news, latest-news,
Balloon pilots are hoping for beautiful autumn weather this weekend for the launch of the 36th annual Canberra Balloon Spectacular, and the much-anticipated debut of Allycorn – a bright pink unicorn from New York. Balloon Aloft director and chief pilot John Wallington said he was delighted the event was going ahead in 2021. “There [were] always going to be restrictions … but there has been a commitment to put the event on despite those complications,” he said. “Canberrans will be out and about to see something that they love to see – balloons flying over the city in March as usual. “The more people who get out to see balloons the better because it truly is on a world standard.” Apart from Allycorn, which Mr Wallington will fly with co-pilot Craig Farrell, all of the balloons are Australian. In a normal year, between 35 and 40 balloons would take to the skies for the popular event. However, the 2021 numbers were capped at 15. While Mr Wallington enjoys the view from within the basket, he does have a few favourite lookout locations. “If the balloons are flying above the lake out towards the western end, my favourite lookout is at the top of the National Arboretum. It’s just a fantastic location,” he said. “I grew up in Canberra and long before it was an arboretum it was in the pine forest. I used to go up the top of that look out. It was a very under utilised vantage point of Canberra.”
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/99T2dGQqx4Q5Jfn4kE7iKW/b712474d-2531-4783-90ea-9d0f99d90646.jpg/r2_26_898_532_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Balloon pilots are hoping for beautiful autumn weather this weekend for the launch of the 36th annual Canberra Balloon Spectacular, and the much-anticipated debut of Allycorn – a bright pink unicorn from New York.
Balloon Aloft director and chief pilot John Wallington said he was delighted the event was going ahead in 2021.
“There [were] always going to be restrictions … but there has been a commitment to put the event on despite those complications,” he said.
“Canberrans will be out and about to see something that they love to see – balloons flying over the city in March as usual.
“The more people who get out to see balloons the better because it truly is on a world standard.”
Apart from Allycorn, which Mr Wallington will fly with co-pilot Craig Farrell, all of the balloons are Australian.
Allycorn, the pink unicorn hot-air balloon. Picture: Supplied
In a normal year, between 35 and 40 balloons would take to the skies for the popular event. However, the 2021 numbers were capped at 15.
While Mr Wallington enjoys the view from within the basket, he does have a few favourite lookout locations.
“If the balloons are flying above the lake out towards the western end, my favourite lookout is at the top of the National Arboretum. It’s just a fantastic location,” he said.
“I grew up in Canberra and long before it was an arboretum it was in the pine forest. I used to go up the top of that look out. It was a very under utilised vantage point of Canberra.”
