After circling twice to allow local kangaroos to safely clear the airstrip, the RAAF C-130J landed and opened its doors to wide smiles and a huge crowd lining the Gilgandra Aerodrome.
Coinciding with the start of NAIDOC Week, more than 30 Defence personnel and invited guests travelled from RAAF Base Richmond on July 7 to engage, have a yarn and say thank you, Indigenous Liaison Officer Corporal Ron Schultz said.
"People travelled from as far as Canberra and Coffs Harbour," he said.
"With so many First Nations members on board, the visit was a way of giving back to community, and encouraging continued, meaningful engagement to 'keep the fire burning'."
37 Squadron A Flight Commander Squadron Leader Andrew Morgan reiterated the sentiment, saying NAIDOC Week presented an ideal timing for the engagement.
"It was a great opportunity to honour our connection to the land and learn more about First Nations cultures, especially as the Gilgandra area has traditionally been a meeting place between the Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Wailwan nations," Squadron Leader Morgan said.
"This was my first time participating in a community engagement event on this scale at Gilgandra and the experience was amazing. There were over 400 attendees, with some travelling for hours to make the event and they were all excited to look through the C-130J.
"We extended our timings to accommodate the large crowd and make sure everyone got to look through the cockpit.
"There were a lot of kids who had an interest in aviation and asked some very clever questions, which was heart-warming, as I can remember looking at the C-130 at a similar age and being in awe of its size and complexity."
It was a chance for local families to enjoy a sausage sizzle and have a friendly game of footy with Air Force, Army and Navy members.
There was also much excitement as First Nations rugby stars Mahalia Murphy, National Rugby League (NRL) Women's Premiership, and former NRL Manly Sea Eagles, Cliff Lyons, joined in the day.
Squadron Leader Morgan said the community event was a way of expressing appreciation and gratitude for the continued local support of their tactical airlift training.
"The RAAF has been operating C-130 aircraft over the Gilgandra area for more than 50 years, and the Gilgandra Aerodrome is a very important training field for 37 Squadron," Squadron Leader Morgan said.
"We regularly land there during the day and sometimes at night, conducting night vision goggle training."
It was the first time in five years that Defence members have participated in a Gilgandra community engagement, due to COVID-19 and conflicting commitments, but 37 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant Tjapukai Shaw remembered the previous visit well.
"As the RAAF Richmond Indigenous Liaison Officer at the time, organising the visit was a big milestone," Flight Lieutenant Shaw said.
"I told myself that the next time I visit, I will be one of the people who fly these aircraft, so coming back as part of the crew has been an incredible experience.
"I grew up in Dubbo, only 45 minutes down the road, and coming back to Country isn't something I get to do much of anymore so these opportunities for me are really valuable. I got to invite my family along and share with them what I do, and hopefully I inspired someone along the way."
There are plans in the works to visit other local communities across Australia, with the intention to showcase a range of musterings and Air Force capability.
"The aim is to build on foundational relationships, strengthen trust in community and learn more about the locals' 'backyards' and the land that they know best," Corporal Schultz said.
Squadron Leader Morgan said it was hoped the visits, sharing and engaging would inspire the next generation of young aviators.
