The Friends of Tenterfield Aerodrome Fire-Fly Fete will return on Saturday, 9 May, transforming the Tenterfield Aerodrome into a hub of aircraft displays, local markets and community celebration from 9 am to 3 pm.
Organised by the Friends of Tenterfield Aerodrome (FOTA), the event is only the second time the fete has been held, following its debut in early 2024.
President of FOTA Robert Evans said the idea first took shape in the wake of the region’s bushfire recovery efforts.
“We ran a fete two years ago, February 24, as a sort of thank you and celebration after the bushfires of October, November 23,” he said.
“This is the second fete. People have been asking us for a year or so when you’re going to hold another one.”
That growing community demand has helped bring the event back, with organisers now preparing for a bigger program and a wider range of attractions.
A major drawcard of the Fire-Fly Fete will be the aircraft activity overhead and on the ground, with organisers hoping for a strong turnout of visiting planes from across the region. Robert Evans said a wide range of aircraft are expected to take part, depending on operational conditions.
“Quite a number of aircraft are expected to fly in unless there’s no fuel available. At the moment, it’s still holding reasonably, so we’ve got a line-up of agricultural aircraft, different ones from different eras coming in.”
The event is expected to attract between 30 and 40 aircraft, with pilots travelling from across northern and regional New South Wales and southern Queensland.
“We’re hoping maybe 30 or 40 aircraft there,” Mr Evans said.
“Local for people flying aeroplanes could be anywhere from, say, going north up around Toowoomba, across to the Gold Coast, down to Coffs Harbour and across to Armidale.”
Organisers are also highlighting some of the more unique aircraft expected to attend, including rare and historic machines.
“We’ve got at least one Warbird,” Mr Evans said.
“There are a number which there would perhaps only be one in Australia, different types. We’re hoping to get some old biplanes, Tiger Moths, and we’ll have an Air Tractor water bomber there.”
He added that one of the most anticipated features will be the variety and rarity of aircraft on display.
Alongside the aviation showcase, the fete will feature a full program of market stalls, food vendors and community displays, making it a family-friendly day out for visitors.
“We’ll have various market stalls, food stalls, displays by different organisations such as SES and RFS,” Mr Evans said.
The inclusion of emergency services reflects the broader community focus of the event, with local organisations using the day to engage with residents and visitors.
Model aircraft enthusiasts will also be part of the program, with remote-controlled aircraft set to perform aerobatic displays.
“We’ll also have model aircrafts, you know, remote controlled doing an aerobatic display,” Evans said.
This year’s fete also coincides with a celebration of the aerodrome’s growing role in regional disaster preparedness, including the opening of its Disaster Readiness Facility.
FOTA’s involvement in managing and upgrading the aerodrome has been driven by a long-term vision for emergency response capability in the region.
Evans said the organisation took over the airport from council with a clear purpose in mind.
“That was the rationale on which we took over the airport from the Tenterfield Shire Council,” he said.
“We saw the need as a not-for-profit organisation. We were able to apply for government grants to put in these facilities.”
The investment has been significant, with infrastructure now playing an active role in local emergency response operations.
“The day after we got our first facility there, which was a 200,000-litre water tank, we started fighting fires,” Evans said.
Since then, funding and community contributions have continued to grow.
“We’ve had grants probably totalling about $600,000 and community support totalling probably close to $400,000,” he said.
“So really about a million dollars in disaster readiness infrastructure.”
Evans said the level of local backing has been essential to the project’s success.
“We couldn’t have done it without the community support,” he said.
Entry to the Fire-Fly Fete will be a gold coin donation, with organisers hoping to encourage broad community attendance across all ages. Funds raised will go towards a Rapid Response Centre.
Evans said the event has quickly become something locals look forward to, particularly given its mix of aviation, community services and family activities.
“It’s open for all ages, family friendly, something for everyone,” said Mr Evans.
With preparations well underway, organisers are hoping for strong weather and strong participation from both pilots and the public alike.
As Mr Evans put it, the only real uncertainty is who will make it into the sky on the day.
“Given the way the weather is at the moment, we’ll find that our firefighting aircraft are off working somewhere,” he said.
The Friends of Tenterfield Aerodrome Fire-Fly Fete will run on Saturday, 9 May from 9am to 3pm at Tenterfield Aerodrome, with gold coin entry at the gate. For more information visit the FOTA website.
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