Stephen Tompkinson's Australian Balloon Adventure

After 2009's African Balloon Adventure, Stephen Tompkinson takes to the skies in Australia in 2010 in this new three part documentary series.

Having previously journeyed across the African continent in a hot air balloon, in this new epic challenge he travels to Australia with experienced balloon pilot Robin Bachelor to explore its rich and diverse landscape and wildlife.

And they take part in the country’s largest balloon competition, the Canowindra Balloon Challenge.

While Stephen has caught the ballooning bug, not everything goes according to plan and a dramatic first Australian flight leaves Robin, one of the UK’s leading balloon pilots, unsure whether he wants to fly again. 

For a month Stephen and Robin travel through Australia’s South East corner taking in South Australia, Victoria and finally New South Wales. Along the way they complete some unforgettable training flights including the outback’s Flinders Ranges, the Melbourne cityscape and a record-breaking flight to 10,000ft.

But their journey sees them experiencing Australia from the ground as well as thousands of feet in the air.

They sample some of the country’s finest wines in the Barossa Valley and take on the local winemakers and vintners in a game of cricket. They visit the town of Parachilna which has an official population count of just seven people and rough it on a remote cattle station.

Stephen finds himself at Melbourne’s Greek festival, stepping onto the pitch at an Aussie Rules football match and at the centre of a shark attack on a Sydney beach.

When they finally arrive in Canowindra for the climax of their trip, the weather seems to be conspiring against Stephen and Robin’s bid for success in the competition. Will they manage to win the challenge?

• Stephen Tompkinson's Australian Balloon Adventure has now finished