On the 7th of April, Good Friday descended upon Rottnest Island and so did the majority of RACWA’s aircraft fleet, carrying a hundred club members, friends, and family in search of hot cross buns for the Easter Holidays. Twenty of the Club’s aircraft participated, accompanied by another dozen owned by our members. The small transient parking area quickly filled up with airplanes, as did several grassy areas nearby.
Dubbed the Bun Run, this annual event is among the more popular attractions on the Events calendar, and for good reason. Those who have visited Rottnest fondly recall the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches, or perhaps snorkelling and skydiving, and of course the quokkas who casually mingle with their humanoid guests. When Easter comes, the local bakery produces thousands of fresh hot cross buns which people purchase in quantities they struggle to carry.
This was our first Bun Run. I hadn’t finished sorting out my overseas license conversion yet, so we teamed up with club instructor James Minchin to fly us over in a C172. We arrived early that morning at the Club, and joined dozens of other members eagerly preparing for their flights.
Initial weather reports suggested clouds and intermittent rain, but on the day, it seemed the weather gods had something a little nicer in mind. The flight over was beautiful and smooth, and by midday, everyone’s jackets had come off and we enjoyed some warm sunshine. Any rain managed to stay away until our flight back to Jandakot, and even then, we only encountered a few sprinkles.
As we arrived at the bakery the seating area was quite full. Most tables were occupied by pilots and their passengers, all enjoying good coffee, breaky, and conversation. Nearly everyone, had purchased stacks of hot cross buns to take back home. Being newly arrived from Alaska, neither of us had ever had a hot cross bun before… we have since decided they are delicious!
Throughout the day, I noticed a healthy mix of RACWA members and staff, which was fantastic to see. It helped me realise that working for the Club doesn’t preclude participating in and volunteering with club activities, and that many of my colleagues are of the same mindset. I feel very fortunate to have met many wonderful folks, all united by our common interest in (or obsession with) aviation. This has truly helped us feel at home after our move.
