Gliding

If you’ve ever wanted to fly but thought it was too hard, too expensive or too time consuming, think again! Gliding is one of the most rewarding aerial pastimes you’re likely to find, and in Australia you’ll find heaps of clubs that are willing to teach you at a very affordable price.

You’ll be hoisted into the air by a specially built winch, and when you reach your chosen height, the cable unhooks leaving you free to soar around the skies on your own. With no engine, the only sound is the wind rushing over your wings and the voice of your instructor. If you want, you can take over the controls and learn to find the bubbles of warm air that will lift your aircraft high above the clouds.

Australia has some of the best gliding conditions in the world, with large areas of flat ground and high temperatures for most of the year. This creates thermal updrafts that push air thousands of metres into the atmosphere, and incidentally are the very thing that will keep you and your glider in the air for hours.

Soar over the vast plains of the outback, make a landing at a local farm or ride the dust devils of central Australia. Or for an extreme ride, head to the north coast for a ride on the Morning Glory. How far you want to go is up to you, but like so many others, you might find that one try just isn’t enough!