Harry Houdini has fully established his claim to be considered the first successful aviator in Australia. To his records he added, on the morning of March 31st, a flight of about 6 miles, covered in 7 min. 37 sec., on his Voisin bi-plane, at Digger's Rest. The time was taken by Mr. W. M. Marks, owner of the Sydney yacht "Culwalla II." (who had motored up from town with Mr. John Dixon, "Sayorana's" owner), and was checked by another stop-watch in the hands of a reporter of "The Argus". The performance far excels Houdini's previous flights, and constitutes the Australian record.

A certificate of the flight was obtained from the timekeepers and other witnesses.

It read as follows:-

Diggers' Rest March 21st 1910

This document certifies that Harry Houdini at 7 o'clock this morning performed the record Australian flight in a Voisin bi-plane remaining in the air for 7 min. 37 secs, in the presence of 30 witnesses including the undersigned. Houdini's movements were plainly hampered by a cross-current of wind which was pronounced by experienced spectators to be distinctly dangerous. He reached a height of from 90 to 100 ft.

(Signed):

Walter M. Marks, Solicitor, Sidney, Yacht Culwulla
John Dixon, Prabran, Yacht Sayorana
D. W. McCay, "The Argus" Reporter, Melbourne
Wal. E. Moore, Sydney, Yacht Culwulla
A. Bindo Serani, Consul for the Italian Touring Club, Melbourne
F. C. Mackillp, Yacht Culwulla
Marc Pourpe, St. Kilda, Sydney
Charels H. Elliott, Brighton
James I. Watson, Brighton Beach
Isabel A. Watson, Brighton Beach
Verona Watson, Brighton Beach
F. Enfield Smithells, c/o Union Bank
J. H. Jordan, 11 Francis St., Ascotvale
George J. Hne, Middle Brighton
H. J. Jagelman, Kogarah, Sydney

http://www.uelectric.com/houdini

Unlike several small townships on the plains north-west of Melbourne, Diggers Rest is not positioned in a protected hollow or beside a watercourse. Rather, several streams flow away from the slight rise where the town is built, making it exposed and prone to dry conditions. Diggers Rest's origins lay in it being a convenient stopping place for gold miners en route to the Bendigo and adjacent goldfields, and Caroline Chisolm had a women's shelter at Diggers Rest.

A railway station was opened on the line from Melbourne to Sunbury (1859). The convenient hotel stopping places, however, were between two and three kilometres either side of the station. A primary school was opened in 1874. The third hotel, the "Diggers Rest", came later, situated at the junction of the Bendigo and Bulla roads. Diggers Rest became a postal village with a general store, post office, weighbridge, mechanics' institute and a chaff mill.

The exposed landscape provided a suitable venue for the escapologist, Harry Houdini, to achieve Australia's first officially recorded powered flight in 1910. There is a commemorative marker west of the town.

Diggers Rest became well known to car travellers in the postwar years, where the highway negotiated an awkward crossing of the railway line. The Calder Freeway later bypassed the town, probably providing relief for the residents in the growing numbers of houses. The town has three recreation reserves, a community hall, football club and Houdini Drive beside the largest reserve. Large Defence Department installations occupy space south of the town.

www.arts.monash.edu.au