Pre-Event Checklist: ‘Heritage Flight’ Added To ‘Airshows Downunder Shellharbour’ 2024 As Event Map Released Plus Weather & Transport Details & A Scam Warning

SCAMS……………………Check For
TICKET………………….Buy
WEATHER…………….Check
TRANSPORT………….Select
EVENT…………………..Travel To
VANTAGE POINT…..Find
LIVE STREAM……….Watch
AIRCRAFT……………..Look Up For!

This article will be updated daily until Sunday’s flying program.

Ticketing

For the 1st time ever, tickets can only be bought online. They will not be sold at the gate. Remember, if you want to drive and park at the official car park, your car parking needs to be pre-booked at a price of AUD$10.

Attention has also been drawn to the existence of multiple social media pages impersonating Airshows Downunder Shellharbour, who are direct messaging their “followers” offering “upgrades”. In order for you to receive your “upgrade”, you need to provide your information to them. If you receive a message like this, please be very aware that this is a scam. As always, please be cautious & if it sounds too good, it generally is.

The event does not send friend requests, group invitations, direct messages asking for your information nor are offering upgrades & they advise against accepting any such requests, invitations, messages & offers. Furthermore, they request users to report any pages that impersonate Airshows Downunder Shellharbour.

Apart from official main & merchandise websites, the event only uses Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn social media sites, the official links of which are below:

For ticket purchases, rely solely on the official ticket provider, LUP, which is linked to here.

Sydney Spectaculars is not part of the organisers of Airshows Downunder Shellharbour. However, we always provide the official links to the event’s websites & social media webpages.

Flying Program Changes

On the 28th of February, the flying program timings were significantly updated. The update also made 1 significant change: the addition of a 5-minute Heritage Flight formation flypast at 3:47pm featuring the CAC CA-18 Mustang & F-35A Lightning II.

You can find the latest flying program here with any future updates to the flying program, if any, to be posted there directly rather than through an article.

Event Map

There, you can find the event map, which was revealed last week:

From the 2024 event map, new features can be spotted including a new taxi/rideshare pick-up/drop-off area at the corner of the Princes Highway & Station Road. A new Veterans’ Retreat is located right next to the main air show runway in front of but a bit to the south of the main Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Hangar. The Aviator Bar, food and wine tasting & Wings Winery are no longer features with bars instead being dispersed throughout the event site. There are still food stalls dispersed throughout the event site.

Along the southern runway is a new shaded seating section. The general aviation exhibitor area, now called ‘general exhibitor area’, has expanded to the market stall area, of which has also been relocated itself to the west of the carnival rides/family zone (formerly The Captains’ Carnival). Classic vehicles also return south of the market stalls, while at the northern end of the site is a ‘Chalet‘, an organiser-only area for their VIPs (probably sponsors & local politicians). Defence Exhibits & Australian Defence Force (ADF) Careers have relocated from just south of the Gold Pass Grandstand to approximately north of the general exhibitor area & drone racing big top. To the north of the ADF Careers area are the ADF’s Flight Simulators. At the western end of the general aviation exhibitors is the Air Force Shop.

Live Streaming

Like last year, the drone racing tournament will be live streamed over all 3 days.

Weather

The event, for the 1st time since 2008, is being held in March – the 2nd time ever to be – but it is also the 1st edition to be held on this particular March weekend (back in 2008, it was held the following Saturday) so previous events’ weather cannot be compared.

Weather has plagued the event before – mainly in 2014 & 2015, when high crosswinds cancelled the flying program (except 3 morning displays) and when an East Coast Low cancelled the whole event respectively. There is no sign of similar weather this year.

A low-intensity heatwave warning has been issued for the event on Saturday. It’s advised to seek a place & if available, use fans or air-conditioners, to keep cool. It may take some days to recover from a heatwave.

Forecast

The below paragraph is for the Wollongong area.

Sunday is looking better than Saturday at this stage with less rain and no chance of a thunderstorm in the Wollongong area. Saturday has a chance of a thunderstorm while Sunday will be a mostly sunny day. Saturday has a high chance of showers, most likely during the afternoon & early evening while Sunday has a medium chance of showers late this afternoon & evening. Saturday is cloudy but Sunday is partly cloudy. Both days the winds start light. On Saturday morning, the wind becomes 20-30km/h southerlies while around midday on Sunday, the winds begin 15-20km/h north-northeasterlies before, during the late afternoon, they become southeasterlies at 20-30km/h.

The amount of rain forecast is not enough to cancel the entire event or most of the flying program. However, the chance of a thunderstorm on Saturday may ground the flying program for the duration of the storm, if any. Previous editions have seen the flying program run overtime until 5pm if conditions necessitate it. Safety is paramount so if there is a delay in the flying program, please be calm and patient. Organisers will try their best to ensure a great safe air show. If a severe thunderstorm does appear, a warning will be issued by the Bureau Of Meteorology, which can be found here.

The below details are for Albion Park:

General Forecast: (Late on Sunday) Shower Or Two
Minimum Temperature: 21 (Saturday) & 17 (Sunday)
Maximum Temperature: 25 (Saturday) & 30 (Sunday)
Possible Rainfall: Up to 3mm (Saturday) & Up to 1mm (Sunday)
Rain Chance: 70% (Saturday) & 50% (Sunday)
Sun Protection: Recommended 9:30am to 4:40pm
Maximum UV Index: 10 (Saturday) & 9 (Sunday) (Very High)

The Bureau Of Meteorology’s MetEye service predicts the following for Shellharbour Airport:

11am Saturday – Thunderstorm chance, 10-25% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 10-20km/h winds heading north, feels like 24-27 degrees Celsius, 80-90% relative humidity, 7-8 (clear sky) UV Index
2pm Saturday – Thunderstorm chance, 25-50% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 20-30km/h winds heading north-northwest, feels like 24-27 degrees Celsius, 70-80% relative humidity, 9-10 (clear sky) UV Index
5pm Saturday – Thunderstorm chance, 25-50% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 10-20km/h winds heading north-northwest, feels like 18-21 degrees Celsius, 80-90% relative humidity, 2-3 (clear sky) UV Index
11am Sunday – 0-10% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 0-10km/h winds heading south, feels like 24-27 degrees Celsius, 50-60% relative humidity, 6-7 (clear sky) UV Index
2pm Sunday – 0-10% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 10-20km/h winds heading west, feels like 30-33 degrees Celsius, 40-50% relative humidity, 9-10 (clear sky) UV Index
5pm Sunday – Rain, 10-25% chance of any rain, 50% chance of 0mm, 10-20km/h winds heading northwest, feels like 24-27 degrees Celsius, 60-70% relative humidity, 2-3 (clear sky) UV Index

Sun protection is recommended when the UV Index is 3 or higher.

Transport

Ticketholders to the 2 main public event days are recommended to arrive by train.

Train

The air show is on the South Coast Line (Bondi Junction to Bomaderry via Central). This form of transport is ideal for locals, Sydneysiders and visitors & people from the Shoalhaven. Due to the current low-intensity heatwave on Saturday, if you feel unwell at the platform, see staff to assist you boarding the train. The station the air show is at is Albion Park, which is right across the road from Shellharbour Airport.

These are the last train times before gates open at 9am (arrival station in italics):

Bondi Junction – 6:15am
Town Hall/Bomaderry – 6:26am
Central – 6:29am
Redfern – 6:32am
Wolli Creek – 6:40am
Sutherland – 7:02am
Kiama – 7:50am (Saturday)
Kiama – 7:53am (Sunday)
Albion Park – 8:09am (from Kiama, 51 minutes before gates open & 2 hours, 33 minutes before flying program begins)
Albion Park – 8:11am (from Kiama, 49 minutes before gates open & 2 hours, 31 minutes before flying program begins)
Wollongong – 8:16am
Albion Park – 8:36am (from Bondi Junction, 24 minutes before gates open & 2 hours, 6 minutes before flying program begins) (Saturday)
Albion Park – 8:38am (from Bondi Junction, 22 minutes before gates open & 2 hours & 4 minutes before flying program begins) (Sunday)

These are the last train times before the flying program begins (arrival station in italics):

Bondi Junction – 8:13am
Town Hall – 8:24am
Central – 8:29am
Redfern – 8:31am
Bomaderry – 8:32am
Wolli Creek – 8:40am
Sutherland – 9:02am
Kiama – 9:56am (Saturday)
Kiama – 9:57am (Sunday)
Wollongong – 10:08am
Albion Park – 10:16am (from Kiama, 26 minutes before flying program begins)
Albion Park – 10:31am (from Bondi Junction, 11 minutes before flying program begins)

Airline

Link Airways is the only airline servicing Shellharbour Airport. These flights are currently only ideal for people travelling from Queensland or Victoria. All Brisbane flights immediately before 12:55pm Sunday still have seats available. Melbourne flights are all sold out.

Coach

The NSW Trainslink Southern NSW Coach Service 749 operates (Bundanoon to Wollongong via Albion Park). This form of transport is ideal for people travelling from the Southern Highlands or via a train from Albury, Griffith or Canberra. You cannot catch a coach from Wollongong to Albion Park. Bookings are required to be made on event day. The stop the air show is at is Albion Park Railway Station, which is right across the road from the air show. Below are the last available coach times to the air show (as of writing) (arrival stops in italics):

Bundanoon – 6:15am
Exeter – 6:20am
Moss Vale – 6:30am
Bowral – 6:45am
Burrawang – 7:03am
Robertson – 7:13am
Albion Park – 7:50am (from Bundanoon, 1 hour and 10 minutes until gates open & 2 hours and 52 minutes until the flying program begins)

Bus

Premier Illawarra operates 4 bus routes to the air show:

37 (Lake Illawarra Loop: Wollongong to Shellharbour anti-clockwise via Dapto & Albion Park Rail)
57 (Lake Illawarra Loop: Wollongong to Shellharbour clockwise via Warrawong & Albion Park Rail)
76 (Shellharbour Village to Albion Park via Albion Park Rail (Loop Service))
77 (Shellharbour to Albion Park via Albion Park Rail (Loop Service))

This form of transport is ideal for people travelling locally. However, they mainly operate on the Saturday. The stops the air show is at is Albion Park Railway Station, which is right across the road from the air show and the Princes Highway. There are 6 bus stops in the vicinity (1 at the Railway Station and 4 on the Princes Highway, three southbound, two northbound). All bus times below are for Saturday except where stated.

Below are the last available bus times at major bus interchanges before the gates open (arrival stops in italics) (bus route in brackets):

Warrawong Plaza, King Street – 7:29am (57)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Crown Street, Wollongong – 7:42am (37)
Warilla Grove Shops, Shellharbour Road – 7:44am (57)
Wollongong Central, Stand C – 7:45am (37)
Lake Entrance Road before Leewarra Avenue, Warilla – 7:47am (57)
Stockland Shellharbour, Shellharbour City Centre – 7:52am (57)
Figtree Grove, Princes Highway – 7:57am (37)
Princes Highway opposite Victoria Street, Unanderra – 7:59am (37)
Central Avenue after Fisher Street, Oak Flats – 8:02am (57)
All Saints Anglican Church, Tongarra Road, Albion Park – 8:08am (76)
Dapto Mall – 8:09am (37)
Princes Highway opposite Albion Park Railway Station/Princes Highway opposite Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 8:10am (57, 50 minutes until gates open & 2 hours, 32 minutes until the flying program begins)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Crown Street, Wollongong – 8:17am (37, Sunday)
Wollongong Central, Stand C – 8:20am (37, Sunday)
145 Princes Highway, Albion Park Rail – 8:23am (37, 37 minutes until gates open & 2 hours, 19 minutes until the flying program begins)
Princes Highway before Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 8:24am (37, 36 minutes until gates open & 2 hours and 18 minutes until the flying program begins)
Albion Park Railway Station, Princes Highway – 8:25am (37, 35 minutes until gates open & 2 hours and 17 minutes until the flying program begins)
Tongarra Road after Terry Street, Albion Park – 8:24am (76)
Princes Highway opposite Fisher Street, West Wollongong – 8:28am (37, Sunday)
Figtree Grove, Princes Highway – 8:31am (37, Sunday)
Princes Highway opposite Albion Park Railway Station – 8:32am (76, 28 minutes until gates open & 2 hours and 10 minutes until the flying program begins)
Albion Park Railway Station/Albion Park Railway Station, Princes Highway – 8:33am (76, 27 minutes until gates open & 2 hours and 9 minutes until the flying program begins)
Princes Highway opposite Victoria Street, Unanderra – 8:37am (37, Sunday)
Dapto Mall – 8:47am (37, Sunday)
145 Princes Highway, Albion Park Rail/Princes Highway before Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 8:59am (37, Sunday, 1 minute until gates open)

Route 76 also stops in Woollybutt Drive at 7:58am but will travel, as shown in the list above, around Albion Park for 1 hour and 34 minutes before arriving at the air show at 8:32am/8:33am. Alternatively, you can walk the 15 minutes from that bus stop to the air show main gates or catch the 8-minute shuttle bus to the air show main gates from Albion Oval, which is next to Woollybutt Drive.

Below are the last available bus times before the flying program (arrival stops in italics):

Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Wollongong – 8:17am (37, Sunday)
Wollongong Central, Stand C – 8:20am (37, Sunday)
Crown Street opposite Fisher Street, West Wollongong – 8:28am (37, Sunday)
Figtree Grove, Princes Highway – 8:31am (37, Sunday)
Princes Highway opposite Victoria Street – 8:37am (37, Sunday)
Dapto Mall – 8:47am (37, Sunday)
145 Princes Highway, Albion Park Rail/Princes Highway before Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 8:59am (37, Sunday, 1 hour & 43 minutes until flying program begins)
Warrawong Plaza, King Street – 9:33am (57, Sunday)
Warrawong Plaza, King Street – 9:34am (57)
All Saints Anglican Church, Tongarra Road, Albion Park – 9:38am (77)
Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Crown Street, Wollongong – 9:41am (37)
Wollongong Central, Stand C – 9:44am (37)
Warilla Grove Shops, Shellharbour Road – 9:48am (57, Sunday)
Warilla Grove Shops, Shellharbour Road – 9:50am (57)
Lake Entrance Road before Leewarra Avenue, Warilla – 9:51am (57, Sunday)
Lake Entrance Road before Leewarra Avenue, Warilla – 9:53am (57)
Tongarra Road after Terry Street, Albion Park – 9:54am (77)
Figtree Grove – 9:55am (37)
Stockland Shellharbour, Shellharbour City Centre – 9:56am (57, Sunday)
Stockland Shellharbour, Shellharbour City Centre – 9:58am (57)
Princes Highway opposite Victoria Street – 9:59am (37)
Princes Highway opposite Albion Park Station – 10:01am (77, 41 minutes until flying program begins)
Central Avenue after Fisher Street, Oak Flats – 10:06am (57, Sunday)
Central Avenue after Fisher Street, Oak Flats – 10:08am (57)
Dapto Mall – 10:09am (37)
Princes Highway opposite Albion Park Station/Princes Highway opposite Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 10:14am (57, Sunday, 28 minutes until flying program begins)
Princes Highway opposite Albion Park Station/Princes Highway opposite Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 10:16am (57, 26 minutes until flying program begins)
145 Princes Highway, Albion Park Rail – 10:23am (37, 19 minutes until flying program begins)
Princes Highway before Creamery Road, Albion Park Rail – 10:24am (37, 18 minutes until flying program begins)
Albion Park Railway Station, Princes Highway – 10:25am (37, 17 minutes until flying program begins)

Route 77 also stops in Deakin Street, Bridge Avenue, Wentworth Street & Industrial Road (Oak Flats), Wooroo Street, Karoo Street, Koona Street & Windang Street (Albion Park Rail) for local residents to travel to the air show between 9:16am & 9:26am on Saturday, arriving at Albion Park Railway Station, Princes Highway at 9:28am, 1 hour and 14 minutes before the flying program begins.