The skies above Perth will come alive with colour and excitement this November as the renowned Perth Skydiving Display Team prepares to deliver a breathtaking performance for the WA Day Festival 2025.
Veteran Skydivers Ready to Soar
Three experienced skydivers - Tom Kenny, Don Woodland and Bruce Harrison - will combine their impressive talents for the festival weekend. Together, these adrenaline enthusiasts boast nearly 20,000 skydiving jumps and an astonishing 130 years of combined experience in the sport.
The trio will execute their spectacular aerial display on November 22 and 23, launching from an altitude of approximately 5000 metres above Burswood Park where crowds will gather to celebrate Western Australia's special day.
Performance Pressure and Preparation
Despite their extensive background in skydiving, the team members admit they still feel the weight of expectation when performing before large audiences.
Don Woodland explained the unique pressure they experience: "There's still pressure, it's not a feeling of 'oh, I might die', it's a feeling of 'I don't want to stuff up'. That's the big thing, you don't want to be the person who lands in a tree or something - it's a pressure to perform."
Tom Kenny echoed these sentiments, recalling previous performances: "We've done Langley Park for Australia Day, all the pressure of getting it together, all the jump and even after I land and everyone's down, I'm still feeling sick from the adrenaline."
A Spectacular Visual Display
Audiences can expect a truly mesmerising show as the skydivers descend with vibrant visual effects. The performance will feature pink streamers and orange smoke from flares creating striking trails across the sky as the team glides overhead.
Despite the inherent stress of such high-profile performances, Kenny expressed genuine enthusiasm for the upcoming event: "It's great, I really enjoy it and as I said, I just like getting there and showing off."
The WA Day Festival timing in November provides ideal conditions for skydiving, according to Woodland, who noted that autumn and spring typically offer the best weather for the sport. "There are strong winds and swirly winds and January and February is probably the worst time of the year," he explained. "You can get your bad stuff in the wintertime, but you can get beautiful days in the winter time. Autumn and Spring are usually the better times, not too hot, not too cold, not too windy."
The WA Day Festival is supported by BHP, WA Government, and Lotterywest. Organisers encourage attendees to use public transport when travelling to Burswood Park for the celebrations. Additional event information is available at waday.com.
