High-flying fun at Cressy aerodrome

THE Cressy aerodrome is gearing up for a busy weekend as it prepares to host Colac Otway Shire’s Australia Day celebrations.

The aerodrome is increasingly attracting aviation enthusiasts, with many expected to fly in and camp “underwing” on-site ahead of Monday’s events.

After four years of planning, the aerodrome has also recently opened its own on-site cafe and restaurant. The new eatery has quickly become a drawcard for locals seeking a meal with a difference, as well as for plane owners and pilots visiting on day trips.

Big day ahead: Pilot Jason Cheney at the Cressy Aerodrome with aerodrome owner Paul Lamont and Millie the Tiger Moth. The aerodrome recently opened a new attraction and is now preparing to welcome a large number of visitors for Monday’s Australia Day celebrations happening on site. Photo: EVIE LAMB

“We’re getting people from all around Victoria and New South Wales and people flying in from Melbourne just because it’s a short flight and it’s something new and different,” Cressy Aerodrome co-owner Paul Lamont said.

“We’re probably the only one where you can fly in and sit down undercover and have a meal.”

Rich in aviation memorabilia, the aerodrome is a former RAAF training base from the Second World War and is known for its star attraction, a Millie the Tiger Moth biplane which was used to train pilots on-site during the 1940s.

The vintage aircraft, which has won multiple awards at the Avalon Air Show including Best Restored Vintage Aircraft, is now based at Cressy and regularly takes paying passengers aloft, offering a unique aerial view of the region, including parts of the Moorabool Shire.

“People are pretty much blown away,” Millie’s pilot Jason Cheney said. “I think there’s an attraction to Tiger Moths and the opportunity to fly in them is few and far between.”

On Monday, short pre-booked flights in Millie will be just one part of a packed Australia Day program.

Events will include a flyover and demonstration by a No. 100 Squadron Winjeel aircraft from Point Cook, market and food stalls, and live music from the Colac City Band, along with Divinyls tribute act The Divinyls Story – It’s A Fine Line, set to perform a two-hour show.

“We’ll also have our flight training simulator going so people can have a go at flying a plane,” Mr Lamont said.