The roar of engines, the excitement of race day and the unmistakable sight of Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft came together at Mount Panorama from October 8 to 11, as the ADF supported the 2026 Bathurst 1000.

As thousands of motorsport fans descended on Bathurst for one of Australia’s biggest sporting events, Defence provided an opportunity for the community to see its people, equipment and aviation capability up close, both in the air and on the ground.

The skies above Mount Panorama featured two Air Force balloons and a Central Flying School Roulettes PC-21, with the aircraft forming part of the flying displays planned throughout the event.

For Squadron Leader Samuel Wright, an Air Force balloon pilot, the event provided a unique opportunity to connect Defence with the Australian community.

“The Air Force balloon gives us a really different way to engage with the public,” Squadron Leader Wright said.

“It allows people to see Air Force from a completely different perspective, and flying over an event as large as the Bathurst 1000 gives us a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we do.”

While the aircraft captured attention in the skies, Defence’s presence continued on the ground, with Army vehicles, project vehicles and ADF Careers displays giving spectators an insight into the breadth of opportunities available across Defence.

'It allows people to see Air Force from a completely different perspective, and flying over an event as large as the Bathurst 1000 gives us a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we do.'

Three performance vehicles, Project Armygeddon, Project Digger and Project Matilda, were part of the on-track entertainment. Supporting the project vehicles was a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle general maintenance variant and a G-Wagon general maintenance vehicle, showcasing the technical skills and trades that underpin Defence capability.

Apprentices and staff from the Australian School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering also worked on the project vehicles throughout the event, providing an opportunity for motorsport fans to see Defence tradespeople applying their skills in a highly visible environment.

The ADF Careers team engaged with spectators throughout the event, highlighting the diverse career pathways available across the ADF, including opportunities in aviation, engineering, logistics, trades and many other fields.

For Squadron Leader Wright, the opportunity to engage with regional communities is an important part of the Air Force balloon’s role.

“Events like Bathurst allow us to meet people who may not normally have an opportunity to interact with Air Force,” he said.

“It’s a great way to show the community the people behind the uniform and give them a different perspective of what a career in the Air Force can look like.”