SAFA Skysailor Magazine

15 September | October 2023 SKY SAILOR Located two kilometres south of Bright in north-east Victoria, Mystic Hill is one of Australia’s most popular inland flying sites where paragliders and hang gliders may enjoy a prime alpine flying experience all year round. Overlooking the Mystery Basin and facing the valley breeze, the Mystic Hill launch generates reliable thermals which gather around the rim of the basin and particularly on the bowl edges to the left and right of launch. Depending on the time of year, the thermals can be active from as early as 9am, building up to strong lift at the height of the day, and then declining to offer mellow boating as the sun goes down. While on most days there are opportunities for glides, the whole hill can be a trigger point, so be prepared to encounter serious lift as the day develops. The site can get busy but has plenty of capacity. To fly here, pilots must (of course) hold current SAFA membership and also be current members of the North East Victoria Hang Gliding Club which manages the site. Membership (annual or short term) can be taken out online at www.nevhgc.net, the fees of which go towards maintaining what is a world class launch site. With wide opportunities for cross-country flights, Mystic Hill is host to four paragliding schools which offer all forms of instruction from familiarisation tandems to cross-country clinics. The site is host to the annual National Bright Open competition and has hosted numerous national and international compe- titions such as the Paragliding World Cup in 1998 and 2018. Photos: Courtesy Roger Turner