bright
Located at the foot of the Victorian ski fields on the Great Dividing Range, about 3˝ hours drive northeast of Melbourne, the picturesque alpine village of Bright played host to the 1998 Paragliding World Cup. Surrounded by national park and pine forests, Bright is the ideal base for visiting the Victorian Alps.
Accommodation in and around Bright is available to cater for individual needs and budgets, ranging from backpackers to modern hotel accommodation. There is also a hospital in Bright.
mystic
Overlooking wooded valleys and the town of Bright, Mystic (on Eagle Peak) must be one of Australia's most popular inland mountain sites for both local and international pilots. Operating since the mid eighties, Mystic has played host to numerous state, national and international paragliding competitions.
Takeoff is at 460 metres agl and takes a north valley wind. Flyable all year round though best for thermalling in the warmer months (November through March). Better flown morning or late afternoon in summer as the lift can be quite rough during the middle of the day. Mystic is not recommended for novice pilots as the landing zone is not within view of the takeoff, and there are no bombout options immediately below launch. Top-landing options are very restrictive (near tailwind approach) and suitable for advanced pilots only.
In good conditions, it is possible to fly over the back to Harrietville, or across the Tawonga Gap and the Kiewa Valley, or towards the Ovens Valley, Mt. Buffalo and the Hume Highway to the west. An automated weather station on Mystic can be accessed via UHF channel 21.
Note: a Mystic Pass must be purchased before using this site (available from Alpine Paragliding in Bright).
mt buffalo
Mount Buffalo is a large inland mountain suitable ONLY for advanced pilots (though concession is given to intermediate pilots flying under the supervision of a pilot with a higher rating). Disciplinary action will be initiated against pilots launching illegally from this site!
Launch is at 955 metres agl on a sloping rock face ending in a sheer drop (called Reid’s Lookout). Flyable all year round in just about any wind direction, so long as the strength is light. In the warmer months (November through March) the valley wind is generally from the north. Exercise caution in southeast winds though as there can be very rough air in front of launch due to the topography of the mountain.
There are no top-landing options available at Buffalo, but there are plenty of landing options in the valley below directly in front of launch. Be mindful that the wind in the valley can be different to that at launch. In general, watch out for powerlines and keep out of the tobacco fields. In good conditions, there is opportunity to fly from Buffalo up the Kiewa Valley towards Albury, or north to Myrtleford and beyond to the flatlands near Benalla, or perhaps Mt. Beauty via Bright and the Tawonga Gap to the east.
mt emu
Mt Emu is a large inland mountain ridge overlooking Tawonga in the Kiewa Valley. Launch is at 970 metres agl taking southwest winds. Not recommended for novice pilots however as launch has trees to either side and in front. Be mindful as a incident on launch is likely to result in an incident with a tree!
The launch is at the Mt Beauty end of the Kiewa Wall, you can follow the ridge for about 40 kilometres to the northeast. Flying in the other direction is limited as the valley ends at Mt Beauty after about 5 kilometres. Bombouts are plentiful near launch in the Kiewa Valley. Check with the locals as some areas are out of bounds.
the gap
Tawonga Gap is a large inland ridge overlooking Tawonga on the southern side of the Kiewa Valley. Launch is at 850 metres agl taking northeast winds. Not recommended for novice pilots however as launch is restrictive and the bombout is not within view of launch.
Like Mt Emu, the entire Kiewa Valley can be explored from this site. Contact local pilots for directions to launch as it can be difficult to find. In good conditions, crossings to Bright and Mt Buffalo are possible.
Caution: high tension powerlines run along this side of the Kiewa Valley (visible from launch).
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