▁the ▁Murray ▁River ▁near ▁E ch uca . ▁With ▁two - way ▁radio ▁communic ations ▁lost ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁storm , ▁it ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁possible ▁for ▁the ▁dr ift ▁to ▁be ▁corrected . ▁After ▁passing ▁over ▁Al bury , ▁the ▁" U iver " ▁made ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁for ays ▁towards ▁the ▁mountains ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁D ivid ing ▁Range , ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁lights ▁of ▁Al bury . ▁I cing ▁up ▁of ▁wings ▁and ▁prop ellers ▁had ▁made ▁passage ▁to ▁Melbourne ▁impossible . ▁The ▁" U iver " ▁finally ▁turned ▁and ▁head ed ▁for ▁an ▁air field ▁at ▁C oot am und ra , ▁and ▁re - located ▁the ▁Al bury ▁lights - but ▁this ▁time ▁they ▁were ▁flash ing ▁as ▁if ▁to ▁convey ▁a ▁message . ▁The ▁pil ots ▁then ▁saw ▁a ▁cres cent ▁of ▁car ▁head light s ▁ill umin ating ▁a ▁makes h ift ▁landing ▁strip ▁on ▁the ▁central ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Al bury ▁Race course . ▁At ▁ 1 : 1 7   a . m ., ▁after ▁dro pping ▁two ▁par ach ute ▁fl ares ▁to ▁check ▁out ▁the ▁suit ability ▁of ▁the ▁ground ▁below ▁for ▁a ▁landing , ▁and ▁with ▁its ▁powerful ▁nose ▁landing ▁lights ▁on , ▁the ▁" U iver " ▁made ▁a ▁perfect ▁emer gency ▁landing . ▁In ▁the ▁occas ional ▁light ▁of ▁a ▁cloud - s me ared ▁full ▁moon , ▁the ▁" U iver " ▁desc ended ▁onto ▁an ▁area ▁known ▁as ▁" pl um pton ", ▁an ▁en closed