HOME > Online Exhibitions
Experimental Monoplane of Aviator W.E. Hart

Unknown photographer
Experimental Monoplane of Aviator W.E. Hart, 1912

b&w photograph; 9.8 x 15.0 cm
nla.pic-vn3722800

ABOUT 'BRIDGING THE DISTANCE'

From Indigenous people, European explorers and new settlers through to today’s ‘grey nomads’, Australians have learned how to live in a big country. Bridging the Distance reveals, through more than 150 pictures, photographs, manuscripts, maps, objects and books, how this country of large distances, difficult terrain and small population developed the communication systems essential to its prosperity.

The exhibition was inspired by the National Library’s extraordinarily diverse collection. Working with the collection daily means constantly coming across material that begs to be shown to a wider audience, and every item in the exhibition is from the Library’s collection. Together the items explore what distance means for us and our lives.

The exhibition was generously sponsored by Qantas Airways, a company which has, since its inception in 1920, done much to bridge Australia's vast physical distances.

The curator, Margaret Dent, has a background in rare books and information services in the National Library of Australia, and has been an exhibitions curator since 1999.