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Up,
up and away, By Sam Paine - 28th April 2008
(Credit:
Mudgee Guardian)
This year's Wings, Wheels and Wine
air show was the biggest yet, with 3000 patrons
passing through the gates.
Mudgee
Aero Club secretary Rob Duffy attributed this
year's success partly to the decision to move
the show to the ANZAC Day long weekend.
He
and coordinator Dan Power estimated that the monetary
benefits for the Mudgee region could be measured
in millions of dollars, as many visitors arrived
early and stayed in Mudgee through the week leading
up to the show.
This
year, the show ventured into a new W, with a wool
display including exhibitions of wool clothing
and demonstrations by male and female shearers.
As
wine has always been intrinsic to the air show,
Mr Power said, "it was just a natural progression
to the other product that's in the area."
Nine
wineries offered tastings on site, and members
of Mudgee Fine Foods brought various local products
to taste and purchase.
Other
stallholders offered a variety of material for
air show enthusiasts, from model ships to framed
prints of war planes in pencil.
The
team behind Mudgee High School's solar powered
car brought it along to compare with UNSWs solar
powered racer.
Four
rows of classic cars were lined up on the airfield,
while the skies were filled with flying displays.
Special
guest Father John Fowles showed off the four-seater
kit plane in which he will soon circumnavigate
the continent.
A
highlight of the day was a pair of high-flying
aerobatic performances by Paul Andronicou and
Paul Bennett, followed by feats in formation by
six RAAF Roulettes.
A
crew from the ABC attended the show to film the
roulettes for a new program on remarkable careers.
Motor
Magazine will also use Mudgee as the backdrop
for a photo shoot this week, after making a successful
appearance at the air show with a number of impressive
new-model cars.
Mr
Power reported increased numbers of car clubs,
partly due to the support of the president and
secretary of the Council of Motor Clubs, who have
been promoting the event and are now discussing
bringing an annual motor rally through Mudgee
en route to Bathurst. For more photos from Wings,
Wheels and Wine, see Wednesday's Weekly.
Profiles
Paul
Bennett
Aviation
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