00:01For nine days every autumn, this small patch of grass in Canberra grows something pretty extraordinary.
00:11This is one of the best events in the world. It's right over the centre of a capital city.
00:15There are very few cities in the world that would allow a balloon event like this to occur.
00:19The pilots love it because they get to fly in the city.
00:21A bit of noise in the background, balloons are starting to get inflated,
00:24you can hear the fans, the excitement is starting to build. It's good fun.
00:27Crowds get in really close to watch it unfold and hopefully float away.
00:33High, low or wherever the wind blows.
00:36I think everybody's so excited and maybe a little bit sad that it's the last day.
00:40For this event to get off the ground each morning,
00:43a team of experienced pilots and forecasters assess the weather conditions to make a decision.
00:49We also put up our own small pie ball, a little toy balloon with a light underneath it.
00:53We watch where that goes.
00:54This year the festival balloons flew six out of nine days.
00:59Commercial balloons only missed one day because while they fly under the same sky,
01:05it's not exactly the same rules.
01:07They have a commercial pilot's licence as opposed to a private pilot's licence.
01:11A bit like somebody flying a Cessna compared with flying a 737.
01:15They also carry transponders so air traffic control can see where each individual balloon is.
01:21And from first light to lift off, it's a 100% joy.
01:27All the balloons.
01:28All the balloons and I especially love the turtle balloon.
01:31The turtle balloon's our favourite one.
01:33Mine's gone away.
01:36Even with sky high gas prices, it's an event that always lifts spirits.
01:41It's an event that it's a mystery.
01:44It's an event that always lifts the sun's boots and then lifts the water.
01:45It's an event that there's no heating and a hot tightness.
01:45It's an event that it's for the next time that they're there at the hotel.
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