Peter McDonald is flying high.
The Thule Lagoon commercial pilot and his wife Wendy launched Murray Darling Scenic Flights in January, and in nine short months have been nominated for numerous awards.
The business was shortlisted as a finalist in this year’s Australian Aviation Awards and is a finalist in two separate categories in the upcoming Campaspe Murray Business Awards, where it is a contender in the best new business and excellence in tourism categories.
However, his success story didn’t happen overnight and required perseverance and . It was his father who ignited his passion for flying from a young age.
“My father had his pilot’s licence for about three years and I remember flying with him, ironically over the floods in the mid 70s when I was a small child,” Mr McDonald said.
“He didn’t have his licence very long but he gave me the flying bug. It’s something I have always wanted to do.”
When drought hit, the fifth-generation rice and sheep farmer began to look into ways to diversify and find an alternative income stream.
“I thought ‘this is my chance’,” Mr McDonald said, recalling how the drought hit the farm hard between 2002 and 2010.
“We had zero water allocations for three years in a row and five years out the last 15 years.
“I snuck over to Swan Hill for a trial introductory flight and came back with a grin from ear to ear.”
In 2008, Mr McDonald started working towards his commercial pilot licence.
He sold 90 per cent of his sheep, commuting to Bendigo to attend flying school from Monday to Thursday.
He sat his last commercial exam the day before the birth of his second child.
With only his flying test to complete, Mr McDonald’s dream was temporarily put on hold.
“I never finished it,” he said.
“We had a newborn, the drought broke and life was busy.
“I only had to do the flying test before I was qualified.”
His eldest daughter was 12 at the time and after coming to the realisation they were unable to conceive again, another child was a pleasant surprise.
“It was exciting times,” Mr McDonald said.
“I thought I would put my flying on the backburner for what I thought would be six months.”
Six months turned into 12 years, but Mr McDonald did not give up.
Despite several setbacks, including COVID-19, the McDonalds have proved when the timing is right, everything else will fall perfectly into place.
Launching Murray Darling Scenic Flights at the beginning of this year has been a dream come true for the couple.
Sustainability plays a major role within the company.
Living on the banks of Thule Lagoon, the ancient bed of the Murray River, Mr McDonald is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the geography and complexity of the Basin’s intricate landscapes.
“There’s a strong market for environmental and geographical tourism,” he said.
Flying over Lake Tyrrell, Lake Mungo, Yanga National Park and Gayini wetlands, Mr McDonald said the region featured a range of “stunningly diverse scenery”.
“The country is constantly changing and there’s something new to see every 10 minutes.
“We’re offering something pretty unique and the tourism industry is a happy industry to work in.
“I love promoting our area, how the rivers flow and how the landscape thrives when the water runs. It gives me so much pleasure to share this with passengers. People are so surprised to realise what is on their doorstep.”
