Australian National Airways was a short-lived Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n airline

Airline

An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...

, founded in 1929

1929 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1929:- Events :* Greatest number of fatal civil aircraft crashes in US history.* Cubana de Aviación begins service.* Pan American World Airways begins service.* The Canadian Siskins aerobatic team is formed....

 by Charles Kingsford Smith

Charles Kingsford Smith

Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...

 and Charles Ulm

Charles Ulm

Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm AFC was a pioneer Australian aviator.-World War I:Ulm joined the AIF in September 1914, lying about his name and age to get in. He fought and was wounded at Gallipoli in 1915, and on the Western Front in 1918.Charles Ulm was married twice. In 1919 he married Isabel...

.

The airline began operations in January 1930 with five Avro 618 Ten

Avro 618 Ten

-See also:-References:* Priest, Joan Virtue in Flying. 1975 Angus & Robertson ISBN 0207132305-External links:* —Image collection of Ed Coates...

s, similar aircraft to Kingsford Smith's famous Southern Cross

Southern Cross (aircraft)

Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew in the first ever trans-Pacific flight, from the mainland United States to Australia, about ....

. However, the airline folded in 1931

1931 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1931:- Events :* Manufacturer Airspeed Ltd founded in York, England.* Alexander Seversky founds the Seversky Aircraft Corporation....

 after the crash of VH-UMF Southern Cloud

Southern Cloud

The Southern Cloud, registered VH-UMF, was one of 5 three-engine Avro 618 Ten aircraft flying daily airline services between several Australian cities for Australian National Airways in the early 1930s. On 21 March 1931, the Southern Cloud departed at 8:10 AM from Sydney for Melbourne. Onboard were...

in the Australian Alps

Australian Alps

The Australian Alps are the highest mountain ranges of mainland Australia. They are located in southeastern Australia and straddle the Australian Capital Territory, south-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria...

 between Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 and Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, and VH-UNA Southern Sun in Malaya

British Malaya

British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...

.

Aircraft

VH-UMF Southern Cloud (crashed March 1931)

VH-UMG Southern Star

VH-UMH Southern Sky

VH-UMI Southern Moon

VH-UNA Southern Sun (crashed November 1931)

On the airline's dissolution, Southern Moon was bought by Ulm, refitted for long-distance flight and reregistered as VH-UXX Faith in Australia. The other two aircraft were sold to Keith Virtue

Keith Virtue

Keith Allison Virtue MBE was a pioneer Australian aviator. Sir Lawrence Wackett, in the Foreword of Keith Virtue's biography, writes that he was an experienced airman himself but he marvelled at the ability and skill of Keith Virtue and counts him as one of the greatest of the Australians who...

's New England Airways.