Duigan Centenary of Flight 2010

Celebrations

Official Ceremony at the Monument (Friday 16th July)

To celebrate the actual centenary of the Duigan flight on 16 July 1910, a formal ceremony will be held at the memorial adjacent to the “Spring Plains” property where the first flight took place.  
The ceremony will be attended by a number of aviation industry representatives, members of the Duigan family, members of local communities, and primary school children from the region.  The Governor-General has been invited to attend and deliver an address.  
A Permanent History Board providing details of the historic achievement that took place in the neighbouring paddock in 1910 will also be unveiled at the monument.

Historic Aircraft Flypast at Monument (Friday 16th July)

As part of the formal ceremony, a flypast of historic to modern aircraft will take place overhead of the monument site, as was the case at the 50 year anniversary in 1960.

Primary Schools’ Aviation Activity Day (Friday 16th July)

Following the ceremony at the monument, a range of educational aviation activities will be held for the primary school children attending the ceremony.  
These activities will be lead by a number of volunteer aviation and aerospace engineering university students with the aim of both educating the participants on the basic principles of flight and inspiring them to follow in the footsteps of the Duigan brothers.

Air Displays & Other Flying Activities (Saturday 17th July)

A comprehensive series of flying displays will take place overhead the Aviation Fair based at the Mia Mia Oval.  The air displays will include flypasts of antique/historic aircraft (including warbirds), and a range of other aircraft throughout the day.  It is also anticipated that there will be flying displays by military aircraft, including the RAAF Roulettes.  
The flying displays are being coordinated by a team at the Kyneton Aero Club.

Aviation Fair (Saturday 17th July)

The focal point of Saturday’s activities will be the Aviation Fair at the Mia Mia Oval, where a wide range of aviation oriented  activities will take place, including:

1. The display of the newly built flying replica of the original Duigan Biplane. It is anticipated that this aircraft will taxi and fly a short distance, depending on the limitations of  the oval and weather conditions on the day;
   
2. Display of antique aircraft;
3. Display of radio controlled model planes;
   
4. Helicopter joy rides and Hot Air Balloon rides;
   
5. Paper plane competition;
   
6. Official launch of the Duigan Aerospace Innovation Challenge;
   
7. Aviation careers displays;
   
8. Local wine and food will also be available.

Centenary Black Tie Dinner (Friday 16th July)

On Friday evening a Black Tie Dinner will be held at "Nungara," 3300 Burke & Wills Track, Mia Mia, 1km south of the Duigan Monument on the Burke & Wills Track (Lansfield Rd) to celebrate the centenary of the Duigans’ achievements.