Through a successful grant application and collaboration between Balloon Aloft, the Government of NSW and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, NSW’s first accessible hot air balloon is now flying high above the Cessnock LGA.
The historic first flight had Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion Liesl Tesch and Hunter Valley local and Vietnam veteran David Le Brocque onboard.
“Dignified and equitable tourism experiences benefit the individual and also their support networks, who will now be able to share an unforgettable experience together, and that will go a long way in making life more inclusive for people with disability in NSW,” Ms Tesch said.
“Too often, people with disability miss out on the joys of tourism and I am thrilled to see more equitable experiences across our regions.”
The balloon is the first of its kind in NSW and has been supported by the NSW Government and Cessnock City Council, in partnership with operator Balloon Aloft in the Hunter Valley.
The project itself was an amazing feat, and we were thrilled to hear that the balloon had been chosen as a finalist in the category Partnerships and Collaboration - Under 150,000 in the 2024 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.
This project was a first for NSW, a wonderful example of inclusion and accessibility in the Hunter Valley tourism industry and a standout example of public, private partnership, collaboration, and team work.
