The sky’s the limit for these golden girls.
Pilots Theresa MacDonald and Delia Jones have set their sights on a new challenge where they will reach new heights.
The long-time friends are joining Pooley’s Dawn to Dusk competition, which sees pilots across the globe follow a flight path of their choosing within the hours of dawn to dusk.
Their chosen path will take them all along the Murray River as they fly the length of it in a single day.
“We plan to fly the entire length of the Murray River in one day, between the hours of dawn and dusk, from its source in the Australian Alps to its mouth, as it empties into the Great Australian Bight in South Australia,” Theresa said.
The women will be jetting off on Friday, November 29 from Benalla Airport at dawn.
During their trip, they will be making a number of stops, including in Albury, Yarrawonga, Tocumwal, Echuca, Swan Hill, Waikerie, Murray Bridge and Goolwa.
“We reckon it’ll take us about eight hours of flying,” Theresa said.
“We plan to make eight landings along the way and will be greeted by fellow women pilots at Goolwa around dusk.”
They’ll take off in style with Delia’s own light aircraft, a Grumman Tiger.
The friends both took up flying later in life, meeting in 2006 when they were obtaining their private pilot’s licences at Lilydale Flying School.
“I didn’t start flying until I was 51,” Theresa said.
“It wasn’t something that I always wanted to do ... I never thought I’d actually learn to fly.”
But it was after a couple of joyrides privately that she decided to obtain her licence. Her life is forever changed, and in retirement she now instructs pilots two days a week.
Both women also both members of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association.
“I love it, I love passing on the joys of aviation to others, it keeps me young,” Theresa said.
“Delia doesn’t fly as often as I do ... but Delia has always wanted to do this competition, so I decided to do it with her.”
Theresa has completed this challenge once before, in 2022, alongside three of her piloting friends as they flew into all the mainland states and territories in their challenge called ‘Australia in a Day’.
They won second place, as well as the longest distance medals.
Theresa is looking forward to competing again, this time alongside her dear friend, as they raise funds for Counterpart, a charity that helps Victorian women living with cancer.
“We are attempting this challenge in memory of two dear friends, Helen Mock and Margy Grosvenor, also members of AWPA,” she said.
“We all learned to fly at the same time and became good friends.”
Theresa and Delia hope to raise $5000 for Counterpart.
If you would like to help them reach their goal, you can place a donation via their GoFundMe at tinyurl.com/35et4wm5