Three generations marking 45 years in hot-air balloons
Australia’s leading hot-air balloon company is celebrating 45 years in the sky and its 700,000th passenger, driven by the passion of father-son duo Graeme (78) and Matt Scaife (46) with 12 year old grandson Hugo setting his sights on following in their footsteps.
When Graeme first launched a balloon in the 1980s, he never imagined more than four decades later, Balloon Aloft would be flying passengers over more locations in Australia than any other operator and his son Matt would become a three-time Australian ballooning champion.
“I earned my licence in 1986 when the hot-air ballooning industry was still relatively new in Australia, before founding Hunter Valley Ballooning in 2000, then taking ownership of Balloon Aloft in 2007 and expanding our Hunter Valley operations into Mudgee, Camden Valley, Byron Bay and Burketown,” said Graeme, owner of Balloon Aloft.
“We get to share what is one of the most exciting days of people’s lives with them. Our passengers are often celebrating birthday milestones, engagements, weekends away - some even tying the knot during the flight. Many are ticking off a lifelong dream of a hot air balloon flight experience,” he said.
“We want everyone to be able to experience hot-air ballooning which is why we launched accessible flights for passengers living with a disability, and now we’re the only operator in NSW and only the second in the country to have a purpose-built,accessible basket suitable for wheelchair users.”
“We were also the first ballooning company to partner with an indigenous tourism operator,Yagurli Tours, bringing more visitors to the spectacular salt pans of the Gulf of Carpentaria to fly on board Australia’s first indigenous-owned hot air balloon.”
Matt Scaife, Director of Balloon Aloft and Graeme’s son said, “I was just a child when I watched dad flying balloons and it wasn’t until I was eight when I went on my first flight and the rest is history.”
“I am lucky to travel the world competing in hot-air balloon championships that see pilots complete in a series of precision flying tasks where accuracy, navigation, and wind-reading skills are key and the main objective is to drop a marker, like a small bean bag, as close as possible to a target on the ground.”
“Watching my son Hugo take interest in it now feels like things have come full circle,” said Matt.
Balloon Aloft’s contribution to Australian tourism has been officially recognised with the company named both Adventure and Accessible Tourism Operator of the Year at both the 2024 NSW and Australian Tourism Awards.
About Balloon Aloft
Established in 1980, Balloon Aloft is Australia's most experienced and awarded hot air ballooning company. Family owned and operated, the business offers breathtaking flights over some of Australia’s most spectacular regions. The company is proud to be the only operator in the state offering accessible balloon flights for people with limited mobility including wheelchair users, continuing its mission to make the magic of a balloon flight available to all.
For more information on Balloon Aloft www.balloonaloft.com
