Farewell Bob Dawson

The kiting community was shocked this week to hear of the death of one of its founding members, Bob Dawson. Kite maker, kite flyer, kite legend, Bob passed away at midday on August 12 after a workplace accident. Bob was a fundamental fixture in the kiting world, appearing at festivals and carnivals around the world both solo and with his team Ocean Breeze. Kitepower founder Steve MacCormack says, “Bob’s kite-flying mates would number in the hundreds, possibly thousands. If you flew kites and flew them for the love of it, you were Bob’s mate.” Bob made kites for more than 20 years and he is considered one of the foremost performance kite makers in Australia. Bob always strived for the line between precision and lightness, and power in his kites. A handmade Bob Dawson D-wing is a sight to behold – and a joy to fly. Bob inspired countless kite flyers with both his kites and his insight and affection for the people flying them. As kite-maker Phil McConachie said, Bob’s death “is going to leave a big hole in the sky”. Click here to read about Bob Dawson’s role in the development of Kitepower Australia Click here to read tributes from Australia’s kite personalities Click here to read a previous post about Bob Dawson kites