Georgia Croft, female Commercial Hot Air Balloon Pilot, starts up new operations location for Global Ballooning Australia based in Mansfield, VIC, in Winter 2021, during the height of a global pandemic
When Georgia Croft first offered to be ground crew for her school friend at a national hot air ballooning competition in 2017, it never occurred to her that this would be the move that would kick start her career as a pilot. A subsequent road trip across the Nullarbor Plain with the hot air balloon in tow certainly provided a different backdrop to the inner city suburbs of Melbourne that she was familiar with. While undertaking her studies in Anthropology at Melbourne’s Monash University, Australia’s hot air ballooning community offered a microcosm of its own sorts, and Georgia’s deep desire to learn manifested itself in new areas; the study of meteorology and microclimates, the art of navigation and, inevitably, learning to fly.
Not long after, Georgia threw her heart and soul into the industry, joining the team at Global Ballooning Australia in Operations in 2018, at the same time steadily building flying hours and experience in destinations all over Australia. She made her debut into the competition circuit in 2019 and was invited to compete in the 4th Women’s World Hot Air Balloon Championships 2020 in August – though, as with many modern-day stories, the pandemic put a temporary halt on those plans.
Fast forward, and instead, we find her establishing herself in the small, bustling town of Mansfield, proudly heading Global Ballooning’s newest location. Not only is Georgia one of the very few female commercial hot air balloon pilots in Australia; she is now responsible for all Upper Goulburn operations and is the resident pilot in command.
Though reasonable scepticism around starting a new tourism venture in a COVID-19 world exists, with Australia’s domestic sector flourishing in the wake of the pandemic, starting a satellite commercial hot air ballooning operation based in regional Mansfield was a business opportunity that made sense to Kiff Saunders, CEO of Global Ballooning Australia. With her youthful enthusiasm, strong operations background, work ethic and commercial flight experience, Georgia Croft was Global’s top candidate. In addition to this, the chance to actively participate in every area of the small business – from networking and local tourism to land-owner relations – means invaluable, real-life experience that will empower and equip her for just about anything she might choose to do next. As far as Georgia was concerned, it was an opportunity too good to pass up.
A still sleeping Mansfield settled in a natural pastoral basin skirted by the foothills of Victoria’s high country, features ideal, ambient flying conditions. With its open, lush green paddocks, rolling hills, and ski fields in the distance for a backdrop, it is understandably Georgia’s favourite Australian hot air ballooning setting.
“After doing a lot of my flying training in the Mansfield region, I quickly came to love the beautiful simplicity of the surroundings… there is no doubt it is a quintessential ballooning region.”
It wasn’t just the ballooning Georgia had relished during previous expeditions; it was the Melbourne-grade coffee and local produce after a sunrise jolly, as well as the tight-knit community feel.
“Flying in Mansfield feels like turning back the clock to old-school ballooning. It’s just me, my balloon– and now the chance to share that with others. This is how it all started for Kiff and Global Ballooning over 25 years ago, and it is such a privilege to have this as my office.”
Stay tuned to see the latest projects on Georgia’s agenda: tethering her hot air balloon at local schools in Mansfield as a way to share her love of this ancient form of aviation with the younger generations. Perhaps bringing back the Mansfield Balloon Festival, which has laid dormant for 20 years, or – even more exciting – the town’s very own Australian National Balloon Championship. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility. But, in the meantime, you can catch Georgia flying into the sunrise as it creeps over the mountains and spills into the country Mansfield locals call home.
Bronni Bowen 