Two rare Supermarine Spitfires are housed at the Temora Aviation Museum, among only a handful found in Australia. Photo: Temora Aviation Museum.
After more than two decades as a biennial highlight of the Australian aviation calendar, Warbirds Downunder will not return in 2026.
The Temora Aviation Museum (TAM) announced the decision this week, citing rising costs, safety considerations and the ongoing challenges of running a large-scale airshow.
“Warbirds Downunder has been a significant part of Temora’s aviation story and a much-loved national heritage event for many years,” said CEO Peter Harper.
“While this decision will disappoint supporters, it represents a positive evolution for aviation at Temora,” he said. “We remain committed to celebrating Australia’s aviation heritage and are exploring ways to host a major airshow in the future.”
Harper said the decision was never the result of a single issue but a combination of pressures.
“It is never just one single thing that leads to such a big decision,” he explained. “Rising costs of hire equipment, general event expenses and exponentially increasing event cancellation insurance premiums all played a part.
“Finding enough volunteers to run a safe and successful event has also become more challenging,” Mr Harper added.
“We have always tried to keep ticket prices affordable for families, which has reduced profit margins, and the level of liability exposure is something we have always taken seriously.”
He clarified that the 2026 cancellation did not necessarily mark the end of Warbirds Downunder.
“Like everything, events have a cycle in terms of viability,” he said. “If that changes in the future it may be reviewed.”
Financially, Warbirds Downunder has been significant for the museum and the region, even as profitability has declined.
Mr Harper said the most successful event – which drew almost 20,000 spectators across two days – was in 2018.
“Whilst profit is desired, the Temora Aviation Museum does receive other benefits from running the event,” he said.
“The economic impact on the town is great, however it is somewhat limited because the town of Temora can only accommodate so many visitors. I would suggest that the economic impact received goes beyond Temora and into the surrounding towns who benefit from attendees who overflow outside of Temora.”
In place of the traditional airshow, the museum will host two showcase days in 2026 – on 2 May and 19 September – which traditionally feature all serviceable aircraft from the RAAF 100 Squadron Historic Flight Collection housed at the Temora Aviation Museum.
These include the Supermarine Spitfires, Cessna O-2A, Lockheed Hudson, Wirraway, Tiger Moth, Ryan STM S2, and many more visiting Warbirds.
The showcases also focus on interactive experiences for visitors, including pilot interviews, aircraft history and technical demonstrations as well as flight simulators amid static displays of aircraft.
He said the museum was working closely with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on the events.
“We have some broad concepts of how the aircraft showcase events will look and feel under the partnership with RAAF and we are working in earnest to fully develop those concepts,” he said. “Both organisations are very keen to make this work so we are excited at the potential.”
For the community, the news is bittersweet.
Temora Mayor Rick Firman acknowledged the economic importance of Warbirds Downunder while supporting the museum’s decision.
“Warbirds has obviously been a tremendous boost to our economy,” he said. “Many local businesses and regional tourist destinations have benefited.”
He said the council had been involved in discussions with the museum during the transition.
“We have a solid relationship with the TAM team and always have done,” Cr Firman said. “We’re happy the museum isn’t closing and airshows aren’t ending in Temora. This is a planned transition, allowing the museum to focus on its core mission.
“Council has always assisted the museum as much as possible,” he said. “Like all rural councils, we face financial pressures, but we will continue to do what we can to support the TAM.
“We must remember the showcase days will still be occurring in May and September of this year, with the TAM continuing to deliver those – we have a world acclaimed aviation museum here in Temora Shire and we feel incredibly blessed to have it.”
Warbirds Downunder has long been a marquee event in Australia, first held in the 1990s.
Flying displays of classic warbirds, aerobatics and close access to historic aircraft drew enthusiasts and families from across the country, helping cement Temora’s reputation as a centre of aviation heritage.
While the traditional airshow may be on pause, Temora residents and visitors can still look forward to the showcase days 2 May and 19 September, which aim to bring Australia’s aviation history to life and ensure the long-term sustainability of the museum’s collection.
The Temora Aviation Museum also offers self-guided tours of its extensive collection of heritage aircraft.
For those wishing to extend their stay, the museum also features the Skylodge, a unique on-site accommodation option that allows guests to stay within walking distance of the aircraft and experience the museum’s atmosphere after hours.
Temora Aviation Museum is located at 1 Tom Moon Avenue, Temora. It’s open daily from 9 am until 5 pm. For more information, check out their website, Facebook page, Instagram and YouTube channel.
