Flight Details

The following balloon flight details and information can be used as a guide as to what our mornings involve.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us on 1800 HOT AIR (1800 468 247) or +61 3 9427 0088 if you have any concerns or questions.

Everything you need to know to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Reconfirming your flight
Please call BalloonMan on 1800 HOT AIR (1800 468 247) or +61 3 9427 0088 the day prior to your flight.
We will take this opportunity to speak with all our passengers on what to expect on the next morning.
At this time we will clarify your wake up and meeting times for the morning along with a weather forecast prepared by the aviation department at the weather bureau.

Wake-up Call and Meeting Place
Paul makes his final decision to fly on the morning of your flight. Paul will only call you out if the weather is favourable for a balloon flight.
We meet our passengers in the in the cark park at Balgownie Estate Winery, one hour prior to sunrise – please view our Passenger Guide for full details, map and parking directions.
Keep in mind that sunrise times differ throughout the seasons so our meeting times also differ.
Wake up and meeting times are clarified with you when reconfirming your flight.
Hotel pickup can be arranged for all our visitors to Bendigo and locals staying at a hotel in town.

Selecting the Launch Site
Hot air balloons travel with the wind so much of our navigating actually takes place prior to take off. With Paul’s wealth of local knowledge and experience in Bendigo, careful consideration will be taken for our choice of take off site to give you the best flight available on the day of your hot air ballooning over Bendigo.
We then leave as a group to the launch site by mini bus to one of Bendigo’s many parks to inflate the hot air balloon ready for take off.

Flight Preparation
The choice is yours, roll up your sleeves and help prepare the balloon for flight or sit back and enjoy the spectacle as Paul fires up the balloon. Either way it’s great fun. The excitement builds and anticipation mounts as the time draws closer to a sunrise lift off for your hot air ballooning adventure over Bendigo.

Ready for Take Off
It’s time to climb aboard the wicker basket under instruction from pilot and ground crew. Paul will provide a full passenger safety briefing at this time as to what to expect throughout the flight and landing.
With a burst of flame from the burners it’s up, up and away!

Your Balloon Flight
Sunrise is flight time. The balloon will climb slowly to cruising altitude; you will drift silently with the wind and take in the most magnificent perspective of Bendigo available only from a hot air balloon.
Generally we average over an hour in the air each morning.
Often we fly over the city, however this cannot be guaranteed on any particular day. Hot air balloons travel with the wind therefore our flight paths each morning are quite different day to day.
You are likely to take in many of Bendigo’s landmarks such as the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Historic Gold Diggings – Central Deborah Gold Mine, Historic Gold Rush Era Architecture, St Paul’s Cathedral, and many more of Bendigo’s lovely parks and gardens.

Landing
It’s time to land, so stow away any loose articles and assume your landing positions.
Paul will bring you back to earth with a gentle bump, occasionally the balloon will lay over on landing. It’s all a part of the fun, time now to pack up the balloon and head off to breakfast and a glass of champagne to celebrate your adventure of a lifetime.

Breakfast
Balgownie Estate Winery restaruant is your final destination of the morning to relax, reflect and indulge.
We are sure that you will still be on cloud nine and Paul will join you for the breakfast and chat about the hot air ballooning adventure you have just shared.

Post Flight Certificate
Well you deserved it! Paul will present all passengers a certificate recognising your daring in joining us on a hot air ballooning adventure over Bendigo. Congratulations.

Also included is a map highlighting your Melbourne balloon flight path for the morning.