State vs State rivalry appears to have been strong even back then.

An interesting little piece of information, I lost my camera on this hike. A vine took it from the pouch on my back, unbeknown to me. Two weeks later I receive a message from a friend on Facebook asking me to check out a post. A hiker had gone up to the crash site and found my camera, used the memory card to get my photo and posted it online to see if anyone knew me. Two weeks my camera sat on the top of the McPherson Range in the elements and still works to tell the tale.

[jelbuilderfilms]

Nice work on this. Enjoyed it! Glad I came across your channel.

[davidt]

I did the trip to the wreck 3 years ago. It was a surreal moment knowing what they went through. It is worth watching the movie "The riddle of the Stinson" And yes it was quite a climb but fun.

[Raychristofer]

Bro this thing is epic I never heard of the story of this wreck and the fact that you're retracing the steps is crazy. I'm at work now but I don't want to pause this for later but I have to period the part about the homemade snake bite concoction finished me off lol! I'm at the 10 minute Mark I'm going to have to watch this later.

[weFishAU]

This is brilliant. Top quality documentary. I can see you put a lot of effort into shooting this one. Well done.

[paulh]

Thanks for posting, enjoyed that, and hoping to do it in 22! No disrespect to the fella or his grandfather but it seems a bit of stretch to suggest more survivors that might have made it if they went to NSW! O-Reilly reported two alive and the fate of the others when he got back after finding them - Too late for some sort of cover up as the news was out that two were alive.

[hscollier]

The only source for these accusations is his claim that he heard it from his grandfather? That’s nothing more than spectacular conjecture. There were more than a dozen people who were there, including the survivors who told the same story, and it would contradict this fairy tale. 👎🏼

[Raychristofer]

My man I can't believe you did this alone, what did the British used to call Michael jackson? That's you lol. But seriously I have more questions than answers, did you run into snakes? Where's the rest of the plane? Was it your wife worried about you? Did you spend a night on the mountain? What wild animals come out at night there and are your balls made of steel? I was going to say I wish I would have come with you on this trip but I don't know if I'm man enough 😂