The spectacle of enormous bulbous shapes emerging from the predawn chill of darkness to become towering giants looming over you is something to see. [photo]  Photographing the launching of hot air balloons is most definitely an adrenalin pumping experience for any enthusiastic photographer. From the darkness these magnificent giants sway gently above and around you, with their murky colourless shapes presenting an ominous presence. The crew fire their burners into the sleeping giants suddenly awakening them; they explode into a burst of colour and movement. The burners sound like jet fighters taking off, the activity to launch them is frenetic...

Waking up 2 hours before sunrise does not sound like the best start to the day. But don’t be fooled. Today we’re going on a hot air balloon ride. And this is the only way to do it. By the end of the flight I won’t even remember any gripes about rolling out of bed at an unholy hour. I’ll only remember the ethereal sensation of floating above Melbourne, Australia. I’m telling you this so you don’t hit “snooze” and miss out on an experience recognised in the “Hall of Fame” by the Victorian Tourism Awards… 3 years in a row....

Over the course of our lives, the amount of physical gifts given for birthdays, Christmas, weddings, is astronomical.  Most of us would prefer to share an experience and create lasting memories with the ones we love. [photo]  According to the University of Toronto, "The reason experiential gifts are more socially connecting is that they tend to be more emotionally evocative." The emotional response gained from receiving an experience gift is more intense than a material gift. This is because we put ourselves in the situation of the experience first-hand. For hot air ballooning, common emotions include: Excitement Happiness  Joy Grateful shock/ surprise These are...

Global Ballooning's own, Paterson Saunders competed in the 2017 Northam National Ballooning Championships from September 2 - 10. The newly designed Zonzo Racer balloon took to the skies skies, with Paterson finishing up in 9th place.  Paterson, age 21, has already experienced flying balloons in France, Ireland, Slovenia, Qatar and the North Pole.  “Competitions are completely different to drifting across the sky without a care in the world, they require tremendous planning, focus and a solid understanding of GPS mapping technology.” Paterson said. “Given my upbringing, I was predisposed to be a natural wanderer. It is my hope that my...

Global Ballooning Australia commercial balloon pilots are some of the most experienced balloonists in the country. Our current pilots have been ballooning with the company for many years and all have rich histories of ballooning throughout Australia and the world. They are highly accomplished in their field with the majority of pilots having accrued over 3000hrs in hot air balloons.  But there is a lot more to our amazing team of pilots and crew than their vast experience flying hot air balloons. Part of what makes ballooning such an incredible experience is the connection between passenger and pilot. Aside from flying your hot air...

Global Ballooning Australia representatives Kate & Peter attended the 2017 Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE17) in May. Sydney was the host destination for the country’s largest annual tourism trade show.   [photo]   The newly constructed International Convention Centre (Australia’s largest exhibition and convention centre) was the space which hosted this B2B event; known within the industry as ‘speed dating’ due to the busy schedule of 15 minute appointments across 4 x 9hr days.   [photo]   The Global team, amongst many other Victorian and National companies came together to conduct meetings to generate future tourism business for Australia.   [photo]...

Global Ballooning Australia Fathers Day competition   The promoter is: Global Ballooning Pty Ltd whose registered office is at 30 Dickmann St, Richmond, VIC. The competition is open to residents of Australia aged 18 years or over. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions. Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via https://www.facebook.com/GlobalBallooning/ Only one entry will be accepted per person. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified....

We recently had the lovely Joanna Romano of @fitbackpacker fly with us over the Yarra Valley, and here is a little piece on what she thought of it: Hot air ballooning as the sun rises should be on everybody’s bucket list! The feeling that you get witnessing one of nature’s most amazing spectacles, suspended in a basket hundreds of metres above the ground is indescribable.   [photo]   Although I had been hot air ballooning once before here in Melbourne, there was absolutely no comparison with the experience I had recently, floating over the Yarra Valley as the sunrise turned...

  Global Ballooning Australia has been flying hot air balloons over the beautiful City of Melbourne for what seems like a lifetime, and a favourite spot to drift over for many passengers and pilots alike has always been the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.  Consisting of about 95 acres, the Royal Botanic Gardens are an iconic part of the local landscape and are the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Melbourne, whether you're looking for beautiful running trails or a quiet shady spot for some self reflection.    [photo]       [photo]   If you've ever had a stroll through...

Being dubbed as the largest human event on the planet, Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) is the most important day of the year for Chinese people all over the globe and is the first day of the month in the Chinese calendar. This year is the Year of the Rooster (Fire Rooster). The Rooster represents fidelity and punctuality, for it wakes people up on time.  Global Ballooning Australia knows all about waking up clients bright and early for our beautiful Melbourne sunrises, and are celebrating the Year of the Rooster along with the merry Chinese population of Melbourne, as well...