Air Sports and Adventure

Experience the breathtaking beauty of NSW from above with an exhilarating aerial adventure. Whether you’re seeking a glorious sunrise in a gentle balloon ride above rolling vineyards, or an adrenalin rush from skydiving, there is a wide variety of experiences across the State.

Try hang-gliding, paragliding or parasailing over the beautiful coastline, or fly in a vintage biplane, military jet, seaplane, helicopter or microlight. Check out the exciting range of tours, from tandem jumps to scenic joy flights.

Hot Air Ballooning

Canowindra is known as the hot air ballooning capital of Australia and hosts the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge every April. You can also take to the sky over the Hunter Valley; Australia’s oldest wine region, Byron Bay for World Heritage rainforest views and Mudgee for rolling hills. The tranquil experience usually begins before dawn to catch the sunrise.

Hang-gliding & Paragliding

Just south of Sydney is Stanwell Park, an internationally acclaimed hang-gliding and paragliding location. It was here that aeronautical pioneer Lawrence Hargrave first flew in a box kite in 1894, and there are a number of companies offering flight experiences and lessons.

Skydiving

A little farther south, join Skydive Sydney – Wollongong for a jump above the beautiful beaches of Wollongong. You’ll freefall at more than 200 km/h before the parachute opens and then float to the ground. There are other great companies along the coast, such as Skydive Newcastle and Skydive Oz in Moruya.

Aviation Shows

You’ll marvel at incredible aerobatics at Wings Over Illawarra in Albion Park each May. The Temora Aviation Museum in Temora hosts regular vintage warplane events and the Hunter Valley Airshow takes place in April, with solo and formation aerobatic displays.