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...

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 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...

GIVEAWAY ​ To celebrate the launch of our #YarraValley flights & Cherryhill's brand new Orchard, we're excited to announce this huge 3-way giveaway! ​In partnership with @cherryhill_orchards and @rochfordwines, win an incredible Yarra Valley summer experience worth $980! Prize includes: ​A sunrise hot air balloon flight for 2 A two-course lunch and wine at @Rochfordwines An hour of cherry-picking + a complimentary 1.5kg Grab & Go box How to enter: 1. Like this post 2. Tag in this post who you’d bring along on this experience and why? 3. Make sure you and your tagged friends follow all 3 accounts: @rochfordwines,...

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...

I have always been great fan of History – it was my favourite subject at school, and I always find myself gravitating towards literature based on events and exploits of days gone by. In many ways this appreciation of the deeds of remarkable pioneers and fearless adventurers has inspired me to travel and to also push myself onwards into the unchartered waters of discovery within myself. As we busily go through our day-to-day life, we tend not to consider that our time on this planet may also one day be part of history. It is only until a dedicated...

Here at Global Ballooning Australia, we appreciate all the different dads in our lives. No two are the same. Although dads have a way of, well… being dads. From the caring stereotypes to the downright cringe. But we love them, and we know you do too. This guide will show you why a balloon flight this Father’s Day is the perfect gift for all types of dads in your life, no matter the stereotype.     The DIY/Handyman Dad – We all know a dad like this in our lives. The one who seems to have been building a...

  See the best of Victoria’s high country and the majestic countryside of Mansfield. Have you been needing a getaway from busy streets and a fast-paced life? Are you looking to escape to the serene country with vast natural views and nestled within the Alpine Ranges? If yes, then Mansfield is your golden ticket. A nature lovers paradise just two and a half hours from Melbourne. With this experience guide and special offers from across the Mansfield area, you will never want to return to the city life. Soak up the spectacular Alpine scenery this winter in Mansfield.   ...