Newcastle Williamtown Air Show 2023: tickets on sale in October for RAAF base open day

The Newcastle Williamtown Air Show 2023 will see almost all Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) planes take to the skies and 50 military exhibitions set up for visitors.

Head of air shows Air Commodore Micka Gray announced on Friday that 20,000 tickets for the open day at the Williamtown base on November 19 will go on sale on October 2.

"We'll have an actual ejection seat from an F-35 fighter jet," he said.

"We'll also have one of my favourites - the 'bones and drones zone' which is the military working dog arena and the military drones."

They're just some of the 50 on-the-ground exhibitions, which will also include heritage planes, people from the space command, simulators, and military personnel.

Tickets are essential and will be $10 per person but kids under six years old will be free.

Some road closures will be in place near the base to accommodate travellers.

Air Commodore Gray said there will be a parking area in Raymond Terrace, near the council chambers, where people can drive then catch a free shuttle to Williamtown.

No additional public transport options have been put in place directly from Newcastle for the open day.

On November 18, planes will take off for a free air show over Newcastle, once at 10am and again at 1pm.

Formation and aerial displays will feature heritage and vintage aircraft like the Harvard, Winjeel, Spitfire, Mustang and Canberra and fighter jets will do flypasts.

City of Newcastle will have free viewing areas set up along the Newcastle and Stockton coastlines.

With almost 100,000 people expected to watch, council and Transport for NSW have added extra light rail, ferry and bus services into the city.

A park-and-ride will be available at McDonald Jones Stadium.

There'll be parking near key vantage points in Stockton.

"Newcastle's spectacular coastline will be on display for tens of thousands of visitors to see all the action over Newcastle Harbour, Nobbys Beach, Foreshore Park and Stockton," lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

"Attracting major events of this calibre is a testament to Newcastle's growth as a world-class events and cultural city and indicative of a thriving local economy."

Port Stephens deputy mayor Leah Anderson said the RAAF base was a fundamental part of the area and the air show would boost the local economy.

"We hope that while you're here, you can take in the whole Port Stephens region," she said.

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