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cover art for Too Tall to Fly, Built to Serve: Matt Burgoyne’s Defence Journey

Voices of Greater Springfield

Too Tall to Fly, Built to Serve: Matt Burgoyne’s Defence Journey

What happens when your dream of becoming a pilot is grounded before it even begins?


For Matt Burgoyne, it became the start of something even bigger.


In this episode, Antoine Vidal sits down with current Australian Defence Force aircraft technician Matt Burgoyne, who shares his incredible journey of nearly 20 years in service. From flying at just 13 years old to maintaining military aircraft and supporting global operations, Matt offers a rare insight into life behind the scenes in the Air Force.

  • You’ll hear stories from deployments across the world, humanitarian missions helping communities in crisis, and what it really means to serve—both in uniform and at home.
  • Now also serving on the Greater Springfield RSL Sub Branch committee, Matt is helping shape a powerful new vision for ANZAC Day in the region—bringing together tradition, community, and the next generation.


This is a story of resilience, adaptability, and service—proving that sometimes the path you didn’t plan leads to the greatest purpose.


🎧 Listen now...

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