Why Choose Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights

Why fly with Floating Images?

Closest hot air balloon company to Brisbane

Floating Images is the closest hot air balloon company to Brisbane, and has been operating in the South-East Queensland region for more than 17 years. Our meeting point is an easy 30-minute drive from Brisbane and you can also reach us by train or bus.

Every flight is with the owner and pilot

Owner and Chief Pilot Graeme Day has 27 years’ experience flying balloons on three continents. He first fell in love with ballooning in its birthplace, France, and now finds joy sharing his cheeky wit, intimate knowledge of the local region and passion for ballooning with passengers. You can be confident booking with Floating Images as Graeme flies every balloon and has been running this business in the Greater Brisbane region since 2001.

One flight a day, only 4-10 passengers

We are a boutique balloon business and only operate one flight per day with no more than 10 passengers. Keeping things small means every person gets five-star treatment on a Floating Images flight.

Experience the city and the country

Our hot air balloon flights offer a unique opportunity to fly over city and country sights. Floating Images is the first and only balloon company that flies over the heritage city of Ipswich and western regions of the Scenic Rim and Somerset.

From the air you can see incredible bird’s-eye views of Queensland’s oldest provincial city of Ipswich, the Great Dividing Range mountains, Brisbane’s skyline, the countryside of the Scenic Rim and Somerset and plenty more. Find out more about where we fly and what you can see here.

It’s a personal, hands-on experience

From booking through to flying, Graeme and his wife Ruth handle every detail of the Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights experience. If you have any questions, expect personal service because putting smiles on passengers’ faces is our priority – it’s part of the reason why we have a five-star TripAdvisor rating and have won numerous awards.

All passengers are invited to join in the fun of inflating and deflating the giant balloon. Graeme stays with guests from start to finish and is happy to explain any aspect of how a hot air balloon flies and operates. Share the thrill of this morning adventure with your family, friends, overseas visitors, corporate guests and staff.

All inclusive

The only surprise should be that of your loved one when you give them the gift of a hot air balloon ride. We are small Australian family business and want you to have an unforgettable and joyous flying experience. The 1-hour flight, full insurance coverage, launchpad transfers, a restaurant breakfast and flight certificate are all included in the price.

BOOK NOW GIFT VOUCHER

Our most popular hot air balloon flight is the all-inclusive 1-hour flight package. We also have packages for groups, corporate events, proposals and you can even get married in a balloon (yes, really!). Check out our other packages.

Once up in the air you’ll see hot air ballooning is all about the views. With Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights you’ll have the opportunity to soak in where city life and country charm collide just a 30-minute drive west of Brisbane.

The geography and climate make this area ideal for hot air balloon flights. Ballooning is the best way to view South-East Queensland’s diverse natural landscape as you float over the rich agricultural land, valleys and mountain ranges of the Ipswich, Scenic Rim and Somerset regions. While in the air there is no doubt our Chief Pilot Graeme will point out a few gems to explore once back on land.

From the balloon it is possible to see almost all of the Greater Brisbane area including:

• The heritage city of Ipswich, Queensland’s oldest provincial city, with its beautiful old heritage buildings, churches, homes, classic Queenslander-style houses, parks and gardens
• The skyline of Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay
• Flinders Peak, Mount Walker, Cunningham’s Gap and Mount Tamborine
• The Bremer and Brisbane Rivers and Wivenhoe DamThe stunning peaks of the Great Dividing Range, McPherson and D’Aguilar ranges
• The agricultural Brisbane, Fassifern and Lockyer valleys and their quaint country towns

Where to meet us

The Floating Images meeting point is at the Metro Hotel Ipswich International. The Hotel is located at 43 South Street, Ipswich, Queensland. If you spot the big wicker basket in the driveway, you’ve found the right place! There is free car parking at the hotel’s car park.

After the flight we will head back here for our breakfast and post-flight catch-up, where we present commemorative flight certificates.

How to get to Ipswich

The early bird gets to fly high in a hot air balloon, so if you’re precious about sleep you may wish to travel to Ipswich the night before the flight. We provide a list of local accommodation, including trusted providers who can offer discounts and other benefits.

Floating Images Brisbane Transfer Service

That’s right – we can pick you up from Brisbane. Personal transfers to and from Brisbane CBD accommodation can be booked at an extra cost. Transfers must be booked at least 24 hours in advance and cost $50pp, with a minimum two passengers per pick-up. You can book this service when purchasing your flight via our website, or get in touch via email, phone or live chat to add it to an existing booking.

Driving to Ipswich

The easiest way to reach us on the day is by car. If you are driving, please take note of roughly how long the trip takes from these major centres.

Brisbane CBD – 30-minute drive
Brisbane Airport – 60-minute drive
Gold Coast – 60-minute drive
Sunshine Coast – 120-minute drive
Toowoomba – 60-minute drive
Warwick – 90-minute drive

Catch the train to Ipswich

There is a major train line connecting Ipswich and Brisbane with regular services. In summer months our balloon program kicks off before the trains start running, so if you are reliant on public transport please arrive the day before.

If you are travelling from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast or Brisbane Airport you will need to switch train lines in Brisbane City. The train timetables are syncronised with Google Maps but you can also use the official Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30 for more information.

Take a coach or shuttle bus to Ipswich

Daily coach or shuttle bus connections are available to Ipswich from Brisbane and Toowoomba.

Brisbane Airports to Ipswich:

There are a few services that offer door-to-door transfers from either the Brisbane International or Brisbane Domestic airports including Con-x-ion and Airport Transfer Solutions.

Toowoomba to Ipswich:

Bus Queensland runs regular buses. For customers travelling without a car from Toowoomba, this is the best way to reach Floating Images.

Our office location

The Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights office is in Karalee, Ipswich. If you would like to pick up a gift voucher or pay in person, please call (+61) 07 3294 8770 or send us an email.