Aerial Tribute to Service: HARS Flypast and a Special Address from Sub-Branch President Cory Rinaldi

This ANZAC Day, Cronulla will look to the skies as well as gather on the ground, with a powerful tribute set to unfold above the coastline. A highlight of the morning will be the HARS Aviation Museum flypast, delivering a moving aerial salute to those who have served, featuring two historic aircraft with deep ties to Australia’s military history.

Taking part in the flypast will be the De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou, a Vietnam War veteran aircraft, and the Douglas C-47B Dakota, which served across World War II in the Pacific, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. These aircraft carry remarkable stories of service and sacrifice, and their presence over Cronulla is a meaningful way to honour those who have worn our nation’s uniform.

The planned flypast will consist of three orbits at approximately 500 feet above mean sea level, scheduled for around 10:45am. As with all historic aircraft, careful operation is required. The Caribou, now 61 years old, and the Dakota, aged 81, are maintained with great care, and while every effort will be made for the flypast to proceed, it remains subject to weather and operational conditions on the day.

Adding further significance to the moment, Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch President Cory Rinaldi will deliver a special address during the flypast, sharing insight into the history and service of these aircraft. Cory brings a deeply personal perspective, having joined the Australian Army as an infantry soldier in 1996 and serving for nearly 20 years. His service included deployments to Butterworth in Malaysia, two tours of East Timor, and Basra in Iraq, where he served on exchange with the British Army. As a former 3RAR reconnaissance paratrooper, Cory also undertook peacetime parachute training from Caribou aircraft, giving him firsthand experience with one of the aircraft featured in the flypast.

Cronulla RSL is proud to support this special addition to the ANZAC Day program, bringing together history, service and community in a way that honours the past while looking to the future.

Cronulla Sub Branch President, Cory Rinaldi, undertook peacetime parachute training from Caribou aircraft during his time with the defence force. Photo: supplied

Th HARS Douglas C-47B Dakota travelling along the coast in 2025. Photo: Howard Mitchell