Balloonists complete world first flight over Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre
Historic 175 kilometre flight highlights Victorian ballooning expertise
A team of Australian and international balloonists has completed a world first hot air balloon flight over Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre, flying approximately 175 kilometres across one of Australia’s most remote and spectacular landscapes.
The 12 person expedition brought together experienced pilots and crew from Melbourne, Mildura, interstate and overseas, with Victorian balloonists playing a key role in the historic crossing.
Mildura pilot Ben Gowers flew solo in one balloon, while Melbourne based father and son team Kiff and Pat Saunders of Global Ballooning Australia piloted the second.
The expedition showcased the depth of Victoria’s ballooning expertise, with pilots from Melbourne and Mildura bringing years of experience to the historic flight.
It also comes at an exciting time for ballooning in Mildura, where experienced pilots involved in the expedition have played a role in bringing hot air ballooning back to the destination. The recent Balloons Over Mildura event saw balloons return to the skies above the Murray, offering visitors and the local community a new way to experience the region from above.
For visitors who take to the skies with Global Ballooning Australia, the achievement provides a remarkable insight into the experience behind the basket. The pilots who fly guests over Victoria’s landscapes have now demonstrated their skills on one of Australia’s most challenging and remote ballooning expeditions.
What began as a conversation over a beer between two mates became an ambitious undertaking requiring weeks of weather analysis, complex logistics and careful coordination.
Launching from the western edge of Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre National Park, the balloons crossed both Lake Eyre North and Lake Eyre South before flying over the mysterious Marree Man geoglyph. Both balloons landed safely beside the Oodnadatta Track, exactly as planned.
The flight lasted three hours and 40 minutes, covered approximately 175 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 9,501 feet, or about 2,900 metres. At times, the balloons travelled at more than 70 kilometres per hour.
“This was an extraordinary flight over a landscape that very few people will ever experience from this perspective,” Pat Saunders said.
“To see Kati Thanda transformed by floodwater, stretching beneath us like an inland sea, was unforgettable. Completing the flight safely and landing where we had planned made years of experience and weeks of preparation worthwhile.”
Flying across Kati Thanda required far more than an ordinary ballooning forecast. For almost three weeks, the pilots closely monitored changing weather systems, waiting for the rare combination of conditions needed to carry the balloons across the immense lake.
The winds had to be strong enough to cover approximately 180 kilometres while remaining safe for take off, sustained flight and landing. Wind direction was equally critical because the Oodnadatta Track provided the only practical recovery route through the remote landscape.
“It was a very narrow weather window,” Pat Saunders said.
“We needed enough wind to cross the lake, but conditions also had to remain manageable for nearly four hours. Just as importantly, the wind had to place us within reach of the Oodnadatta Track so our ground crews could recover both balloons.”
The crossing took place during an exceptional natural event at Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre. Floodwaters moving through the enormous Lake Eyre Basin have transformed large areas of the normally dry salt lake into an inland sea, creating some of the highest water levels observed in decades.
The expedition’s timing proved remarkably fortunate. Soon after the flight, heavy desert rain flooded surrounding roads and temporarily stranded the team at Leigh Creek while they waited for southern routes to reopen.
Despite the delay, the balloonists said being stranded was a small price to pay for completing the crossing safely and witnessing one of Australia’s great landscapes at such a remarkable point in its natural cycle.
“This expedition was about teamwork, patience and respect for the environment we were flying through,” Pat Saunders said.
“Everyone, from the pilots in the air to the crews navigating remote roads below, played an essential role. We are incredibly grateful that the weather window opened when it did and that everyone returned safely.”
Flight statistics
• Distance: approximately 175 kilometres
• Flight time: three hours and 40 minutes
• Maximum altitude: 9,501 feet, or approximately 2,900 metres
• Maximum speed: more than 70 kilometres per hour
• Balloons: two
• Expedition team: 12-person crew, including three Victorian pilots
• Route: Lake Eyre North, Lake Eyre South and the Marree Man
• Landing: beside the Oodnadatta Track