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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ006101S
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00:24 This is Bundaberg, a city in Southeast Queensland
00:28 almost 400 km north of Brisbane. 00:31 The city boasts a population of over 70,000 people 00:35 and is well-known for a variety of different reasons. 00:39 Including some of the grand old historic buildings that 00:43 beautify and grace its center. 00:45 Bundaberg was named by surveyor John Carlton Thompson 00:51 and its name is loosely derived from the name of one of the 00:55 local Aboriginal tribes. The traditional owners of the 00:59 area were the terrible Umbanda. 01:02 The first European to visit the area was an escaped convict 01:06 from the Morton Bay Penial Settlement, later Bundaberg was 01:11 populated by pastoral squatters who established sheep stations 01:16 in the area. 01:17 The city was established in 1867 on the northern banks 01:21 of the Barnard River which is still spanned today 01:25 by a magnificent 100 year-old metal-truss road bridge. 01:30 Most of the early settlers made their living from the timber 01:34 in the area but sugar later became the lucrative 01:38 business venture too. Bundaberg is known to be the home 01:42 town of several known Australians, but arguably 01:47 the most famous son of Bundaberg is Bert Hinkler. 01:51 There's a large polished monument of him that holds 01:56 quite a place in Bus Park in downtown Bundaberg. 01:59 Dubbed as the Australian lone Eagle, Hinkler was an aviator 02:05 inventor, and designer. 02:07 And the first person to fly solo from England to Australia 02:11 and also the first person to fly solo across the 02:15 Southern Atlantic Ocean. 02:17 In many ways, he wasn't afraid to explore unchartered 02:21 territory and go where no one else had gone before 02:25 despite the inherent risks and dangers. 02:28 Join us this week as we take a look at the remarkable life 02:33 of Bert Hinkler and others who had a similar focus 02:36 and drive. As we consider their adventurous spirit, dedication, 02:41 and passion, we may be inspired to question how we can 02:46 better live lives of purpose and significance. 03:01 Bert Hinkler was born on the 8th of December1892 03:06 at Woodburn Villa, Gavin Street in Bundaberg, Queensland. 03:11 His father was a mill worker and Hinkler grew up in a 03:16 modest home, he was born Herbert John Louie Hinkler 03:21 but the name was shortened to the much easier nickname 03:25 of Bert. In January 1898 young Bert was enrolled 03:31 as student number 685 at North Bundaberg State School you can 03:37 still find his name on the school admission register. 03:40 Bert was a good student but his mind was often outside 03:45 in the sky. As a child Hinkler was fascinated by flight 03:51 and would spend hours watching Ibis in flight near a 03:55 local lake. By the age of 19 Hinkler had built his 04:00 first flying machine, a man carrying glider, 04:04 each rib and spare was skillfully handcrafted in his 04:09 backyard workshop. 04:11 In 1911 and 1912 Hinkler used horse-drawn carts to transport 04:18 his glider to the nearby beach, the beach which sits inside the 04:22 Monroe Poe Conservation Park is the nesting ground for the 04:26 largest nesting population of loggerhead turtles 04:29 in the South-Pacific Ocean. 04:31 Hinkler shared the beach with the turtles as it was the 04:36 ideal place to test his new flying machines to see if 04:40 they were aerodynamic and worked correctly. 04:43 The flimsy glider was an ironing board serving as a cockpit 04:47 took to the air with him aboard and launched young Herbert 04:51 John Louie Hinkler into the exciting and developing world 04:56 of aviation. After the successful test flight 05:00 of his gliders, Hinkler set off for England in 1914 05:04 where he worked for the Sopwith Company. 05:07 Sopwith manufactured aircraft that were mainly used by 05:11 the military and both the Royal Naval Air Service 05:15 and the Royal Flying Corp later they were used in the 05:19 Royal Air Force during World War I. 05:21 When World War I broke out, Hinkler served with the 05:26 Royal Naval Air Service as an Arial gunner and an observer 05:31 responsible for manning air- craft guns and performing 05:34 in reconnaissance during a mission. 05:36 Hinkler was deployed to work in Belgium and France 05:41 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal 05:44 for his work there. 05:46 Then in 1918, he was posted to the 28th squadron of the RAF 05:52 where he served as a pilot in Italy. 05:55 Hinkler was lorded as an exceptional mathematician 05:59 and inventor by his peers, in fact, he is known to have 06:03 invented a significant number of aviation instruments which 06:07 were in use up until World War II. 06:10 After World War I in 1919, Hinkler got a job working as a 06:16 Test Pilot for AV Roe in South Hampton, 06:19 the company manufactured and designed aircraft which were 06:23 used by the military in both World Wars. 06:27 Hinkler bought a quaint English home in Thornhill Estates 06:31 South Hampton, he named the home Mon Repos to celebrate 06:36 and remember the beach where he first learned to fly. 06:40 Around the time that Hinkler moved to South Hampton 06:43 the Australian government offered a 10,000 pound prize 06:48 to the first pilot, what was able to successfully fly an aircraft 06:52 from England to Australia. Hinkler threw his hat into 06:56 the ring, but his aircraft ended up crashing in Europe 07:00 during a violent storm. 07:02 In 1921 Hinkler shipped this small Avro baby 07:08 one of the smaller aircraft manufacturers to fly AV Roe 07:11 to Sydney. The aircraft was topped off with fuel 07:15 and then flown over 1,300 km non-stop to his hometown of 07:21 Bundaberg in Queensland. The 1920s proved to be 07:26 a fruitful time of adventure for Hinkler, 07:29 it was during these years that he took on numerous 07:32 aviation projects and set a significant number of 07:36 world records but Hinkler's most notable achievement 07:40 was his solo flight between England and Australia in 1928. 07:45 It was the first solo flight between the two countries 07:50 and was a feat that was applauded on both sides 07:52 of the world. 07:55 Hinkler departed England on the 7th of February 1928 08:00 and arrived in Darwin, Australia on 5 p.m. on the 2nd of February 08:06 there were plenty of challenges and daring escapes along the way. 08:10 After the first few legs of his journey he arrived in Indonesia 08:15 and spent some time in the heart of a local resident 08:19 battling mosquitos and unable to sleep. 08:22 When he departed from Indonesia he had a full load of fuel 08:27 and maneuvered a tricky ascent over the mountains before 08:31 he flew nonstop over the ocean between Indonesia and Australia 08:35 for roughly 11 hours 08:37 His first sight of Australia was Bathurst Island 08:42 and it led to celebration in the cockpit, 08:44 he was given a hero's Welcoming Darwin after an exhausting 08:49 but ground-breaking 18,000 km flight. 08:54 He later flew to Brisbane where swarms of well-wishers 08:58 thronged him at his plane. 09:00 He was welcomed with a triumphal parade through the city in an 09:04 Armstrong Siddeley open vehicle which is being immaculately 09:09 restored and is on display in Bundaberg Hinkler Hall 09:13 of Aviation today. 09:14 After Brisbane Hinkler continued his record-breaking flight 09:20 on to his hometown of Bundaberg. 09:22 Initially his flight between England and Australia 09:26 didn't make any headlines but when he reached India 09:31 the media interest rammed up, he was nicknamed 09:34 The Hustling Hinkler by one newspaper and became the subject 09:39 of a popular song titled Hustling Hinkler up in the Sky. 09:43 Hustling Hinkler up in the sky fair or windy, he's flying high. 09:50 Hinkler continued to gather accolades throughout the course 09:55 of the1920's, he picked up two Britannica trophies, a gold medal 10:00 from Federation Aéronautique Internationale, 10:04 a second Oswald Watt gold medal and an air force cross 10:09 for the finest Ariel exploit of the year. 10:21 Hinkler's life is interesting because it is a study and 10:26 passion, focus, and drive. He was a man who had a genuine 10:31 interest in aeronautics at a very young age and he 10:35 channeled that interest into a lifelong mission that ultimately 10:39 impacted the aviation industry in both big and little ways. 10:44 Then in 1931 Hinkler performed his most amazing feat 10:50 He flew to de Havilland Puss Moth is a three-seat lightweight 10:55 monoplane from Canada to New York and then on to Jamaica 11:00 non-stop clocking a record breaking 2,400 km. 11:06 But that wasn't enough of a conquest, he then took the 11:10 Moth from Jamaica to Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, and then across 11:15 the South Atlantic to Africa. The leg of the journey between 11:20 South America and Africa was undertaken in extremely bad 11:25 weather. Yet, despite the gale force winds and poor visibility 11:30 Hinkler managed to complete the journey. 11:33 Then from West Africa, he flew on to London, 11:37 when he completed the journey he was awarded a slew of medals, 11:42 trophies and accolades. His flight had been the first 11:47 solo flight across the South Atlantic and at the time 11:51 Hinkler was only the second person to cross the Atlantic 11:55 solo after Charles Lindberg accomplished the feat in 1927. 12:00 In 1932 after a decade of exploration and breaking 12:06 barriers in the field of aviation, Hinkler married 12:09 Catherine Rome, he was 39 at the time and still full of 12:14 energy and drive continually drawing up plans for his next 12:19 grand adventure. 12:20 Not long after he got married Hinkler was also game 12:25 pushing the limits of aviation and breaking new frontiers. 12:28 This time he set out to break a flying record between 12:33 England and Australia which was held by CWA Scott, 12:38 the record was eight days and 20 hours and Hinkler was 12:44 determined to do better. 12:45 He left London air park in Hanworth England 12:49 on the 7th of January 1933 in his de Havilland Puss Moth, 12:54 he wasn't heard from again until his body was discovered in 12:59 the Tuscan Mountains in Italy. 13:01 His plane had apparently crashed into the mountains in Italy 13:06 after his departure from London. He was given a state funeral 13:10 and was buried with full military honors by order of 13:14 Benito Mussolini in the Protestant Cimitero degli Allori 13:18 in Florence. 13:20 After his death, countries around the world took steps 13:25 to honor his memory. In Italy a monument was erected 13:29 to his memory by Airotino Aero Club. 13:32 In England several roads and parks were named after him 13:36 and a monument was erected to him. 13:39 In Australia, The Federal Elective of Hinkler in 13:43 Queensland was named after him. 13:45 In 1983 his house in South Hampton, England was saved 13:51 from demolition and relocated brick by brick here to the 13:56 Bundaberg Botanical Gardens which has since served as a 14:00 Historical Museum. 14:02 Bundaberg also erected a beautiful seven-meter-high 14:07 monument on The Hummock, the highest point in the district 14:11 overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the sugar cane fields, 14:15 and the city. There is also an aeronautics museum 14:20 The Hinkler Hall of Aviation located in the Bundaberg 14:24 Botanic Gardens that is dedicated to the 14:27 Pioneer Aviator and Innovator. 14:29 The museum which was opened in 2008 houses a collection of 14:35 five aircraft that played significant part in 14:39 Hinkler's career, these include a reconstructed glider 14:44 that is the replica of the first glider that Hinkler built and 14:48 tested out at Monroe Poe Beach. 14:50 Then there's Hinkler's original Avro-Baby, 14:54 he acquired this machine and made two record-breaking 14:58 solo flights in the aircraft. 15:00 There's also a replica of Hinkler's Avro Avian, 15:04 the original aircraft is on display in the Queensland Museum 15:08 in Brisbane. 15:09 Hinkler had considerable experience with this aircraft 15:13 he flew it in several air races in 1926 and 1927, 15:18 however, it was significantly modified over the period 15:22 for his much-celebrated and ground-breaking solo flight 15:27 between England and Australia in 1928. 15:30 The museum also houses a Hinkler Ibis, 15:34 the Ibis is a small two-seater wooden amphibious mono-plane 15:39 that Hinkler designed and built while he was working in the 15:42 United Kingdom and there is a reconstructed 15:46 de Havilland Puss Moth, Hinkler flew the Moth during his 15:50 his trip from Canada to New York and then through South America 15:54 and across the South Atlantic to England. 15:57 He also flew a Moth on his final flight from England to Australia. 16:01 Regretfully as we've noted, he didn't make it, 16:05 he and the plane met an untimely end in Italy. 16:10 There are many things that come to mind when you think about 16:14 Bert Hinkler, he was a pioneer, an innovator, an inventor, 16:20 and an aviator, but perhaps most striking of all, 16:24 he was a man who was driven to accomplish his goals in life. 16:30 Much like Bert Hinkler's unabated passion and zeal for 16:34 all things aeronautical, the Bible profiles the lives of men 16:39 and women whose drives were driven by a singular zeal 16:43 for their mission in life. 16:45 Purpose in life is extremely important, every human being 16:50 on the planet craves a sense of purpose and significance 16:53 in their lives. A sense of they are more than hamsters 16:57 on a wheel, a sense that their lives are making a difference 17:01 in the world around them. 17:03 One of the most mission-focused and driven individuals 17:07 in the Bible was Nehemiah, an important government official 17:12 in the court of the Persian Empire. 17:14 Nehemiah was a man who was driven by a single purpose 17:19 and he worked hard to achieve it. 17:21 There are a number of things we can learn from 17:24 Nehemiah's life that will help us to understand how we can 17:30 discover and fulfill our own purpose in life. 17:33 So, let's take a look at the life of Nehemiah and the work 17:37 he accomplished. 17:39 The Bible Book of Nehemiah opens with a visit between 17:43 old friends who are as close as brothers. 17:46 Nehemiah was going about his life at the royal court 17:50 generally happy and fulfilled but with an eye on what 17:55 was happening back in Palestine. 17:57 A group of Jews had relocated to Palestine in the hope of 18:02 restoring Jerusalem and re- establishing the Jewish Nation 18:06 70 years after they had been taken captive by the 18:10 Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. 18:13 The work was hard and the terrain uncharted 18:16 and the visit that Nehemiah had from his old friend Hananiah 18:21 included a report on the progress of the group 18:24 that'd returned home. Nehemiah's heart was with his people 18:29 though active in the Royal Court of Persia, he longed to see his 18:34 native land restored. 18:36 Hananiah' s visit alerted Nehemiah to a need in his 18:40 community at home, the walls of the city were broken down 18:44 and they needed help rebuilding them again 18:46 Nehemiah's love for his people led him to respond to that need. 18:51 The first principle the Bible teaches us when it comes to 18:56 understanding a quest with purpose is that the most 19:00 fulfilling tasks in life often revolve around meeting the needs 19:05 of those around us. 19:06 If you want to live a life of purpose and fulfillment 19:10 look around you to see and understand the 19:14 needs of your community. 19:16 After his friend Hananiah left, Nehemiah was deeply affected 19:21 and couldn't stop thinking about his people and the turmoil 19:25 they were in. At that time in history, a city without walls 19:30 was defenseless and vulnerable to attack. 19:33 His concern for his countrymen began to weigh heavily on him 19:38 and a cloud of sadness settled over him. 19:41 Since he was constantly in the presence of the king 19:44 the monarch notices his trusted servant's sadness and inquired 19:48 about the cause. Well, at first Nehemiah was nervous 19:53 he wasn't supposed to show emotion especially sadness 19:57 around the king but then he relented and told the king 20:01 his dilemma. The king generously offered to provide the necessary 20:06 resources for the project and offered Nehemiah 20:10 a leave of absence to complete it. 20:13 At that point Nehemiah found himself not only inspired by 20:18 a vision but also empowered and equipped to make it a reality. 20:23 The second principle of the Bible teaches us about mission 20:28 and purpose is the importance of being equipped. 20:32 In Nehemiah's case, he needed physical resources and also 20:37 time off work to make his vision a reality. 20:40 In other cases equipping our- selves to meet felt needs 20:46 in our communities might mean learning a new skill, 20:50 partnering with people who have a similar vision and a diverse 20:54 skill set or finding financial resources. 20:57 What other tips can we pick up from the Bible 21:01 about fulfilling our commission and purpose? 21:04 Well, once Nehemiah received the king's permission and 21:08 resources to re-build the walls he made his way to Jerusalem. 21:12 The first thing Nehemiah did was tour the city to inspect 21:17 the extent of the damage. 21:19 The walls were broken down in several places and the work 21:23 looked challenging but not impossible, then Nehemiah 21:28 assessed the situation before him identified the problems, 21:32 and came up with a workable plan. 21:35 He then turned his attention to gather the support 21:39 of the people and turning his plans into action. 21:43 He made sure that news spread quickly throughout the city 21:47 that the walls of Jerusalem were going to be re-built 21:50 Nehemiah encouraged the people that the task could be achieved 21:55 and united them to work with him to make it happen. 21:59 In no time at all Nehemiah had plenty of people to help him 22:03 he soon had everything organized and ready to go. 22:07 But his plan didn't just happen, it wasn't created on the fly, 22:11 at the core of Nehemiah's planning was prayer, 22:16 he made prayer the center of this plan and his plan was a 22:21 splendid one. He divided up the wall into sections 22:25 giving one portion to one group or family, and another portion 22:29 to another group or family, this way everybody 22:33 had something to do and was responsible for some particular 22:38 part of the wall. With so many people working the wall began 22:42 to take shape. Some mixed mortar, others lifted stones, 22:46 others carefully measured the distances to ensure that 22:50 each stone was set in the right place. 22:53 Women and children brought food and water to sustain the workers 22:57 then, there were those who checked the levels, 23:01 they used a plumb bob or plummet to establish exact 23:05 vertical lines and ensure the structure was centered. 23:09 This was vitally important because a few degrees out of 23:13 plumb and the whole wall could come tumbling down. 23:17 Nehemiah's plan, his strategy worked splendidly, 23:22 with all this combined and well-coordinated effort 23:25 the walls of the city were soon going up fast. 23:28 Day by day the wall rose higher and higher, more and more 23:33 sections were joined closing the gaps between. 23:36 In just 55 days, less than two months this great wall was 23:42 completed all because one man had vision, faith, and courage. 23:49 So, in summary, three important tips that we can glean from 23:54 the Bible when it comes to formulating a quest and purpose 23:58 for our lives. 24:00 Number 1. 24:08 Be it our families or communities, serving others 24:13 is one of the most meaningful missions in life that we can 24:17 ever have. 24:18 Number 2. 24:28 Number 3. 24:41 The Bible tells us in Proverbs 29:18 24:50 Having a clear vision and purpose in life is an important 24:54 part of living a fulfilled and meaningful lives. 24:58 Jesus often spoke of his own mission in life, in John 10:10 25:04 Jesus said... 25:12 Jesus was always engaged in serving others and we too 25:18 can find abundant life when it is spent in a life of service 25:23 for others. 25:24 Bert Hinkler's passion was flying, he allowed it 25:28 to drive him and he made a significant contribution 25:32 to the field of aviation. 25:33 Jesus' passion was and still is, people, He allows His love 25:40 for people to drive Him and this love is the greatest gift 25:46 we have ever been given, salvation, eternal life... 25:51 Each of us was created to live a life of purpose 25:55 a life much like the life of Jesus, dedicated to service 26:00 and driven by a love for people. 26:03 When you accept Jesus into your heart, 26:06 your life will be filled with His spirit and His spirit 26:11 will inspire you to be a blessing to others. 26:14 If you would like to give God a chance today, 26:19 to give you a life of meaning and purpose, 26:22 if you would like to let Him give you a new vision and 26:25 commission for your life, then, I'd like to recommend 26:29 the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers 26:33 today. It's the booklet Finding Meaning and Purpose in your Life. 26:38 This booklet is our gift to you and is absolutely free, 26:43 I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 26:47 So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity 26:51 to receive the free gift we have for you today. 26:54 Phone of text 0436.333.555 in Australia, or 020.422.2042 27:04 in New Zealand or visit our website at TIJ.tv or simply 27:10 scan the QR Code on your screen and we'll send you today's 27:14 free offer, totally free of charge and with no obligation. 27:18 Write to us a GPO Box 274 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia 27:25 or PO Box 76673 Manukau Auckland 2241, New Zealand. 27:32 Don't Delay call or text us now. 27:35 Be sure to join us again next week when we will share another 27:39 of Life's Journeys together until then, Let's commit our 27:44 lives to the God in heaven who created us to live a life 27:48 of purpose. Let's Pray! 27:51 Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for the lives 27:55 of purpose-driven people like Bert Hinkler and Nehemiah. 27:59 Lord, you created us to live a life of purpose, 28:04 we know that you alone can bring true meaning and purpose 28:08 into our lives. Today we pray that You will lead and guide 28:13 our lives and make us a blessing to the people around us. 28:16 We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen! |
Revised 2024-02-22