'I'm still shaking': Hot-air balloons crash minutes apart in Melbourne's east

Two hot-air balloons have made unexpected landings in Melbourne's east with one stopping partly in the backyard of a suburban home.

Paramedics were first called to Wantirna South near Eastlink and Terrara Park in Vermont South just before 8am after reports of hot-air balloon crashes.

The hot air balloon went into a backyard.Credit: Hannah and Sarah Bailey

No passengers were injured but Christine Taylor from Vermont South, whose backyard was "gift-wrapped" by one of the balloons, said the noise of the landing was terrifying.

"It was the scariest thing," she said. "I thought it was an earthquake. I'm still shaking actually."

The balloons were two of five from two companies that took off from Bundoora on Monday morning, aiming for parkland around Heatherton in the city's south-east.

When the wind suddenly changed direction and picked up speed, pilots were forced to perform "layover landings" in available parkland.

Three landed unscathed. One stopped on apple trees in an orchard in Wantirna South and another dragged along the ground until it was stopped by a tree in Vermont South.

Kiff Saunders from Global Ballooning Australia said layover landings were a common practice in ballooning, occurring when the wind continued to drag the basket on touchdown.

Factors including passenger weight and wind speed made it difficult to estimate how far the basket would drag.

"It's unfortunate, it happens in ballooning sometimes," he said. "If there's a tree in your way, balloons will gift-wrap them."

The balloon that crash landed near the intersection of High Street Rd and Eastlink at Wantirna South.Credit: Nine News

Mr Saunders said passengers were briefed on layover landings before takeoff and baskets were properly padded to handle the impact.

"Most people would say a layover landing is the best part of the flight," he said.

Mr Saunders said his pilot, who he didn't want named, had nearly 4000 hours' experience and had flown all over the world.

"He's just done what he had to do," Mr Saunders said. "The main job for him is to keep his passengers safe."

"They've got a story to tell around the dinner table," he said.

Mr Saunders said the damage was minor and would only take a day to repair. He said his primary concern was the welfare of passengers.

"Ballooning is an adventure activity. Sometimes it's a little  more adventuous than we'd like it to be," he said.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman said 17 people were on board the two balloons. All escaped uninjured.

Passengers on board the balloon that landed on an apple orchard in Wantirna South told Nine News they'd been in the air for just over an hour when they were told to brace for impact.

Acting Senior Sergeant Carolyn Sunderland said the controller, who is believed to be an experienced pilot, took evasive action to land the balloon safely.

"He's just touched down a little bit heavily and then the balloon has skipped up and hit the slight incline, which has then caused the basket to tip over," she said.

Neighbour Alex Inglese told Nine News the balloon was travelling much lower than normal.

"I thought it was almost touching my roof it was that low. It was very noisy, noisier than usual."

Local resident Hannah Bailey was on her way to school in Vermont South when she heard people yelling for help.

“I didn’t really know what was going on but my parents were worried that someone was hurt,” she said.

“When we got there people walking their dogs and neighbours were already checking in.

“It was one of those times where you recognise how quickly strangers can come together and offer support.”

One of the balloons just before it landed in Terrara Park.Credit: Hannah and Sarah Bailey

Ms Taylor from Vermont South called 3AW to describe the moment one of the hot-air balloons crash landed next to her house.

She said she ran downstairs in her pyjamas after hearing the balloon crash through gum trees before hitting her pergola.

Ms Taylor said the balloon was full of Chinese tourists. One woman had fainted but the rest were unharmed.

A spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was gathering information to determine if there would be an investigation.