On September 29, 1977, SQNLDR John Holt and FLTLT Phil Noordink died after their F-111C aircraft was involved in a catastrophic accident during a practice bombing mission at Evans Head Air Weapons Range. A memorial stone was placed at the crash site after the accident. In 2006, Commanding Officer 6 Squadron, Wing Commander Ken Quinn, arranged two permanent memorial cairns; Evans Head War Graves Memorial & Holt/Nordink crash site. Some may query whether the Evans Head War Cemetery site complied with Commonwealth War Graves Commission guidelines; the Air Force has since received official confirmation from the Office of Australia War Graves.
Excerpt from RAAF News article - Volume 48, No. 20, November 2, 2006
“6SQN returns for its mates”
6SQN CO WGCDR Ken Quinn said that the squadron felt it was appropriate to erect a permanent memorial to the men. “We constructed two memorial cairns,” he said. “The first was erected at the crash site and the other in the RAAF section of the Evans Head Cemetery. “Then, on the anniversary, September 29, 2006, we held two dedication ceremonies: the first at the crash site in the morning; the other, at the cemetery in the afternoon.”
Directions to Evans Head War Cemetery -29.110586,153.421811