Meet & Greet 7am. Our flight to Brisbane departs Auckland at 9.20am, arriving in Brisbane at 11am. We’ll stop at the Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial which displays the preserved “Southern Cross”, the first aircraft to cross the Tasman, before heading to our local hotel. This afternoon we relax with an included game of crazy golf, or you can take the option to play a full E-Golf simulator (own cost), both of which are onsite at the hotel. This evening, we enjoy our welcome dinner.

Meals: Inflight Meal and Dinner

Overnight: Brisbane International Virginia

We head North today to Caloundra, home of Queensland Air Museum, Australia’s largest and most diverse historic aviation display. The collection, nearing 100 historically significant aircraft, includes an F-111, Mirage Jet, and Australia's oldest DC-3. There’s a large display of aero-engines, an extensive range of rare artefacts, books and reference materials and a growing collection of audio-recorded stories from the people who have lived our aviation history.

After lunch in Caloundra, we return to Brisbane and settle into our city centre hotel, our base for the next three nights. Royal on the Park is perfectly situated overlooking the City Botanic Gardens with just a short walk to the Queen Street Mall and close to the river ferries.

Meals: Breakfast              

Overnight: Royal on the Park

This morning, a drive West will take us to RAAF Amberley where our guide will tell stories of their people and the aircraft they supported and flew. We learn about the Air Force journey in Southeast Queensland from the 1930s to the present day. The Heritage Centre occupies 4 WWII Bellman hangars and is home to a number of historical RAAF aircraft including: Canberra Bomber A84-242, Caribou A4-236, Douglas A20G Havoc – “Hell’n Pelican”, F-111 A8-126, Sabre A94-962, Aircraft engines, F-111 Crew Module, World War II Jeep, Aircraft refuelling vehicles, and a wide variety of armaments.

From Amberley it’s a short drive to Workshops Rail Museum where we stop for lunch and explore the rich heritage of Australia's oldest railway workshops.

If you prefer you can stay in Brisbane for the day.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Royal on the Park

Today we spend time in Caboolture. As well as a captivating collection of exhibits, the War Plane Museum offers Warbird flights in the CAC Wirraway and a North American T-28 Trojan, operated by Warplanes Pty Ltd. There may be an opportunity for a few guests to take advantage of this. Morning tea will be provided and then we drop in to AAHC to hear about their collection including the current restoration of Australian built DAP/Bristol Beaufort Bomber A9-141 to airworthy status, as well as their Kiowa, Wessex, Dove, Tiger Moth and the Caribou.  We will be back in Brisbane for an afternoon at leisure. You might like to relax, shop, hop across the river to the Maritime Museum or head over to the annual agricultural Royal Queensland Show. Today is a public holiday to celebrate the show.

If you prefer you can stay in Brisbane for the day.

Meals: Breakfast, Morning Tea

Overnight: Royal on the Park  

Our journey takes us South today to Surfers Paradise stopping enroute at the Gold Coast Motor Museum. Set on 12 acres in the Gold Coast hinterland and surrounded by native trees and rolling grasslands, with views of the Coomera Valley, the museum has been designed to evoke memories and inspire great stories. There are over 80 cars and bikes and a treasure trove of memorabilia on display. Alongside the museum is Stanleys Restaurant and Bar where we take a leisurely lunch before heading into Surfers Paradise. Our hotel for the next three nights is the Novotel, just a 5-minute stroll to all the action of the weekend.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Novotel Surfers Paradise

Pacific Airshow® Gold Coast is a beach-front three-day weekend event featuring heart-pumping aerobatic demonstrations by the world’s finest aviators, VIP meet and greet events, social parties, family fun, licensed ticket precinct and more!  Featuring some of the best civilian performers and military aviators from around the globe, it’s the largest airshow event to ever take place in Australia.

Today we have general admission tickets so we can explore Aviation Alley at leisure on the quietest day and take in all the ground entertainment. The 2024 show took up around 1.5 kms of the Esplanade so there is plenty to see. We will experience all the excitement as the show starts today with a full flying program. Our hotel is so close you can come and go as you please all day.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Novotel Surfers Paradise

Today we have the luxury of the Beach Club, a tented pavilion close to the landing zone, providing seating and shade and a haven from which to sit back and enjoy the full airshow. Morning tea, cold buffet lunch, afternoon snacks and a 4-hour beverage package are included. Military displays last year included the RAAF’s F35A Lightning II and F/A-18F Super Hornet; US Air Force F-22 Raptors, KC135 tanker and C-17 heavy jets; and the RAF Falcons and US Navy Leap Frogs parachute teams. Civilian performers also wowed the crowds, with standout performances by Greg Colyer flying the T-33 Shooting Star, the first of its kind to ever fly in Australia, Jeff Boerboon in his Yak 110, Emma McDonald and Matt Hall himself from Matt Hall Racing.

With this year’s show promising to be “Bigger, Faster, Louder” we look forward to the announcements of participating aircraft as they are confirmed.

Meals: Breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner

After breakfast we start our journey home departing on NZ104 at 11.50am, arriving in Auckland at 4.50pm.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch in Flight.

Or your alternative onward arrangements.