THE sacrifice of Sunraysia residents who have served in times of war, including those who lost their lives training at Mildura’s Operational Training Unit, deserves better recognition, State Parliament has been told.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said the recent Anzac Day ceremony she attended in Mildura shone a spotlight on the region’s rich military history.
Ms Cupper said she was honoured to attend the service to commemorate the sacrifices made by servicemen and women.
“Sunraysia was a soldier settler region after both world wars, and the region also produced more Rats of Tobruk than anywhere else in the country,” she told parliament.
“Mildura also played a crucial role in the World War II effort, with the aerodrome being the base for the Mildura 2OTU operational fighter training unit.
“Almost all Australian fighter pilots who fought in the Pacific arena of World War II were trained in Mildura.”
Ms Cupper said 52 pilots and seven ground crew tragically lost their lives while training at Mildura in the three years 2OTU was operational.
“Their sacrifice, and indeed the sacrifice of all those from Sunraysia who have served our country, deserves better recognition, which is why I am lobbying the Victorian Government to invest in a World War II aviation training and Kittyhawk museum at Mildura Airport,” she said.
“The museum proposal has the potential to unlock a tourism avenue for our electorate as well as being a place to honour and connect servicemen and women, particularly from the RAAF, which marked its 100th anniversary in March this year, along with the Ouyen RSL branch, which also marked its 100-year anniversary.”
Ms Cupper acknowledged the work of the Mildura 2OTU heritage group in highlighting the electorate’s wartime history, along with the RAAF Memorial and Museum, which had also done great work, and urged the government to consider funding the Kittyhawk project in the future.
