May Bradford: Queensland Aviatrix

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Episode One – Show Notes

From the railway towns and dusty hotel bars of early Central Queensland emerged the remarkable beginnings of May Bradford’s life story. In this opening episode, we travel back to the pioneering years of May’s maternal grandparents, Herman and Mary de Zoet, whose lives became deeply entwined with the growth of Queensland’s inland railways and remote hotel trade. From Westwood to Copperfield, Bogantungan, Withersfield and Emerald, their story reflects the resilience and movement that shaped early regional Australia.

We also meet May’s father, Charlie Bradford, whose life with the Fitzgerald Brother’s Circus brought another world of travel, performance and uncertainty.

When Charlie married Emily de Zoet, the couple embarked on a life lived largely on the road — a journey that would ultimately lead to the birth of May Gertrude Bradford.

This episode introduces the people, places and restless spirit that shaped May’s extraordinary beginnings.