The sun rises above the horizon, spreading a warm orange glow across the plains.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
Below fields of golden canola are illuminated by the soft early morning light which casts the shadow of a hot air balloon.
All is quiet, bar the rush of hot air from the burners and the exclamations of awe from those in the basket.
It's still early for birds, which will later join the flight, gliding in and out of sight.
The lone balloon drifts over the vast paddocks, swept up in the low valley winds, as the world around wakes.
For the month of September nearly every morning this is what Paul Gibbs, Goldrush Ballooning, experiences.
The company runs flights all year round in Victoria where canola season is also a highlight.
![Paul Gibbs from Goldrush Ballooning said the crop has been phenomenal. Photo by Alexandra Bernard. Paul Gibbs from Goldrush Ballooning said the crop has been phenomenal. Photo by Alexandra Bernard.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/176500960/22a273a8-e555-4d4e-9582-783988009f9f.JPG/r0_0_2048_1333_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After speaking on the radio Mr Gibbs said they were approached by Temora Shire Council about running flights during the canola season there too.
In their second year the flights from Temora have proven extremely popular with tickets sold out for the five to six trips a week, with visitors through from Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, as well as locals.
"We're an early morning activity so people generally need accommodation the night before, so hopefully we're doing our little bit to help the visitor economy," he said.
"The crop is so phenomenal - it offers a lot.
"The colour is so spectacular - it's a really positive thing to do. Ballooning is really fun to do anyway but to do it this time of year when the country looks so good and the crop is so bright and yellow, it's a great morning."
Mr Gibbs said he had been training an agronomist from the Wimmera, Vic, to fly who encouraged him to fly over the canola.
"She was right - it's a very special time of year," he said.
"We tried it in north-east Vic and got a good response which was wonderful."
Mr Gibbs has a long history of ballooning, having been flying for 36 years.
![Balloon flights over the canola fields from Temora have proven popular. Photo by Alexandra Bernard. Balloon flights over the canola fields from Temora have proven popular. Photo by Alexandra Bernard.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/176500960/69f97b9f-e823-4e1a-bb3b-480d9ccfe123.jpg/r0_0_5054_3242_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He grew up in Canberra and had always wanted to learn to fly, so went along to the glider club but had a friend who was learning to balloon so joined him.
"I grew up as a sailor so I love anything that is wind powered," he said.
Having gained his ticket in 1987, Mr Gibbs has had great success in ballooning, competing around the world representing Australia and in 2004 was the world bronze medallist.
"We have a wonderful sport which I was very lucky to enjoy, nowadays I'm delighted to share what I enjoy with other people," he said.
Mr Gibbs had a ballooning business in Melbourne, before the drought broke in 2010 and returned to NSW, but more recently had been running flights in South America over the Atacama Desert in Chile.
When the pandemic struck, tourism died off and he made the decision to return to Australia.
The balloon flights are one of the many agritourism initiatives and events on during canola season to highlight the Temora, Coolamon, Junee Canola Trail and attract visitors to the area.