First accessible hot air balloon experience takes off
The first fully accessible hot air balloon experience in New South Wales has taken to the skies above the Hunter Valley. Ballooning is a popular tourist attraction in the region now the amazing views can be taken in by those with diverse mobility needs.
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00:00 A very foggy morning didn't delay the launch of NSW's first fully accessible hot air ballooning
00:07 experience here in the Hunter Valley.
00:10 Now hot air ballooning is huge in this region, particularly in the wine growing areas where
00:14 you can see vineyards like this one behind me from the skies and it's an absolutely incredible
00:19 view up there.
00:21 So the local council here, Cessnock City Council and the State Government partnered with a
00:26 local tourism provider to basically kit out a hot air ballooning basket with accessibility
00:32 features so ease of access into the basket, particular types of seats, harnesses as well
00:38 that are a particular type to allow people with disabilities to modify them to what they
00:43 need to be able to enjoy this incredible experience that is offered here in the Hunter to anyone
00:50 that wants to be a part of it.
00:52 One gentleman that was on board was Vietnam veteran David Lebrock, he has a spinal injury
00:57 and he said it was incredible to see his home region from a whole new view.
01:03 I think it's great that Blue Naloft and Evictus and the NSW Government allowed this to happen
01:10 because there's a lot of people in my situation that would dearly like to do this sort of
01:20 thing and now if I can do it, anybody can do it.
01:27 Also on board was the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion, Liesl Tesch.
01:33 She said that it's really important for these experiences to be offered to anyone that wants
01:38 to take part but also that they're not so obviously for people with a disability.
01:43 She said there's nothing like the feeling where you just feel like you're sticking out
01:47 like a sore thumb.
01:48 So she said she was really appreciative when she arrived this morning that it looked like
01:52 any other hot air ballooning basket and that she was able to experience it alongside other
01:56 tourists and friends of hers that were on board for the ride.
02:01 For Mr Lebrock and his caring staff who you also saw before, he said that this is one
02:05 of those life changing moments for him to be able to experience something completely
02:10 new and completely incredible in his home region was something that he will remember
02:15 forever.
02:16 [BLANK_AUDIO]