Ballina - Hang Gliders

The combination of steep cliffs and warm weather has meant that the area around Ballina is a popular destination for hang gliders. These daredevils regularly throw themselves off the cliffs at Lennox Head and Byron Bay. For a while though, this was stopped due to some unfortunate developments in the area...


Well, unfortunate is perhaps a bit too harsh. They expanded the airport at Ballina, which meant the hang gliders and the planes were now sharing the same airspace, which wasn't a good thing. For years, Lennox has been the home to hundred of gliders, but that all stopped when the airport was extended and jets started landing in Ballina.

Luckily, a compromise was made. Today, hang gliders just need to have a spotter on the ground and be in constant communication with the airport to avoid low flying jets. This is a good compromise, which has meant the nutters can continue to throw themselves off the cliffs without fear of being sucked into the nearest passing jet.