Canberra Hot Air Balloon Festival

Decided to tick off another item on the Bucket List - the hot air balloon festival in Canberra, the political capital of Australia. 

I was able to stop off on the way in Goulburn and Collector, two other historical towns so it was a packed 2 days. 

 Most of the large balloons ignited but didn't launch due to poor wind conditions and most of the decent shots were taken on the ground. I spent some considerable time balloon chasing when it was decided to launch the balloons from a location other than the one I was at :-) Thank goodness I had my Navman as I ended up on the top of a large hill on a dirt road only to glimpse the balloons as they landed. I guess it was better than nothing :-)


View Balloon Landing Places in a larger map

The light was fairly lacklustre so I decided to try out Nik Software HDR Efex Pro. This one was very grainy and I can hear all the purists moaning, but I like it.

The Balloons That Never Launched

Decided to head to Canberra to see the balloons take off over Lake Burley Griffin and discovered the historic town of Collector along the way. 

When horse and bullock were the main means of transportation the town prospered as it was a day's journey from Goulburn. When Canberra was chosen as the national capital the town benefited as the Barton Highway passed through the town . Today the Federal Highway by-passes the town but it is still worth visiting for the historic Bushranger Hotel and the memorabilia associated with Ben Hall's bushranger gang.

On 26 January 1865 the bushranger Ben Hall and his gang held up the publican and made so much noise  that they attracted the attention of the town's constable,  38-year-old Samuel Nelson. One of the gang, when confronted by the constable shot him dead . 

The grave of Constable Samuel Nelson is located in the Church of England cemetery at the back.

Collector is also famous for the controversial sculpture Dreamers Gate by Tony Phantastes, built between 1993 and 1997 to commemorate his father's life. A Gothic structure of cement and chicken wire, the artist and the Gunning Shire Council have been in constant battle regarding the structure since 1999.

Information supplied by the SMH

Collector still attracts its fair share of visitors each year in May for their Pumpkin Festival.

The annual Pumpkin Festival celebrates the arrival of another harvest season. Funds raised go towards improving local facilities. There was still much evidence of the festival with the schoolyard littered with pumpkin people and large pumpkins placed strategically throughout the village.