Every March, as Moomba takes over Melbourne, a familiar question echoes along the banks of the Yarra – will they fly, or will they flop?
For 50 years, the Birdman Rally has delivered the answer in spectacular fashion, as fearless (and some might say foolish) competitors launch themselves from a platform into the Yarra River – Birrarung in homemade contraptions and wild costumes – literally on a wing and a prayer.
While there’s a very slim hope of defying gravity, there’s a big hope of helping their chosen charity – one of the primary goals of the Birdman Rally.
Last year, competitors raised a combined $61,000 for different charities – can this year’s daredevils beat that?
Don’t miss Moomba's most beloved and delightfully unhinged tradition where the splashes are big, the flights are brief, and the laughs are guaranteed.
The Birdman Rally is on Sunday 8 March from 11am at the Yarra River – Birrarung during Moomba Festival External link, which runs from 5 to 9 March.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, 13 contestants will leap and belly flop in style from a brand-new platform including one of our 2026 Moomba Monarchs, Sammy J.
Watch Pigasus, The Very Grumpy Caterpillar, Harry the Heron and other brave souls go face-first into the Yarra as they go all out to take home much-needed funds for their chosen charity.
For the first time this year, the winner's trophy will named The George Abel Trophy, awarded to the Birdman Rally Winner for the longest distance.
A bird-brained idea takes flight
The Birdman story begins in the small seaside town of Selsey, in West Sussex, England.
In 1971, George Abel, a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and photographer, was looking for a way to raise funds for the RAF Association.
A big fan of motorbikes and airplanes, and blessed with a wicked sense of fun, George thought it would be hilarious to encourage people to make their own flying costumes and see how far they could leap into the local river.
“What, I thought, would be the reaction if I invited people to try and fly in the manner of the early pioneers of flight but as a mass rally of leaping idiots?” George said in the ACMI documentary Memories of a Birdman External link.
The reaction, it turned out, was huge – making a massive splash that rippled across the world with similar events popping up Europe, America and Asia – including one in Japan, which is still celebrated today.
From a small town in England to magical Melbourne
When George and his family moved to Australia in the 1970s, he brought his idea with him.
After helping organise Birdman rallies in Perth and Adelaide, Channel 10 invited George to recreate the spectacle in Melbourne as part of Moomba in 1976 – in true Melbourne style – drenched in rain.
“I was so flattered to think my crackpot idea was worthy of being part of the fun of Moomba,” George said.
Despite the weather, it was an instant hit. Crowds grew to more than 100,000 in the years that followed, making the Birdman Rally a permanent and much-loved fixture of the festival.
Chaos, costumes and community
What makes Birdman special has never been distance – gravity always wins – but spectacle and the chance to do good.
As a teenager, George’s daughter Cate walked the banks of Selsey with a plastic bucket, collecting donations and helping people put the finishing touches on their costumes with sticky tape and glue.
“Birdman has always been such a big part of our family and we’re so proud to see dad’s work help so many people.
“It’s always just been about everybody getting together and having fun.
“Dad loves the costumes that are really whacky. He loves people to go all out – especially the gliders. We’re so thrilled to see it still going today,” George’s daughter, Cate said.
The colourful costumes and contraptions are as majestic as they are crazy – there have been flying cardboard pigs, homemade rockets and even a flying version of the house from Up carried off the plank surrounded by balloons.
Spectators hold up “FLY” and “FLOP” signs - with the loudest cheers heard not for the most elegant glides, but for the most glorious bellyflops.
FUN FACT: Glider Michael Paul holds the record for the longest distance travelled, flying a massive 25.5 metres!
In recent years, Melbourne's beloved Moomba monarchs have joined the fun.
Jimmy Giggle (comedian James Rees) was the first King of Moomba to take part in the Birdman Rally in 2018, leaping into the drink in his custom-designed Owl Force One contraption.
Last year’s Monarchs, Comedy trio Sooshi Mango, made the leap with an airplane made from salami – delicious but sadly not so aero-dynamic – down into the river they went.
This year, Moomba Monarch Sammy J has taken up the challenge. He’ll be raising funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters External link, a charity that connects vulnerable kids with long-term mentors.
But what will his craft be? And will he FLY or will he FLOP?
More than a splash
Behind the chaos sits a rock-solid cause – raising funds to help those in need.
Since it began in Melbourne in 1976, it’s estimated that over $1 million has been raised for many charities including Royal Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, with a record-breaking $147,000 raised for charity in 2023.
For George, watching his idea live on across generations and continents, the legacy is deeply personal.
“It gives me such satisfaction to know I have given so many people such thrills, happiness and delight and helped so many charities. I really can’t believe I started all this.”
The Birdman rally has come a long way since that first self-funded event in Selsey where George sat in a small boat with binoculars watching over the first competitors.
From that self-described “crackpot idea” to a cherished Melbourne institution, the Birdman Rally remains proof that sometimes the best way to lift a community up is to leap headfirst.
And belly flop like you mean it.
Did you know?
The beloved Birdman Rally was put on ice from 1998 for 6 years because of poor water quality. We want a swimmable river where you don’t have to take a big gulp of air, close your eyes and hope for the best. See our plan to make it happen.
Come and play at Moomba
Thursday 5 March to Sunday 9 March 2026
Moomba is a free, 5-day community festival on the banks of the Yarra River – Birrarung.
It features the Birdman Rally, Moomba Parade, carnival rides, nightly fireworks and water sports championships.
Whether you’re a dare devil bursting for a ride fix, a food-truck-loving-foodie, fireworks fan or music-lover, Moomba has something for everyone.
Check out the program and buy a Ride Pass External link for the Moomba Carnival.
