Flowerdale (3 Sisters)

A smooth grassy double-sided ridge running east to west near Flowerdale, about 60 km north-north-east of Melbourne, with both the north and south sides soarable and trees below the south launch. It has always been a closed club site: flying requires current financial membership of one of the two Melbourne clubs that hold the arrangement with the landowner, and no one may fly alone — there must be at least two people present, even if one is a non-flyer. As of July 2025 the site is closed while negotiations with the landowner continue.

Launch & conditions

Launch is on either side of the middle knoll. The northern launch is completely open, and the slightly rounded knoll allows a straight launch with slight amounts of north-east through to north-west. The south launch is less forgiving: the close proximity of trees generates turbulence and makes it more difficult.

Getting there & local rules

The site is near Flowerdale, 60 km north-north-east of Melbourne, and the published site map deliberately does not show the exact location — club members hold it. Access to the top of the hill is strictly 4WD only, and 2WD cars must park near the bottom sign. Keep the number of vehicles on the property to a minimum and stick strictly to the tracks to avoid cutting up the paddocks: erosion, dust and the visible impact of too many vehicles running up and down the hill matter far more than the impact of flying overhead.

Local rules & hazards

The site is closed as of July 2025 pending negotiations with the landowner. Even when open it is a closed club site — current financial membership of one of the two clubs is required, the property is privately owned and the owner must be contacted by the first people to arrive, and flying alone is not permitted. The site sits on the edge of a controlled-airspace step running from 4,500 to 7,500 ft. There is a power line directly below the northern launch at the foot of the hill, and further power lines in alternative landing paddocks on the south side. Conditions can become very turbulent in north-east or north-west winds — be extremely careful when low on either side of the knolls. The northern landing paddock is large but slopes away from the hill, so keep the approach as low as is comfortable to leave yourself room, and watch for turbulence off neighbouring hills, especially in a north-westerly; in very light or nil conditions an uphill landing can work well. The southern landing is in one of the first three paddocks immediately over the creek along Strath Creek Road — check them before flying for stock, obstacles and possible flooding in the wet months. In summer, drive very slowly along the dusty track from the highway to the landing field, because in a north wind the dust blows onto the houses along the way.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Flowerdale (3 Sisters), read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Flowerdale (3 Sisters) with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.