There are not many cities in the world that can claim to have hosted as many Red Bull Air Races as Perth. But if you ask Terry Waldron, a Western Australia state minister, he will tell you the high-speed, low-altitude race that more than 100,000 people will watch this weekend is welcome every year. Waldron, minister for sport and recreation, said the race in front of Perth’s central business district has given Australia and the world beyond a priceless up-to-date glimpse of a city on the move.
“This is an extraordinary event and one of the highlights on the calendar in Western Australia,” Waldron said at a ceremony welcoming the 15 Red Bull Air Race pilots and crews to Perth earlier this week. It is the fourth time Perth has hosted a race since 2006. “We’re going to see hundreds of thousands of people turning out to see the event and we’re also going to have hundreds of thousands of visitors to our state. But beyond that the race is an absolutely fantastic way to promote Perth and Western Australia. The beautiful images of our city, of our river and of the skyline are truly impressive. There’s going to be about 100 countries watching the race and it’s also being broadcast nationally across Australia. We’ve got a lot to offer in this wonderful city.”
Perth has the unusual distinction of being the world’s most remote capital city – the nearest city to Perth with a population of over one million is Adelaide – some 2,100 km to the east. With 1.7 million residents, Perth’s growth rate is above the national average and it is now Australia’s fourth largest city. It’s also been ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities with its Mediterranean climate even though it still battles with a somewhat outdated reputation as a sleepy outpost on the western rim of Australia. “Perth used to be characterised as rather dull but today it’s a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city,” wrote the Lonely Planet. That is precisely the updated image that Perth is so eager to project, Waldron said.
“All of us here in Perth know it’s a beautiful city,” said Waldron. “We know it’s a fantastic place to live. The race is just a wonderful and exciting event to promote our city. To conduct an event like this right in the middle of your central business district is pretty extraordinary, really. And to have the beautiful river next to it provides a wonderful setting. To have the air strip right next to the central business district is extraordinary and I understand the pilots all really appreciate that. It’s like a natural setting that was always meant to happen. I’m just glad it has happened and it’s great to see the outstanding pilots and everyone coming here to be part of it.”
Perth turns its Langley Park, a 900m x 100m grassy strip along the Swan River in front of the skyscrapers, into a temporary runway and airport for the race – to the delight of pilots and fans who can watch the planes taking off and landing near the race track. The park was actually used as an airstrip in the 1920s.
“It’s not just the sporting event but it’s also the social occasion that goes with it that makes it such an important event,” Waldron said, adding the race has a considerable impact on the Western Australian economy. “It’s extensive because there is a large number of people who visit the city, not only people from overseas but people from our state and from across Australia come out to watch this spectacular event.”
Waldron said this year will be especially exciting for Perth because there will be an Australian, former Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot Matt Hall, racing in his home country for the first time. “That’s a real bonus to have an Aussie there,” said Waldron, who said he hopes Perth will remain a fixture for many years to come. “Aussies are pretty parochial. Like all countries, we like to support our country. I’m sure Matt is going to get a lot of support over the weekend.”
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