More Info →First aeroplane to fly into Nelson area

The first plane to land in the Nelson region touched down on 11 November 1921. The flight was organised by Thomas Newman, who ran the local coach and service-car company. The plane was an Avro 504 – a converted First World War aircraft which had flown from Wellington and had landed in Marsden's paddock at Stoke. The pilot was Thomas Newman and the accompanying aviator was Philip Fowler.