Outback air mail pilot learns plenty in challenging but rewarding career launch

In the remote town of Broken Hill, Harry Russell is taking his final flights as an outback pilot.

After a year of delivering mail to sheep and cattle stations across Far Western New South Wales, the 24-year-old is bound for new heights in the big smoke.

But he said the distinct nature of working to deliver mail by air would not be lost on him.

“I’ll definitely miss the challenges and the nature of it, it’s so unique,” he said.

Navigating the dirt and obstacles of a remote station runway, Mr Russell has been able to learn from the many complexities that have been thrown at him.

He said the experiences were a part of the role, but initially it wasn’t something he would have considered.

“You have to shoo goats and sheep off of airstrips a lot of the time … that was an eye opener,” he said.

“One of the trips, I hit a kangaroo on take off which was a bit scary.”

Mr Russell, who started recreational flying in 2019, began with Broken Hill charter flight company H&A Air last year delivering post to 26 stations each week.

He said he didn’t expect to become a mail pilot, but wanted to get into the aviation industry.

“For a lot of young pilots who have just graduated, you just have to take whatever you can get,” he said.

He said he had enjoyed the learning curve. 

“One would be the challenges … coming straight out from flight school into this mail run where you do 28 landings a day,” he said. 

In addition to the long day of transporting goods to stations, Harry has also been able to witness the vast Australian outback by providing scenic flights to visitors.

“You get to see some cool things, like buzzing over Lake Eyre and Wilpena Pound.”

But he said the role was not as luxurious as it might seem.

He said flying through the outback in summer without air-conditioning could be tough.

“When we’re doing that run, we don’t get above about 1,500 feet so you can’t really climb out of the heat,” Mr Russell said.

“When you get on the ground to stop and deliver the mail there isn’t any airflow, so it gets to about 50 degrees … it’s basically like a little greenhouse.

“It’s rough, it’s not very pleasant.” 

Lynne Gall, who lives on remote sheep and cattle station, Langawirra, about 120 kilometres north-east of Broken Hill, said greeting the mail pilot on the airstrip each week was a source of great enjoyment.

Mrs Gall said she liked having a yarn while collecting her mail.

“We look forward to the mail every week,” she said.

“I love people, I live in isolation … and it gives me great pleasure to speak to the mail pilots.”

Mr Russell said not everyone came to meet him when he arrived but the people who did were always eager to say g’day.

“I think being rural, out there they might get a bit lonely, so they tend to want to have a good chat,” Mr Russell said.

“They’re very nice people, very genuine, friendly and welcoming when I’m out there.”

He said his next role would be conducting scenic flights from Adelaide.