Adrenaline junkie 89yo skydives to celebrate his birthday

feel good

Sat 11 Jul 2026 at 7:05am

Sat 11 Jul 2026 at 7:05am

A Queensland grandfather has celebrated his 89th birthday by skydiving over the Sunshine Coast with his 39-year-old grandson.

Donald Walker says he is "terrified of getting old" and adventure doesn't have an expiry date.

He and his grandson jumped out of a plane 13,000 feet over Noosa and spent a minute freefalling before enjoying a roughly five minute glide down in the parachute before landing on Coolum Beach.

This was Donald's third time skydiving, after his first jump when he was 70, also a birthday celebration.

He said he had wanted to take to the skies since he was a boy, after he watched C-47 planes tow gliders as they flew over his home during World War II.

But "life got in the way", and he would have to wait years before experiencing the thrill of jumping for himself.

Donald said his favourite part of a dive is the moments just after the free-fall, when the main parachute opens and "everything just stops".

"It's like as though you're not moving, even though you're still falling, and it just feels so peaceful,"

he said.

"It's quiet, you can hear things, hear birds in the air.

"It's just beautiful."

Donald, who does not consider himself old, said he hoped to continue skydiving until he "gets a letter from the king".

"I intend to do it as long as I can," he said.

"At least once a year, more if I can get it."

He said some people think his hobby is "weird", but Donald believes no one is too old for an adventure.

"If you keep your body and your mind going and turning over, you always feel better."

Donald isn't alone in chasing thrills at an older age, according to SkyDive Australia Chief Commercial Officer Fiona Stillwell.

She says there is an entire generation of older Australians who are taking up the hobby of jumping out of a plane.

Skydive Australia data shows a total of 14,491 people over the age of 50 have chosen to dive since 2023.

More than 269 of those were over the age of 75, the data points out, showing that Donald definitely is part of a strong group of thrill seeking grandparents.