Two hot air balloons have crossed the Australian Alps, flying past Mount Kosciuszko before landing near Jindabyne.
Most mornings, our balloons lift off over vineyards and paddocks. This one started in sub-zero darkness on the banks of the Murray River, with two envelopes being unpacked in the frost and the Australian Alps waiting somewhere ahead in the dark.
The Global Ballooning Australia team completed a rare alpine crossing, flying two hot air balloons past Mount Kosciuszko before landing near Jindabyne. Kiff Saunders flew solo in one balloon. The second was co-piloted by Pat Saunders and Jason Stringer.
Why Alpine Flights Are So Rare
Ballooning over remote high country is a different proposition to a scenic morning flight. It means carrying extra fuel, communications equipment, survival gear and serious warm-weather clothing, on the assumption that a landing might happen a long way from a road.
The bigger constraint is the weather. The team needed a very specific window: winds that would carry the balloons across the mountains, and winds that would still allow them to land on the other side. Those two things don’t line up often.
When the forecast finally arrived, the team travelled from Melbourne to the launch area and camped overnight in sub-zero conditions before beginning preparations at dawn.
Standing 2,228 metres above sea level, Mount Kosciuszko is the highest point on the Australian mainland.
The Global Ballooning Australia team believes the mountain has been traversed by hot air balloon on only four occasions. Kiff Saunders has now been involved in three of these crossings, bringing valuable alpine flying experience to the expedition.
From Australia’s Lowest Point to Its Highest
The flight also completed an extraordinary geographical double for Kiff and Pat Saunders.
Within the space of a month, the pair flew over both Kati Thanda (Lake Eyre) approximately 15 metres below sea level and Australia’s lowest natural point – and Mount Kosciuszko, 2,228 metres above sea level and the highest point on the Australian mainland.
Global Ballooning Australia is unaware of any other balloon pilots who have completed crossings over both iconic Australian landscapes.
The achievement reflects the experience, preparation and sense of adventure that have shaped the Saunders family’s contribution to Australian ballooning across generations.
