Things To Do
There is plenty to see and do in the area when you stay with us!
Click on the many nearby locations below to find and discover what our great city has to offer.
Global Ballooning
A little bit about Global Ballooning
• Operating since 1992, proudly due to celebrate 30 years in 2022 with the same owner (Kiff Saunders).
• The largest balloon operation in Victoria - having flown over 100k passengers safety, with a fleet of over 35 balloons.
• Operating flights over Melbourne city & Yarra Valley, including breakfast & city transfers. Mansfield flights were re-introduced during the pandemic in mid-2021. GBA began operations in Mansfield in 1992 so it is great to be back in the area.
• Kiff (owner) is one of only a handful of Australia’s top commercial instructors to be made a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. He is responsible for auditing & training commercial balloon pilots. He has trained many pilots who fly here in Australia.
• Melbourne is the ONLY major city in the world where you can fly hot air balloons over!! We can actually fly directly over the city but it depends on wind therefore sometimes we only fly around the city, but you always have a view of it.
• Yarra Valley (1hr drive from the city) & Mansfield (2.5hrs drive from the city) are some of the most picturesque regions in Australia
• Quarterly safety seminars are held to discuss current topics based on the time of year, emergency procedures etc. – GBA is the only ballooning operator to run these sorts of seminars, and this is tracked through CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority)
• We’ve proudly never claimed on our insurance, so rest assured that passengers are in very safe hands! • Award winning – having won the Hall of Fame for the Victorian Tourism Awards in the Tour Operator category • The only company in Australia to have an Easy Access Basket for people with a disability – has a door and a seat inside.
• Flights are scheduled 364 days of the year (not operating on Christmas Day) • Flights commence approximately 1.5hrs prior to sunrise & the experience lasts 3.5hrs for the flight only OR 4.5hrs including the breakfast back at the meeting location. The flight itself is approx. 1hr.
- Catch the 48 or the 75 tram down to Gleadell Street on a Saturday morning & walk through the Gleadell Street Market. Then continue walking down Bridge Road for some more shopping and fantastic coffee.
- Take a short stroll to 61 North Street, Richmond and visit Richmond's newest distillery and bar, Brogan's Way. Have a drink at the bar or if you around on a Sunday afternoon, take a tour of the Gin distillery.
- Follow the Yarra Beer Mile. It is a great way to experience five of Melbourne's finest craft beer destinations. Ask our friendly reception staff for a postcard map.
- Walk down to Bouzy Rouge (470 Bridge Road) & enjoy one of Melbourne's best Spanish restaurants. They offer great wines by the glass & tapas or a enjoy a full meal.
- Walk to Burnley Brewing (648 Bridge Road) & sample their beers & some tasty tapas
- Walk to the Mountain Goat Brewery (80 North Street). They are open Wednesdays 5.00pm – 10.00pm or Friday 5.00pm - 11.00pm or Sunday 12.00pm - 6.00pm. Brewery Tours are also available Wednesday evenings and Sundays
- Listen to some live music at the Corner Hotel (57 Swan Street) while enjoying a good home-cooked pub meal. Or just enjoy a drink in the relaxing front bar or on the pub’s rooftop beer garden, where you can marvel at the city’s skyline.
- Walk to Swan Street and catch the 72 tram down Swan Street (Between Church Street & Punt Road). You will find an array of great restaurants, cafes and pubs including Mrs Kim’s Grill (258 Swan Street), Richmond Social (157 Swan Street), The Precinct Hotel (60 Swan Street), Richmond Club Hotel (100 Swan Street), Richmond Oysters (437 Church Street), Union House (270 Swan Street) and Agapi Greek Restaurant (262 Swan Street).
- Catch a performance at the Owl and the Cat (34 Swan Street). First opened as an Art Gallery but now they have added music and theater to the repertoire. Evening performances rotate regularly and visitors can head for a drink at the bar before and after the shows.
- Walk to Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre on Victoria and Burnley Streets, for some specialty shopping including Ikea, Kmart, Coles Supermarket, Freedom Furniture. See what's showing at the movies at the Hoyts complex.
- Walk to Victoria Street known as Melbourne's Little Saigon and Pho Capital, here you will some of Melbourne best Vietnamese Restaurants.
- Take a cooking class at Atao Kitchen (360 Victoria Street) using the vibrant and aromatic ingredients that make up Asian cuisine.
FEELING ENERGETIC
- Ride up to The Collingwood Children’s Farm & have coffee and\or lunch at the Abbotsford Convent, Australia's largest multi-arts precinct.
- Ride to the Studley Park Boathouse and enjoy lunch at one of Melbourne's best riverside restaurant and cafe. Then hire a rowboat & take a leisurely row along the Yarra River. If you’re after a little more exercise, hire a canoe or kayak & put those muscles to the test.
- Travel towards the city and have a coffee at Kanteen (150 Alexander Ave, South Yarra). Continue on the path to Southbank.
- Lock up your bike & enjoy some of the following city attractions.
- Any Thursday or Saturday, ride to the Burnley Golf Club (102 Madden Grove, Burnley) for a round of golf or a golf lesson.
HAWTHORN
- Catch the 75 tram towards Hawthorn and get off at Stop 29 at the junction of Riversdale and Wallen Roads. Take a short walk down Wallen Road and you will find the Melbourne Tram Museum (8 Wallen Road). Explore the history of trams and the contribution they have made to the place where we live.
- Take a bike to Fairview Park (4c Fairview Street), which adjoins Wallen Road Reserve and covers 5.6ha with extensive open space for walking, ball games and picnics.
CAMBERWELL
- Catch the 75 tram to Camberwell. Stop and see a movie at the cultural and historical, Rivoli Cinema
- Browse the shops along Burke Road & The Well Shopping Complex.
- Every Sunday from 6.30am - 12.30pm they host the Camberwell Sunday Markets featuring stalls of all kinds. Feeling hungry?
- Enjoy some dumplings from Tao Dumplings (3 Evans Place) or Bangkok Terrace (415 Riversdale Road)
SOUTH YARRA
- Catch the 75 or 48 tram or walk to the corner of Church and Chapel Street. Then catch another tram along Chapel Street and get off in South Yarra.
- Enjoy shopping, a cinemas experience at the Village Cinemas, Jam factory or lunch at many of the great cafes & restaurants.
- Do not go past Caffé e Cucina (581 Chapel Street).
Catch the 75 or 48 Tram and head towards the city;
- Stop at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to see an AFL game or Cricket match or take a tour of the MCG or MCC Museum.
- For any other events, sporting or musical catch the 75 or the 48 tram to Marvel Stadium.
- Stop at the iconic Flinders Street Station then wander up a little and enjoy some tapas and great wine at Movida (164 Flinders Street)
- Explore Federation Square on the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets. Home to major cultural attractions, world-class events, tourism experiences and an exceptional array of restaurants, bars and specialty stores.
- From Flinders Street, walk some of Melbourne's famous laneways. Start at Degraves Street, then pop into the Garden State Hotel (101 Flinders Lane) or Chin Chin Restaurant (125 Flinders Lane)
- Walk across to Southbank for some shopping and lunch or dinner at the Arbory Bar & Eatery (1 Flinders Walk), Melbourne’s longest bar and\or Pony Fish Island. Stroll along further until you find the Crown Entertainment Complex where you can enjoy one of Melbourne's greatest integrated resorts.
- On the doorstep of Flinders Street Station you will discover the Melbourne Arts Centre, National Gallery of Victoria, Eureka Sky Deck and Polly Woodside
- Wander up Flinders Street to Little Bourke Street where you will find Melbourne's Chinatown. Be sure to check out the historic Chinese streetscape and the Chinese Museum has five levels of history and artifacts, including the Dragon Gallery and the Finding Gold experience.
- Get off the tram at Spring Street and pick up a free Walking Tour from Walks101 (74 Spring Street). Rain, hail or shine they operate 365 days a year.
- Walk or catch a tram along Swanston Street to the State Library Victoria (328 Swanston Street). Explore a world of information and stories, and enjoy free tours, exhibitions, events and family fun.