Hot Air Ballooning
Northam is the home of ballooning in Western Australia! Each year from April to November, you can take to the skies on a balloon flight over the picturesque Avon Valley followed by a beautiful Northam breakfast.
Northam has hosted the 2015, 2017 & 2023 National Ballooning Championships, and in 2023 became the first ballooning town in the Southern Hemisphere to host the Women’s World Championships.
Shire of Northam President Cr Chris Antonio said “Northam is Australia’s premier hot air ballooning destination. This exciting and prestigious event added another reason to visit the Avon Valley region and explore beautiful Ballardong country as well as all that the town of Northam has to offer".The Shire of Northam congratulates the organising committee ‘Northam Ballooning Events’ for the outstanding work they have done to secure these events.
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competition flights (tasks) require pilots to exercise skill in maneuvering their balloons over a set course with goals, targets, scoring areas, time and distance limits. Good results in competition tasks are achieved using the variation of winds at different altitudes to fly in the direction of a goal and accurately approach the target. Balloons do not land on the target itself. Crew members aboard the balloons drop markers onto or as close to the target as they can fly. The markers are small sandbags with streamers attached.
5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Ballooning Championship
Thousands of spectators are expected to made the easy journey from Perth to Northam to witness the colourful vista of balloons at dawn and again in the late afternoons from several vantage points as the pilots complete a series of scored tasks.
Competition days showcased the pilots’ precise skill and technique at varying winds and altitudes.
The 5th FIA Women’s World Hot Air Ballooning Championship was organised by Northam Ballooning Events and supported by Tourism WA, Shire of Northam, Bendigo Bank Northam Branch and Windward Balloon Adventures.
