Amazing Sights to Fill Mildura's Skyline as 'Balloons Over Mildura' Returns for 2026

An array of hot air balloons are set to fill the sky over Mildura across the next week, as the nine-day 'Balloons Over Mildura' event returns for 2026. IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders

The remarkable sight of dozens of hot air balloons will once again fill the skies of Mildura this week, as pilots and thrill-seekers alike take to the clouds with the 2026 return of Balloons Over Mildura.

The nine-day festival will see more than 30 balloons take flight across the region, kicking off in style Saturday evening (July 4) with its Night Glow event at Mildura Recreation Reserve from 5pm to 8pm.

Other features of the program include Round Two of the Australian Balloon Federation Hot Air Balloon Grand Prix, elite pilot training ahead of the 2026 World Hot Air Balloon Championships in Poland, and the signature Key Grab Competition.

Fourth-generation aviation family business Global Ballooning Australia are the exclusive passenger provider for the festival, offering sunrise and afternoon flights throughout the event and in the week prior.

Speaking with FlowFM's Jessica Dempster on the Country Viewpoint, Global Ballooning's Edward (Eddie) Saunders said he and his family were beyond excited to return to Mildura for what has become one of the standout ballooning events on the Australian calendar.

Eddie Saunders, alongside his brother Paterson, are leading the flying operations this year for their family's business Global Ballooning at Balloons Over Mildura. IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders

"It's a really unique activity, a really unique event to Mildura,” he said.

“There’s not many of them around Australia, but I think this one will be really, really special.”

“The Balloons Over Mildura team - Kerry, Robin, Claire, Lauren, Barb and Suze - have done an incredible job putting this together, they've really built something special” he said.

Eddie said despite a few days of dreary weather, Mildura looks set to deliver ideal conditions for the festival in the days ahead.

“The sun’s come out today, it’s a beautiful day up on the Murray and I just can’t tell you how excited I am to be here, ready for the event next week,” he said.

“The forecast as of Saturday onwards for next week looks absolutely incredible ... we’ll be flying pretty much every slot, I would say.”

A hot air balloon skimming the water of the Murray River. IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders

For Eddie and his family at Global Ballooning, the return to Mildura serves as more than just a fun event - with Eddie's Dad and business founder Kiff Saunders part of the very first Mildura ballooning event, in 1990, where he competed and took home the prestigious Mallee Root Trophy.

"(My dad Kiff) was up here for the first ever Mildura Ballooning event and he actually won it in his cloud hopper, which was very cool," Eddie said.

"Since then we've been flying up here on and off for the last 30 years, so as I said, my father has got a really strong connection to this place."

Eddie said his father Kiff Saunders has a really strong connection with Mildura, due to his history ballooning over the region back in the 1990 - right before he launched Global Ballooning. IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders.

Two years on from that event, Kiff went on to establish Global Ballooning Australia, but Eddie said the Saunders connection with aviation goes back one generation further.

"(In regards) to aviation in general, we're a fourth generation aviation family, with my great-grandfather starting the first ever private flying school (fixed-wing flying school) in Australia," he said.

"The ballooning side of it of course came around through my father a bit later as I said which is very cool too, so yeah, 30 years later, here we are."

While Kiff remains - in Eddie's words - "very much at the reins" of Global Ballooning, it’s Eddie and his brother Paterson carrying on the legacy at Mildura this year and leading the flying operations.

“My brother and I have been flying for about 13 years now,” Eddie said. “We both started when we were around 15.”

“We were fortunate, obviously, to be born into hot air ballooning, so it’s sort of ingrained in our DNA.”

“We may look young in the face, but we’ve certainly been around ballooning and flying commercially for a long time now.”

IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders

For Eddie, he says one of the most rewarding parts of his job is getting to take passengers up in the air and share the remarkable sights.

“It’s a really special thing to be able to take people up and show them what we get to see every day,” he said.

“I love what I do. I love being in the sky. I love seeing the smiles on people’s faces when we take them for a flight.”

He also said that in particular, Mildura is typically a great place to fly.

“It’s big and open and safe to fly,” he said.

“Flying over the Murray - seeing the crops, the wildlife - it’s really special.”

Balloons over the Murray - just one of the sights from the sky Eddie descibes as "really special". IMAGE: Supplied Eddie Saunders.

Looking ahead to the festival kicking off this weekend, Eddie said he was looking forward to being on the ground and in the air with visitors throughout the event, and is more than happy to answer any questions about the world of hot air ballooning.

He said Saturday's Night Glow would again be one of the standout moments of the program.

“When we turn the flame on, the balloons absolutely glow,” he said.

“It really lights up the sky, like a ballet floating in the air.”

Spectactular scenes are to be expected in Mildura Saturday night, as the Balloons Over Mildura Festival kicks off with it's famous "Night Glow" event. IMAGE: SUPPLIED Eddie Saunders.

Anyone interested in booking a flight prior to, or throughout the duration of the festival can do so at globalballooning.com.au.

More information on Balloons Over Mildura can be found at eventsmildura.com.au.