Rosedale and Sale play host to Gippsland’s first hot air balloon fiesta

Weather permitting, there will be a lot of hot air over Rosedale and Sale next weekend (29-30 March) as up to 12 large air balloons take to the skies for Gippsland’s first hot air balloon fiesta and promise a night show to remember.

The get-together, which takes in both venues, has been organised by Adventure Australia Foundation Inc with support from Wellington Shire Council. There will be plenty to entertain the whole family and admission will be by gold coin, with a share of the proceeds going to the Supporting Relay for Life Cancer Research which takes place over the weekend at Sale Showgrounds.

Providing a taste for the weekend ahead, at 3pm on Friday 28 March a large balloon will be inflated on the Prince Street recreation reserve in Rosedale before taking off for a solo flight. Anyone is welcome to come and view the spectacle, and refreshments will be available.

On Saturday balloons will be taking to the skies from sports grounds round Sale and with favourable wind conditions most should pass over the town, making an impressive sight for onlookers. Then on Sunday Rosedale recreation reserve will be the venue for a mass lift off of balloons over the area. On both days the participants will be aiming to land near Stratford.

Highlight of the weekend will be a ‘Night Glow’ event at Sale Oval on Saturday evening, when the balloons will literally glow in the dark as their burners blast hot air into their massive silk envelopes. Admission will be from 6.30pm, with the ‘Night Glow’ itself starting about one hour later. Geared at the whole family, there will entertainment and food stalls.

Anyone who would like more information on the fiesta should contact the Adventure Australia Foundation on 5143 0200 or 0417 301 585. Alternatively, take a look at their web site at http://www.adventureaustralia.net/

Said Wellington’s Mayor John Jago: "Obviously with an occasion like this much depends on the weather conditions, not least the wind, and that will add to the excitement. The sight of these large hot air balloons in the skies above Rosedale and Sale should make for a truly awesome spectacle. It’s great to see this event come to Gippsland and Wellington in particular, and it would be good to see it become an established annual event in the area’s growing entertainment calendar, attracting crowds from across the region and from farther afield."

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

• Wellington Shire Council backs West Sale Airport for proposed Gippsland Police Academy training campus
  Wellington Shire Council will advocate for a Gippsland Police Academy at West Sale Airport, citing existing infrastructure, the former TAFE campus, expansion capacity and potential regional jobs, investment and training opportunities.
• Sale coffee cup campaign spreads strong community message against domestic and family violence across local businesses
  Sale's Rotary Club has launched a coffee cup awareness campaign against domestic and family violence, with MPs Darren Chester and Danny O'Brien urging businesses and residents to support the initiative.
• Sale residents urged to safely dispose of hazardous household chemicals at free Detox Your Home event on 10 October 2026
  Wellington Shire residents can safely dispose of unwanted hazardous household chemicals at a free Detox Your Home event in Sale, helping protect waterways, people, animals and the environment.
• Melbourne Symphony Orchestra returns to Sale after 17 years, bringing acclaimed performances and Australian premieres to The Wedge on 28 October 2026
  The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will return to Sale on October 28, performing at The Wedge for the first time since 2009, featuring Mozart classics and a world-premiere Australian concerto.
• Flight Test Range Command Centre opens at Latrobe Airport, boosting Gippsland's drone and aerospace industries and economic diversification
  A new Flight Test Range Command Centre at Latrobe Regional Airport will support drone and aerospace innovation, attract investment and create jobs across Gippsland's emerging Advanced Air Mobility sector.
• Moe’s first women’s cricket team makes history as $11M Ted Summerton Reserve upgrade boosts regional sport and accessibility
  Moe’s Ted Summerton Reserve has received an $11 million upgrade, delivering improved sporting facilities, accessibility and female-friendly change rooms ahead of the town’s first women’s cricket match. The project supported 370 jobs.
• New drinking fountains improve free water access across Sale's popular recreation facilities
  Sale's major recreation facilities now offer improved free drinking water access, with new fountains at Aqua Energy, Port of Sale and Gippsland Regional Sports Complex, supporting hydration and reusable bottle use.
• Coalition urges Labor to block foreign-backed Cobungra Station sale and protect productive farmland from carbon projects
  The Coalition has urged Treasurer Jim Chalmers and FIRB to reject the proposed foreign-backed purchase of Cobungra Station, warning productive farmland should remain dedicated to food production, not carbon projects.
• Baw Baw Shire Council seeks community feedback on first draft Events Strategy for future events from 27 August to 16 September 2026
  Baw Baw Shire is inviting residents, event organisers and local businesses to comment on its first draft Events Strategy, open on Baw Baw Connect from August 27 to September 16, helping shape future event planning across the Shire.
• Latrobe City Council will push six reforms addressing regional investment, housing, infrastructure, funding fairness and sustainability at MAV State Council
  Latrobe City Council will take six reform proposals to the MAV State Council, targeting fairer funding, housing, planning, investment, infrastructure and support for regional communities.
• West Gippsland community invited to document local biodiversity during first-ever month-long West Gippy Bio-Blitz citizen science projects
  West Gippsland CMA is inviting residents to join its first Bio-Blitz throughout October, documenting local plants and wildlife through iNaturalist to build a snapshot of the region’s biodiversity.
• Gippsland Landcare champions win Victorian awards for environmental conservation, First Nations collaboration and sustainable agriculture achievements
  Two Gippsland Landcare champions have won 2026 Victorian Landcare Awards, with Moogji Aboriginal Council and Kate Mirams and Peter Neaves recognised for environmental stewardship, collaboration and sustainable agriculture.
• Gippsland Water offers face-to-face bill support through September pop-ups across Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin
  Gippsland Water will host September pop-ups across the region, offering customers face-to-face help with bills, payment plans, concessions and government assistance amid cost-of-living pressures, with events in Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin.
• Darren Chester congratulates Gippsland Agricultural Group on successful Gippsland Red Meat Conference in Sale
  Darren Chester has praised the successful Gippsland Red Meat Conference in Sale, highlighting industry collaboration, innovation, productivity and the need to reduce red tape for farming families.
• Traralgon Netball Association scores $220,000 boost for new court lighting, creating more opportunities for players and night games
  Traralgon’s Agnes Brereton Reserve has received $220,000 for new LED lighting across 10 netball courts, helping more than 60 teams train, compete at night, expand development programs and create greater opportunities for players of all ages.
• Regional hospitals face staffing and funding pressures as new nurse-to-patient ratios take effect across Gippsland health services
  East Gippsland Shire Council is installing two louvered roofs at Bairnsdale Library, improving shade, weather protection and outdoor activities, with works expected to take two weeks.
• Phillip Island prepares for final MotoGP weekend celebrating three decades of racing, community spirit, entertainment and history
  Phillip Island will host its final MotoGP from October 23-25, celebrating three decades of racing while showcasing community festivities, entertainment and the island’s motorsport legacy.