Mandeville Fly In
Every Summer on the eighth weekend of the year Mandeville puts on a Fly-In event .
Literally, it is open to aviators to ‘‘fly in’’ and park up for the day, and its an opportunity to take a ride in a Tiger Moth or maybe something bigger, but still de Havilland.
The on-site Rogers K-92 steam engine is likely to be in steam and there may be opportunity to take a ride in a carriage. There are always traction engines, stationary engines and other steam vehicles both on show and being demonstrated. It’s always a fun and affordable family day out reliving the golden age of flight and a time when steam was power.
World famous in New Zealand: Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre, Mandeville
Who wouldn’t enjoy soaring above the Southland countryside, upside-down?
WHERE/WHAT IS IT?: Just 10 minutes from Gore, it’s an aviation restoration workshop, it’s a museum of vintage aircraft that are nearly all air-worthy and, most excitingly, it’s also a place where you can strap on a leather flying helmet and jacket and take to the air in a Tiger Moth for a gentle sight-seeing flight — or, for the more adventurous, some proper aerobatics seen at their most thrilling from your seat in front of the pilot.
WHY GO?: The bragging rights of doing a barrel roll or a loop-the-loop in a bright yellow vintage bi-plane are indisputable.
You can bore everyone with this for the rest of your life — or, more likely, make them green with envy. Who wouldn’t enjoy soaring above the Southland countryside, upside-down, the wind whistling through the wires, your teeth dry as a bone because you can’t stop grinning?
If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, though, there’s a ton of interesting stuff here: the bare wooden bones of planes being restored, beautiful laminated propellers, an airworthy replica of Bert Pither’s 1910 homemade monoplane on its bicycle wheels, a Dragonfly, more Tiger Moths, and a Percival Proctor, as flown by Jean Batten. There’s even a shop.
INSIDER TIP: There’s no denying that there could be some mid-air stomach trauma resulting from all those g-forces, so maybe forgo that big breakfast and save yourself for a selfcongratulatory indulgence afterwards at the Miss Cocoa Cafe in the nearby Mandeville Railway Hotel.
ON THE WAY/NEAR BY: Close by is Gore, famous for its leaping trout statue, country music and, as part of the regular museum, the Hokonui Moonshine Museum celebrating the whisky distilled illegally in the hills by parched Scotsmen during 50 years of Prohibition: a lively story, told well. If your tastes are more refined, cross the road to the pretty little Eastern Southland Art Gallery — the "Goreggenheim" — to feast your eyes on Ralph Hotere, Rita Angus and Theo Schoon, as well as a wide range of indigenous art from Australia, Africa and the US.
The Public Gardens near the town centre are always lovely, you can fly-fish for brown trout, or line-dance along to some of that country music they’re so fond of here. Or head the other way, to pretty Lumsden, for its heritage houses, quirky cafes and restaurants, and mountain bike trails. Need further recommendation? Bill English was born here.
BEST TIME TO GO: For a sky full of vintage aircraft, go to the Mandeville Fly-In which takes place annually on the eighth weekend of the year.
To get hands-on, the museum is open every day except for a handful of public holidays.
Explore the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre, take a flight in a vintage biplane, viewing aircraft on display in the Centre, and marvel at how these aircraft are still built in the Croydon Aircraft restoration workshop.
See croydonaircraft.com or www.experiencemandeville.com for more information
When:
Time
Where:
Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 February 10am-4pm (approx.) each day Mandeville Airfield For further information visit: www.experiencemandeville.com