Birchip, Victoria, is the hang-gliding hotspot of Australia and this weekend the town will kick off the Big K Week for nine action-packed days of car tow-launching.
Hang-gliding is a sports aviation discipline which is part of the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA) governing body, made up of more than 3,000 members.
SAFA supports competitions and events throughout the year nationwide, including the Big K Week organised by member organisation – the Western Victorian Hang-Gliding Club – to provide more flying opportunities for pilots.
The annual Birchip Big K Week event is in its twelfth year, being introduced to the town in 2011 and is held on the last weekend in November every year, over nine action-packed days.
Ideal time
“This time of year is ideal at Birchip as it kicks off the restart of the sports aviation season coming out of the colder months,” said event organiser, Phil Campbell.
“The thermal strength and height are near optimal as it’s during the grain harvest so there are harvesters and vehicles driving the paddocks triggering easy to find thermals.
“It’s a great event to be a part of and also a lot of fun for those who are interested in sports aviation and want to check it out as spectators.”
While Big K Week was initially only attended by Victorian and South Australian pilots in its early days, it has since become well attended by hang-gliders from all over the country.
The Big K Week isn’t a standard hang-gliding competition and there are no prizes or rewards. Individual pilots form tow teams and set their own tasks and goals. The purpose is to give pilots an opportunity to improve their best distance flights for competitions – including “Birchip Flatter than the Flatlands”, which is held every year around Easter.
The open distance record from Jil Jil Paddock belongs to Adam Stevens who landed 399.5km to the north-east at Cargellico, and no doubt, pilots at this year’s event will be trying to top that.
It is important to remember that you need to be a tow endorsed HG pilot to take part in this event.
Spotlight on Birchip flying site
Known as the car-tow launching capital of the hang-gliding world, Birchip is the ideal place for pilots to fly all year round.
Flying in this dry land, broad acre farming area makes the selection of landing paddocks easy allowing you to focus on staying in the air for longer than you would in the mountains.
The paddocks that host hang-gliding in Birchip are large enough for towing with the road network, making retrievals relatively easy.
In the summer months conditions include 6,000″ – 10,000″ ceilings, and at other times of the year the more challenging lower ceilings and climb rates occur. It doesn’t matter when you visit Birchip, it makes for great cross-country flights.
The Easter competition “Birchip Flatter than the Flatlands” started in April 1993 and since then has attracted a growing number of pilots each year.
Competitions at Birchip cater to entry level pilots, with thermals around April/May generally subdued making it more suited to those with less experience.
Where to stay
There is a camp at Tchum Lake with great amenities including a camp kitchen and function room large enough to do some glider maintenance and tuning if it’s a rainy day.
This is the ideal place to stay during your trip as it puts you right in the centre of the action and gives you easy access to the paddocks – the bonus is, you get to camp with like-minded people and make new friends (or reconnect with old ones).
For further details about the Birchip Big K Week visit www.hgcomps.com.au
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 24 November 2023.
