Royal Australian Air Force

On Thursday 31 March, Air Commodore Greg Frisina Senior Australian Defence Force Officer invited representatives from Saltwater College to attend the 101 birthday celebrations of the Royal Australian Air Force. 

Assistant Principal Michael Nicolaides attended the celebrations on behalf of the college.

I am pleased to report back that as. college we have developed a partnership with the Royal Australian Airforce and they will be sending out Warrant Officer Luke Sweeney to our college on April 26th to conduct a special Anzac ceremony. 

Serpentine Air Show

On 20 March 2022, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)  supported the ‘Serpentine Air Race’ marking the 100th anniversary of Australia’s First Official Air Race.

In 1922, former military aviators of the Australian Flying Corps took part in an air race above Serpentine. One hundred years later, the RAAF showcased their flying skills in displays featuring the Roulettes aerobatic team and historic aircraft.

“Air Force’s support to the Serpentine air race is intended to highlight the service and sacrifice of generations of Air Force members and demonstrate how the Air Force is continuing to evolve into the next century.  

RAAF presence will include a No 100 Squadron DH.82A Tiger Moth and a CA-25 Winjeel historic aircraft, a Roulettes flying display in Pilatus PC-21 aircraft and the Air Force Balloon.

“We’re proud to be supporting this historic aviation event and to be working with so many aircraft enthusiasts and pilots,” Air Commodore Elfverson said.  

More information on the event can be found on the Serpentine Air Race website. 

Flying Display timings can be found on our Flying Activities page.

On 30 March 2022, Air Force will dedicate a new Memorial at Point Cook, the birthplace of the RAAF. This will end the Centenary program which has honoured the 350,000 Australians who have worn the Air Force uniform and remembered the 11,191 who gave their lives in serving the nation.

Did You Know: 

RAAF Base Point Cook is the birthplace of the Australian Flying Corps and the Royal Australian Air Force. As the home of the Royal Australian Air Force, Point Cook was established in March 1913 as the location for the Central Flying School, and was in continuous operation as a flying training base from 1914 until 1992. It is the oldest continually operating military airfield in the world.

Point Cook was also home to the RAAF Academy until 1986 when the Australian Defence Force Academy opened in Canberra. The Officer Training School (OTS) continued to operate at Point Cook until it relocated to RAAF Base, East Sale in 2008.

The RAAF Museum is currently the largest Defence unit at Point Cook. It features the oldest and most extensive complex of military aviation buildings. RAAF Base Point Cook was included in the National Heritage List on 29 August 2007.

On 01 July 2017 Defence renamed Point Cook to RAAF Base Point Cook and the name will be retained in perpetuity.

RAAF Base Point Cook covers 341 ha and is located approximately 26 km from Melbourne CBD and 8 km south of RAAF Williams. RAAF Base Point Cook units include:

21 Squadron

100 Squadron

1 Security Force Squadron

1 Security Force Squadron 5 Rifle Flight

Australian Air Force Cadet Headquarters

RAAF Museum

Commercial tenants including the RMIT Flight Training Centre