William Hart Memorial

Located on a stepped stone base, west of the Boer War Memorial, the W E Hart Memorial commemorates William Hart's pioneering cross-country flight from Penrith to Parramatta Park on 4 November 1911.

William Hart was the first Australian to fly a plane and the first qualified pilot in Australia. His journey from Penrith was reported to have been an 18 mile (29 km) flight that took 19 minutes to complete at a maximum altitude of 3,000 feet. His journey continued from Parramatta Park to the showground in Sydney where he reached a maximum altitude of 6,500 feet. Hart also won Australia's first air race in June 1912 from Botany, Sydney to Parramatta Park, covering a distance of 20 miles (32 km) in 23 minutes against the American, 'Wizard' Eugene Stone.