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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Kelly Burke

Skywhale grounded after Ballarat winds rip ‘quite big’ gash in balloon sculpture

Patricia Piccinini Ballarat National Gallery of Australia Nga Australia
Patricia Piccinini's Skywhale and Skywhalepapa, flying over Melbourne back in March.
Patricia Piccinini's Skywhale and Skywhalepapa, flying over Melbourne in March. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Patricia Piccinini’s much-loved Skywhale was grounded in Victoria over the weekend after strong winds in Ballarat ripped a gash in the balloon – but according to the National Gallery of Australia, her wounds are not serious.

The hot-air balloon sculpture has been regularly taking to the skies across Australia, as well as Japan, Ireland and Brazil, for almost a decade. But over the weekend, Skywhale failed to become airborne in Ballarat, after high winds ripped a one-metre gash between its breasts.

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