Wimmera residents may have gotten a sneak peek at the hard-to-miss Skywhale, but the people of Canberra are enjoying the odd sight's first flight in their skies.
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Late last month, organisers flew the $170,000 balloon over Natimuk Lake and by the Grampians in a practice run ahead of Canberra's centenary celebrations.
ACT taxpayers are paying at least $100,000 more than the territory government has indicated for the controversial Skywhale hot-air balloon.
Official documents reveal the balloon is costing at least $334,000, not the $170,000 figure quoted by ACT government officials.
But Chief Minister Katy Gallagher told an Assembly Committee on Friday afternoon the cost was $300,000, with one of her top officials saying the price would be capped at that level.
Philanthropic funding of $50,000 - provided by the Aranday Foundation - would make up the rest of the cost.
Foundation chairman Rupert Myer AM said he was excited by the work of artist Patricia Piccinini.
“In a glance, her works spirit us away to another type of universe where life exists differently. Without judgement," Mr Myer said.
"She makes us think deeply about how we respond to the unfamiliar and unknowable. And she does it with wit and candour.
"It is a privilege to have supported the commission"
Jeremy Lasek, executive director of culture for the ACT Chief Minister's directorate, confirmed the Skywhale belonged to Melbourne-based company Global ballooning at a standing committee meeting on Friday afternoon.
"The balloon itself was in the vicinity of $170,000. We’ve also created a website, educational kits, piloting, a bunch of other things that were on top of it, so I don’t have the total number, but the balloon design and construction and the testing was around $170,000," he said.
He said while it was good for about 100 flights, there was no guarantee how many of those would be in Canberra.
Ms Gallagher said when she first saw diagrams of the balloon her eyes "nearly fell out of her head," but it had grown on her.
The giant artwork, which was revealed on Thursday morning, has divided opinion on its aesthetic qualities and re-ignited the sometimes acrimonious debate on taxpayer-funded government art.
The official line on the cost to taxpayers of the balloon had been $170,000, with some extra costs for piloting and educational materials.
But the contract between the ACT Government and the balloon’s provider, Melbourne-based Global Ballooning Pty Limited, reveals the total contract price is $338,000.
The figure included $50,000 to be paid “by a philanthropist identified by the territory, or an interested party acting as an intermediary between the contractor and the philanthropist”.
Mr Lasek said at Thursday’s launch that the balloon design, construction and testing was about $170,000, but other educational materials and piloting would cost extra.
It was revealed to the Canberra public outside the National Gallery of Australia this morning and soon after made its first flight.
The first official flight was originally scheduled for Monday morning, and will still go ahead if weather conditions remain favourable.
