Magic Minute A Bird Man’s Leap of Trust

By Laurie Smale

MAGIC MINUTE // Thousands of Melbournians grew hushed as the next Moomba Bird Man was set to leap off the Yarra River’s towering Princes Bridge in their quest to fly the furthest for their nominated charity.

This brave Birdman was my engineer neighbour Peter.

The guy who preceded him had just leapt off the bridge dressed as a chicken so he was no great threat!

And what a magnificent flying machine Pete’s was!; with its 2m wingspan and glider fuselage secured around him.

Nervously on the precipice of untested fate, all Peter could do was trust in his design and his team helper to hold the tail straight as he trundled himself into history!

The crowd gasped as he took to the air with the sun glistening off those gossamer wings… only to ingloriously follow the chicken man in vertical flight to the arms of the rescuers below!

Peter laughs about it now, for he not only added a bit of joy to the people of Melbourne, he is one of the fateful few who can proudly say: “I’ve taken part in Moomba’s Birdman Rally!”

I’m Laurie Smale… Till my next Magic Minute. 🪄

#lauriesmale #magicminute #findingmefindingyou #moombabirdman #birdmanrally

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