Floating thousands of feet in the air during your time up, up and away provides a different perspective on nature than viewing it from the ground. Instead of seeing one small section of the sky or horizon, against the backdrop of the earth below you can see for miles, with complete 360° views of everything around you. Acres of nature surround you, and the best part is, you don't have to be a professional photographer to capture beauty during your hot air balloon flight. So, we thought we’d put together some helpful tips on how you can capture some amazing...

As you settle into the Autumn months and the weather starts to cool, you may find yourself averting your gaze away from weekend trips to the beach and begin considering travelling inland for your weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Let this act as a guide and inspiration for discovering all that the regional town of Mansfield has to offer. From unique accommodation, to wine tasting, culinary delights, and most thrillingly, a hot air balloon ride across the undulating foothills of the Victorian high country.   WHERE TO STAY: Bullerroo Luxury Farmstay If luxury is what...

Dates are meant for three things: to get to know someone, to impress, and to make memories! Whether you’re looking to keep your long-term relationship exciting, going on a date with someone new, or celebrating an anniversary, finding romantic and fun things to do together as a couple can be tricky. We can assure you, ballooning is the ultimate PERFECT DATE and ticks all of the boxes. Here is how to craft your ultimate date… 1. Be inspired – create that “WOW” factor by booking something neither of you has experienced before, one that they’ll be talking about for...

This year Santa has chosen to take the more scenic route while in Australia. Switching out the reindeer and sleigh for, well…. a lighter than air option. That’s right, Santa’s going to be traversing the Australian sky via hot air balloon this year. It may be slower than the sleigh he is used to, but all Santa cares about is kicking back and enjoying the views; even if he misses delivering a couple presents (you didn’t hear that from us ????). I have put together a list of why you should follow Santa’s lead this year, and why a hot...

GIVE A GIFT WITH THE PLANET IN MIND THIS CHRISTMAS Here at Global Ballooning, we have been lucky enough to have almost 30 years of working with amazing businesses in and around the Yarra Valley. We don’t just want to sell the Yarra Valley views; we want to support the businesses and communities who operate in the area and who are dedicated to maintaining the scenic landscape of the Yarra Valley. We try to partner with and support businesses that share our love of nature and strive to take care of the earth as much as they take care of...

Here at GLOBAL, we always find there is a fusion of underlying celebrations occurring between couples, groups or our solo flyers! It’s a special experience best enjoyed when there is a meaning behind why you are flying.   Unlike scenic helicopter flights, a balloon flight allows passengers to embrace one another and really take in everything that this bird’s eye view has to offer, wherever the location. Not many passengers know this until they take flight, but the movement is not something you feel up in the air. It is the most amazing lighter-than-air experience that cannot be felt anywhere else!...

This nine-day festival of spring events heroes the pale, dry and delicious wines of the Yarra Valley, whether they be fizzy, natty or just pink! If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to soar through the sky with a rosé in your hand, then wonder no more as Global Ballooning Australia launches its exclusive floating wine tasting tour in a hot air balloon for Rosé Evolution. This unique tasting event is available for five days only and with limited tickets. Set to air between 20th – 24th November, guests will witness the stunning views of Yarra Valley...

1783 - September 19 Scientist Francois Pilatre De Rozier launched his 'Aerostat Reveillon - the first hot air balloon on record. However, the balloon rose off the ground for only 15 minutes before landing back on the ground. Thankfully the ballooning passengers - a sheep, a duck, and a rooster - survived. Image credit: Time Magazine 1783 - November 21 Only two months after De Rozier’s attempt, the Montgolfier brothers Joseph and Etienne launched the first manned balloon in Paris. Made from paper and silk the balloon was manned by Francois Pilatrê de Rozier and Francois Laurent. The 20 minute flight over...

Hot air balloon pilot, Georgia Croft, is excited to show High Country visitors the incredible views from her brand new workplace, high above the scenic landscape and rolling hills of Mansfield and Mt Buller.   At 24, she is one of only five female hot air balloon pilots in Australia, finding a new passion, and a new career, after working as ground crew for her friend at a national hot air ballooning competition. She was hooked, and immediately swapped her undergraduate studies in Anthropology to focus instead on meteorology and microclimates, the art of navigation and the principles of aeronautics. Joining Global Ballooning Australia, Georgia steadily accumulated her 75 flying hours, and made her debut in the competition...

The world’s first manned hot-air balloon flight was from a chateau in the Bois de Bologne in Paris in 1783, witnessed by a crowd estimated at a rather Trumpian 400,000, including Louis XVI and Benjamin Franklin. This morning we can only muster a few cows in a field off the Maroondah Highway near Mansfield, central Victoria. Still, we’re asked to be mindful of their presence in the pre-dawn gloom, mainly because of what we may step in. Keeping well back while the craft is “fuelled”, we finally get the boarding call from Global Ballooning pilot Georgia Croft and have...