If you’ve got a little boy at home who loves planes, cars and machines of every kind, bookmark this one!
The Temora Aviation Museum is tucked away in the NSW country town of Temora, and it’s full of historic military aircraft, especially planes from the Second World War. They aren’t models, they’re real aircraft you can see up close, which is so much more exciting than looking at them in a picture book. It’s a long way from Sydney, so here’s what to expect, what it costs, and how to plan it as a weekend country road trip.
Real planes, not models
The best thing about this museum is that the planes are real. You can walk up close to classic aircraft and see how big they actually are, and for a kid who loves aeroplanes, that’s a big thrill.
The museum’s collection includes the Supermarine Spitfire, the famous fighter from the Second World War, along with the Boomerang, the Wirraway and other historic aircraft.
The stories behind the planes
It’s not just about looking at the planes. You can also learn about aviation history and the work that goes into restoring and maintaining them, which the grown-ups will enjoy too.
The museum also tells the story of Temora’s role in the war, when the town’s aerodrome was home to a pilot training school, the largest set up under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
The flight simulators
There are full-motion warbird simulators, where you can fly a Spitfire, a Mustang or a Kittyhawk. Check the age limit before you go with the kids, the minimum age to fly in the simulators is 10, and the minimum age to actually control the flight is 12. A 30 minute session is $69 and a 60 minute session is $99, and both include admission to the museum.
The playground, picnic areas and cafe
It isn’t just a museum, either. There’s an aviation-themed children’s playground in the gardens, two picnic areas and a cafe, so you can slow down and spend half a day without rushing the kids from one display to the next.
Flying days and normal days
This one is important. If you’re hoping to see planes take off and fly, you need to check the events calendar first. Flying displays, called Aircraft Showcase days, are only held on selected dates, and the museum has separate ticket prices for them. On a normal open day, it’s mostly static displays, so you won’t see planes in the air every day.
The museum is fairly small, so on a normal day it can be seen quite quickly, about one to two hours.
Prices and opening hours
The museum is at 1 Tom Moon Avenue, Temora NSW 2666, and it’s open every day from 10am to 4pm, except New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. General admission is $25 for adults, $20 for over 65s, $10 for children aged 3 to 16 and $60 for a family of two adults and two children. Prices change, so check the website before you go.
Make it a weekend
Temora is a long way from Sydney, so I’d make it a weekend country road trip and stay a night rather than rushing back. There’s on-site accommodation at the museum, called SkyLodge, next to the Guardhouse Cafe, and it’d make a big adventure for the kids.
Is it worth it
Yes, if you’ve got a kid who loves planes, machines or vehicles! Seeing real warbirds in front of you is much more fun than a picture book, and there’s a playground and cafe for the rest of the day. Just check the flying days calendar first, check the simulator age limits, and plan it as a trip.
For more museums and day trips, have a look through our museums and galleries list, and check the NSW school holidays and term dates when you’re planning your next trip.