Live sheep exports and hot-air ballooning
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (363430)
Rockingham, Australia
September 20, 2025 6:35am CST
It’s strange sometimes how one thing impacts on another.
In Northam, a West Australian town 100 kilometres east of Perth, the capital, hot-air ballooning is popular. The region is ideal for ballooning and especially at the weekends, the skies can be filled with colourful balloons. Hot-air balloon companies have been doing well until now.
However, Western Australia is phasing out live sheep exports and farmers are turning from raising sheep to cropping. While it might seem that this has little to do with hot-air ballooning, farmers are not giving permission for balloons to land in their paddocks because of the damage to crops.
So stopping live sheep exports means that the ballooning industry is now in crisis.
12 people like this
12 responses
@wolfgirl569 (122686)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep
One change can affect many other things sadly
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (122686)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep
@JudyEv It makes sense though as the weight of the balloon would smash many crops.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363430)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Sep
@wolfgirl569 When the balloon itself deflates it covers quite some distance so all that crop would be flattened.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (48390)
• India
21 Sep
Why this decision to phase out Live Sheep Exports?
Is it because some Sheep were exported in illegal way or in ways injurious to them?
Not very clear. May be some reason to shift to crops. Was this widely published in the newspapers or news media in Australia?
May be the Hot Air Balloon operators need to talk to Government of Australia for alternate sites.
Or they can talk to the Indian Government, find some places for a few months in India and earn a lot of money !!
Just an idea
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363430)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Sep
The sheep were once shipped in less-than-ideal conditions and the animal liberationists became very vocal. Although the farmers and exporters have now met all the guidelines required of them, the government has decided stop the export. With the live export trade now stopped, farmers have been selling off their sheep and are now concentrating on growing crops.
@luisadannointed (9019)
• Philippines
16h
I cannot follow, but whatever it is, I hope they will end up in a much better plan.
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (9019)
• Philippines
8h
@JudyEv oh! that's bad. thank you for explaining. I hope they do something about it.
@Juliaacv (55088)
• Canada
20 Sep
I have researched the successes and fatal failures of hot air ballooning.
When done in an open area, such as you describe, it can be successful.
It has to lead one to wonder if there could be an agreement whereas when the crop has been harvested, the farmer may want to 'supplement' his acreage's potential by allowing the landing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363430)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep
I guess the weather plays a big part too. I know the balloon leave very early in the morning. Crops are harvested around Christmas time so the days would be hot but maybe the winds aren't so good. Maybe, to be viable, operators need to put their balloons up most of the year.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153928)
• India
20 Sep
Until you explained I wondering what the connection was.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363430)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep
Our Animal Rights activists have succeeded in banning the live sheep exports. I don't know what will happen now.
@FourWalls (78875)
• United States
20 Sep
Oh, wow, and you can’t really decide where the wind is going to take one of those balloons. We have balloon races here every year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, and I’ve never heard a complaint about the balloons attracting attention to a company. But I do understand. I suppose it’s very farm-rich and short on parking lots and “business” places to land. 
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (89114)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Sep
Too bad that it had to be one or the other, I am afraid of heights so have nver been up in a balloon,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363430)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep
It does, doesn't it? So many consequences that we don't think of.
