After a slightly delayed start, as we watched the  pea soup fog start to dissipate on a cold  Sydney morning, 13 aircraft from Warnervale, Bankstown, Camden, Wollongong, Orange and Merimbula eventually took to the skies. The destination was Moruya on the NSW South Coast, a picturesque airport with the turquoise ocean and pure white sand beaches right alongside.

Departing Sydney we tracked along the coast, with vistas that only aviators and passengers can enjoy. We saw whales to our left, rivers meeting the sea to the right and green pastures as far as the eye could see. Our arrival into Moruya tracked us for a downwind arrival over the township – my favourite approach as it involves landing on the runway parallel to the beach.

Moruya Aero Club warmly opened the doors of their two storey club house overlooking the field to welcome our hungry caravan of pilots and passengers. The afternoon consisted of a 100% homemade lunch, utlising produce from the local area, food so fine it could have been a Masterchef team challenge.

We feasted on homemade pumpkin soup, hamburgers and amazing apple pies, and enjoyed lots of hanger talk on the deck. After lunch pilots and their passengers departed for the pleasant trip home, which again involved the jaw-droppingly spectacular sights of the coast.

AOPA Australia Executive Director Ben Morgan said, “AOPA Australia would like to extend a big thank you to the Moruya Aero Club for their warm and gracious hospitality. This is what general aviation is all about; flying with friends to aero clubs around the country is as good as it gets. AOPA is proud to be getting out and about each weekend, revelling in the grass-roots side of aviation.”

As a full service airfield, Moruya Aero Club welcomes any AOPA member in the area or traveling through. Please consider making Moruya a destination to stop over and if the doors are open at the club, pop in and have a chat.