| Accession Number | REL35695 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Brass, Steel |
| Maker |
Hunter, Gareth Evan |
| Place made | Pacific Islands: Solomon Islands, Bougainville, South Bougainville, Loloho |
| Date made | c 2000 |
| Conflict |
PNG [Bougainville] (PMG), 1998-2003 |
Birdman Rally Trophy : Logistic Support Team, Peace Monitoring Group
Description
Painted steel trophy consisting of winged human figure on a support welded to a blue circular base. Two small shark fins welded to the base show that the figure is flying over water. Small brass plaque fixed to the base reads 'JUL 2000. L/CPL FURLONG PTE STOWARD'. Larger brass plaque which has come loose from base reads 'BOUGAINVILLE BIRDMAN BY CFN HUNTER'.
History / Summary
Made by Craftsman Gareth Hunter of 4th Field Regiment, this trophy was awarded to Lance Corporal Rodney Furlong and Private Amanda Stoward for the Most Successful Flight at the Bougainville Birdman Rally held on 15 July 2000. A Birdman Rally is a competition where individuals or teams build gliders and human powered aircraft, and leap off a waterside structure to compete for the longest flight distance and for entertainment value. The Bougainville Birdman Rally was staged by the Logistic Support Team (LST) off one of the jetties at their base at Loloho. This type of event is an important part of maintaining morale within military organizations, as it provides a relief from the stress and routine of operations, and gives personnel the opportunity to interact with each other in a more informal environment.
The LST was part of the Australian led Peace Monitoring Group (PMG). The PMG replaced the New Zealand led Truce Monitoring Group following the signing of a permanent ceasefire agreement on 30 April 1998, and remained in the country until 30 June 2003. The PMG helped build confidence in the peace process by facilitating meetings and distributing peace related information. A total of 5,000 unarmed military and civilian personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu served on the PMG. The conflict in Bougainville was one of the most serious in the South Pacific region since the Second World War, with an estimated 15,000 deaths and up to 70,000 people in refugee or displaced persons camps. It started in 1989 and lasted until the truce agreement in July 1997, although it was nine months until a permanent ceasefire was agreed to and signed.