The Pacific Airshow took to the skies above the Gold Coast over the weekend, drawing crowds of plane-spotters to Surfers Paradise beach for aerobatic feats and big military jets.
Event returns after cancellation
First held in California in 2016, the event came to Queensland in 2023 but was cancelled last year due to damage caused by Cyclone Alfred. The three-day event was expected to attract more than 250,000 people.
Crowd favourites and displays
The Screaming Diamonds were a crowd favourite, and the show featured historical aircraft, military fighter jets and stunt planes against the Surfers Paradise skyline. The beach was filled with dedicated aviation enthusiasts, toddlers and everyone in between, with everyone looking up along Cavill Avenue for good reason.
Attendees included Sygourney Ball, who was in theme and ready for a big day, and Maverick and Rooster impersonators posed with Gold Coast local Kerry Armitage. The RAAF F-35A display was a sight and experience to behold, and a distant glimpse between buildings showed the Red Bull stunt team at work.
Weather and economic impact
After some changeable weather, clouds parted for the final aerobatic displays, with last glints of sunlight before the weather closed in on Saturday afternoon. The Gold Coast mayor said the event was predicted to bring a $40m economic benefit to the city.
