Sugarbird Lady plane to soar again for inaugural Notre Dame award in her namesake
Robin Miller-Dicks' aircraft will fly from NSW with two pilots, via Birdsville, Alice Springs, Halls Creek and Derby before landing at Broome International Airport.
On August 15, the inaugural Sugarbird Lady Award will be awarded to a Notre Dame Broome Campus nursing student, receiving $1000 a certificate and book detailing Ms Miller-Dicks' life, presented by Royal Australian Air Force Association of WA director Charles Page.
The following day on August 16 there will be a wreath laying at Ms Miller-Dicks' grave at Broome Cemetery at 10am led by Father Liam Ryan and organised by RAAFA WA and the Lions Club of Broome.
Ms Miller-Dicks' younger sister Marie Megaw will also attend the events over the weekend.
Members of the public are invited and may make floral tributes.
The Mooney VH-REM aircraft will leave Broome on August 17.
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West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
Sugarbird Lady plane to soar again for inaugural Notre Dame award in her namesake
The Sugarbird Lady's Mooney VH-REM aircraft will fly into Broome on Thursday August 14, coinciding with the presentation of the inaugural Sugarbird Lady award at Notre Dame University's Broome Campus. Robin Miller-Dicks' aircraft will fly from NSW with two pilots, via Birdsville, Alice Springs, Halls Creek and Derby before landing at Broome International Airport. On August 15, the inaugural Sugarbird Lady Award will be awarded to a Notre Dame Broome Campus nursing student, receiving $1000 a certificate and book detailing Ms Miller-Dicks' life, presented by Royal Australian Air Force Association of WA director Charles Page. The following day on August 16 there will be a wreath laying at Ms Miller-Dicks' grave at Broome Cemetery at 10am led by Father Liam Ryan and organised by RAAFA WA and the Lions Club of Broome. Ms Miller-Dicks' younger sister Marie Megaw will also attend the events over the weekend. Members of the public are invited and may make floral tributes. The Mooney VH-REM aircraft will leave Broome on August 17.
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Perth Now
Reason for young pilot's death revealed
A fatal stall just 150 feet above the ground claimed the life of a young Victorian pilot last year, with investigators now confirming wind gusts and low airspeed left him no chance to recover. The tragic incident occurred on the morning of October 22, 2024, as Jack Miller, 20, attempted a private flight from Bacchus Marsh Aerodrome to Lethbridge in Victoria. A new Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation has found that Mr Miller was flying a Cessna 150 when the aircraft stalled shortly after takeoff in strong, gusty winds at Bacchus Marsh, northwest of Melbourne, fatally injuring the young pilot. Jack Miller with his grandmother. Credit: Supplied According to the ATSB final report released on Thursday, Mr Miller initially rejected a first takeoff attempt from runway 27 and broadcast this over the common traffic advisory frequency but gave no reason for the decision. Shortly afterwards, he returned to the end of the same runway and initiated a second takeoff. After becoming airborne, the aircraft climbed to about 150 feet before pitching steeply nose-up. Witnesses then saw the nose and left wing drop as the aircraft entered a vertical descent and crashed into a paddock beside the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and Mr Miller, who was the sole occupant, died at the scene. The aircraft climbed to about 150 feet before crashing into a paddock. ATSB Credit: News Corp Australia The investigation did not find any mechanical issues with the aircraft or evidence of pilot incapacitation. Instead, the ATSB concluded the Cessna was likely too slow on takeoff for the prevailing wind conditions, and control inputs to counteract the crosswind probably increased the angle of attack on the left wing. 'These factors, combined with the wind conditions, increased the risk of a quick and unrecoverable stall,' ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said. 'The stall occurred too close to the ground for the aircraft to be recovered from.' The investigation did not find any mechanical issues with the aircraft. ATSB Credit: Supplied Mr Mitchell said while aerodynamic stalls could happen at any altitude or airspeed, they were most hazardous during takeoff and landing. 'When gusting conditions are present, pilots should consider waiting for more benign conditions,' he said. 'Guidance advises pilots to conduct their own testing in progressively higher winds to determine both their own capability and that of the aircraft. 'If pilots judge weather to be suitable, they should consider climbing out at a higher airspeed to provide a buffer above their aircraft's stall speed for detection and correction of an impending stall.' The report highlighted that Mr Miller had more than 180 hours of flight experience, including just less than four hours in the Cessna 150, and had recently joined the Bacchus Marsh Aero Club. Weather on the day was estimated to include winds of 10 knots gusting up to 30 knots, with strong crosswind components likely present at takeoff. The ATSB said the accident underscored the importance of maintaining adequate airspeed margins and being mindful of crosswind effects during takeoff, especially in turbulent conditions. The Cessna 150 stalled shortly after takeoff in strong, gusty winds. Bacchus Marsh Aero Club Credit: News Corp Australia After the crash last year, Mr Miller's devastated sister, Nicole Miller, told 7News her brother had always dreamt of becoming a pilot, describing him as her 'hero'. He earnt his pilot's licence earlier in 2024, just months before the crash. '(He was) always watching all the old war movies with the planes that would take off, he would soak up everything that he saw,' Ms Miller said. She said her brother was a 'caring, kind-hearted' young man who was just shy of his 21st birthday. 'Whatever happened doesn't change the outcome at the end of the day,' she said. 'We still don't have him, and nothing will ever fix the place he had in our lives.'
7NEWS
07-06-2025
- 7NEWS
Message in a bottle found among debris as tonnes of rubbish cleared from remote beach
One of Australia's most remote coastlines has been given a new lease on life. Nearly 15 tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from Cape Bedford on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland in what has been billed Australia's largest remote clean-up. Organised by environmental group Parley, the 10-day mission to protect one of Australia's most ecologically significant coastlines was launched from nearby Elim Beach campground, about an hours' drive north of Cooktown. The remote location made the clean-up especially challenging, with all 14.5 tonnes of washed-up waste collected and carried by hand to 4WD trucks to then be hauled away across sand dunes, scrub and rugged terrain. The mission brought together up to 30 volunteers a day including members of Melbourne-based sustainability group BAlternative and locals from the Far North Queensland region. The project was led in close partnership with Traditional Owner Ivan Deemal, whose cultural guidance ensured the work respected and protected the land's deep spiritual significance, Parley said. 'Working with Ivan reminded us that this isn't just about collecting rubbish, it's about listening, learning, and restoring a sacred and fragile ecosystem,' Parley Australia CEO Christian Miller said. With a focus on prevention and action, the global ocean conservation group is working to end plastic pollution through education, coastal clean-ups, and long-term change. The organisation runs clean-up initiatives and offers volunteer, school and corporate engagement programs across the world. Among the thongs, jerrycans and plastic washed up on the golden beaches, volunteers came across something unexpected — a message in a bottle. Inside was a simple handwritten note: 'Call me.' When the team dialled the number, they were met with surprise and joy by a grandmother — a passionate ocean advocate who explained the bottle had been released just a week earlier by her twin granddaughters off Fitzroy Island, a resort island just off Cairns, almost 200km south of Cape Bedford. 'It was one of those unexpected moments that reminds you how connected we all are by the ocean,' Miller said. 'And a stark reminder of how quickly marine debris can travel between regions.' The team also removed dangerous debris found tangled around tree roots — a grim visual reminder of the slow and silent threat of plastic waste. These root-bound ropes and nets had become entrenched hazards to marine life and long-term sources of microplastic pollution, Parsley said. 'If you can see the impact of plastic pollution in the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living reef structure in the world, you realise it has become everyone's responsibility to let go of this silent killer plastic,' Miller said. 'When we work together, guided by Traditional knowledge, science, and shared purpose, we show what's possible — not just for the ocean, but for the future of the planet.' Parley Australia said the Cape Bedford clean-up is a strong example of what's possible when science, Traditional knowledge and grassroots action come together. Stream free on
