Each year in April one of the most spectacular events in Australia takes place at Canowindra in the NSW Central West. Marti's Balloon Fiesta hosts over 40 balloons including several special shapes (most notably the Canowindra Kookaburra and the Freddo Frog). Beginning on Friday morning, it's a very, very long weekend because ballooning starts pre-dawn when the air is calm and the festivities continue well into the night. At the past two events the star performers for the Saturday night concert have been John Williamson and Lee Kernaghan.
Besides the action on stage, there are wine tastings, barbecues and other events around the grounds, too. Apart from the music, the most spectacular part of Saturday night takes place in the late afternoon and into the evening when there's a 'sunset glow' where tethered balloons fire their burners in unison to music and take on the appearance of giant Chinese lanterns.
The fiesta has been an annual Canowindra event since 1995 and it is attracting more balloons and spectators every year, 20,000 at last count. It's unusual name of Marti's Balloon Fiesta comes about because a local lad by the name of Frank Hackett-Jones made millions overseas. His mother, Marti, was a nurse at the local hospital and when she died he decided to start the fiesta in her honour and with her name. Frank Hackett-Jones himself died a couple of years ago.
It is possible to go up in a balloon at one of the mass launches at dawn but pre-book the flight as demand is high. For keen photographers (and adventurous spirits), a flight is a must and gives a great view over the activity on the launch field and across the town. Bring lots of film - Marti's big cousin, the Alberquerque Balloon Fiesta is the most photographed event in the world and the Australian event is very photogenic, too.
Even if you don't have any intention of clambering into a wicker basket and relying on an envelope of hot air to keep you in the air the sheer spectacle of balloons en masse is well worth seeing. While balloonists find the conditions at Canowindra perfect for their sport it's a great venue for spectators, too. Unlike just about every other sport, even competition balloonists are very friendly and hospitable before an event so spectators can wander freely amongst the balloons as they prepare to launch. It's even possible you'll be asked to lend a hand to roll out the balloon, or to hold it open as it is filled with air, or perhaps to be ballast to hold the basket down just before the launch.
One good motoring tip is to make sure you fill your car with petrol when you arrive in Canowindra. When the balloons launch it's fun to follow them as they often stay just above the tree tops - you can sometimes even talk to them as they float across the road. But you may be following them for a few hours down roads with no facilities - and it'd be nice to have enough fuel to get back to Canowindra for breakfast, or just to get back at all.
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If you want to spot the Balloons airborne then you need to be an early riser! It's a spectacular sight though, a colour filled sky, well worth losing a sleep-in for!
Peter, Sutherland.
4WD
