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Hot air balloons are a lavish way to see the scenery around Australia and the rest of the word.

And chances are, if you've flown in one either here or overseas, it was made at Australia's only hot air balloon factory.

The family firm is nestled in a far from luxurious industrial unit in Sydney's north, from where it makes and ships balloons as far afield as Africa, where they are used for safaris.

Phil Kavanagh, 75, set the Kavanagh Balloons up in 1979 after getting involved with the creations via Sydney University Balloon Club.

And while has been planning to retire for a while and hand the company over to son Sean, he's still at the helm.

And he has kept count of how many balloons he and his team has crafted over the decades – just over 600.

They've recently made one in Aussie department store David Jones' distinctive houndstooth design, which made a splash on social media.

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Then there's the quirky Hendrick's Gin balloon and another dubbed 'a love letter to Melbourne' adorned with hundreds of inspiring messages post pandemic.

They've also been involved with the Easter Show, providing the high-flying balloon.

But he's casual about his high-flying firm.

"It's like any other job in the end," he said.

"People do really interesting things that just aren't very public- ballooning is a really visual thing."

Sean added that making the mammoth beasts "is not as romantic as it sounds".

"The reality is, its manufacturing in Australia which is hard at the best of times, he said.

"The flip side is when we actually finish a product and say 'wow, look at that'."

COVID-19 hit the firm in a big way.

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While they were still working, hold-ups in the supply chain have caused issues.

For example, fabric to make the mammoth canopies, as much about 2000 square metres for one canopy or the size of eight tennis courts, usually comes from South Africa.

But for now they have to buy the cloth, which is sewn together on a machine from Europe.

Of course the canopy is paired with a basket, hand crafted by staff member James Williams.

And the burner is made by an Aussie firm in Malaysia.

The company recently made one for the largest balloon in Australia, which can hold 24 people.

The NSW Hunter Valley and Cairns are some spots to climb aboard those.

It takes eight weeks to make a typical balloon.

And when he's not making balloons, Sean is flying them.

He's heading to the Ballooning World Championships in Slovenia in a few months.

He has previously come 30th in the contest, and is a former Australian world champion.

Competitive ballooning involves various challenges involving navigating to a series of targets.

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Results can come down to just centimeters.

"It's complicated, it's a lot of navigation work, a lot of understanding the micrometeorology of the area," Kavanagh said.

"Most women have got a better touch for it than guys – it's a multi-tasking sport, it's very subtle, it's easy to over do it."

And once Sean does finally take over, he has two little balloon makers waiting in the wings.

His children, aged nine and seven, already like to visit the factory, in Mount Kuring-Gai.

"They're always here, any chance they get in here climbing in and out of baskets," he said.

"Whether or not they'll come into it, I've no idea."

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A court has heard a former South Australian music teacher and paedophile will likely die in jail.

The 80-year-old has already been sentenced to more than a decade behind bars and has now admitted to more crimes against another of his students.

Two years ago former South Australian teacher Malcolm Day was jailed for repeatedly preying on one of his pupils.

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Now, another student has come forward.

Day should have been teaching the talented teen music but instead, he has pleaded guilty to grooming and abusing the 15-year-old in the early 1980s, years before the crimes for which he is already serving 12 years.

The decades-long impact of his predation was revealed in a powerful victim impact statement, calling for him to be handed at least 10 years jail on top of time he's already serving in prison, where his lawyer concedes the now 80-year-old will likely die.

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"Well that's a real prospect isn't it… given his age," defence lawyer Stephen Ey said.

The statement said Day's "selfish and disgraceful conduct" changed the survivor's life.

"He poisoned my future for his own pleasure and went on to lie about it," the statement said.

Day had written a letter of apology but his lawyer chose not to read it out loud in court, the judge suggesting it revealed he still lacks insight into his offending.

The court heard his old age shouldn't be taken into account, because "he's had the benefit of living… his best years as a free man."

A new funding model proposed by the federal government could see community transport brought to a grinding halt.

From mid-2023 the federal government could stop funding grants to approved community transport providers.

For Penrith-based Active Care Network, this could be a death sentence for the community transport services.

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"Some of the repercussions are we'll have to reduce the area of service we provide, reduce the number of services and we will have to cut costs or pass costs onto clients," CEO Ben Jackson said.

"With the changes that are proposed its going to keep older Australians isolated."

Currently, a round trip to the shops costs $11 but this provider fears that could double adding to the cost of living pressures.

"Having it at a reasonable price means we can be without worry," Vallerie, a community bus patron, said.

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Community transport is a lifeline for seniors seeking independence to complete their day to day needs after they stopped driving.

"My family don't live close to me," Joy Barton, a community bus patron said.

"My legs aren't the best, the shuttle picks me up at the door, carries my bags, that's a big help."

"We need it, can't get there, couldn't afford a taxi, these they help us on the bus, we don't feel on our own," Vallerie added.

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Since the new funding model was proposed there's been a change in government and the community transport network now hopes the door isn't closed to further negotiation.

In a statement to 9News, the Department of Aged Care said its been consulting extensively with community transport providers.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has spoken at a civil trial, which is challenging the enforcement of vaccine mandates by the state government.

Dozens of police officers and health workers have come forward to contest the mandates in Brisbane's Supreme Court, arguing the government should not force employees to be vaccinated.

Several workers came forward saying they had been required to seek alternative, stay-at-home positions or were suspended on full pay.

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It was also argued the mandates should now be revoked in the wake of this year's Omicron COVID-19 peak.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll spoke in court today on the controversial 'no jab no job' policy, telling the civil trial she believes COVID-19 cases are still too high and there are still too many deaths to revoke the order.

The police commissioner was questioned for several hours about the health direction and where she got her information when making decisions on the ruling.

The commissioner was the final witness in the five day hearing.

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Yesterday, deputy commissioner Doug Smith gave evidence on the 'no jab no job' direction, which he helped create at the direction of commissioner Carroll.

Deputy commissioner Smith was questioned about whether he was aware of 'resentment' directed at officers who refused to be vaccinated.

He denied the policy was implemented to prevent officers from cherry-picking the jobs they wanted to do, as it was suggested officers who were not vaccinated could avoid positions like border enforcement during the state's closed border period.

The deputy commissioner admitted to 'speculation' but said this had not influenced the decision to implement the policy.

He was also asked if he thought police officers taking part in the case were "trouble makers," which he denied.

The trial will resume next Thursday for final submissions.

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Family and friends have returned to the scene where a three-year-old boy died after an alleged hit-and-run in Melbourne yesterday.

Police are investigating after the toddler, Ethan Nguyen, was fatally injured on McIntyre Road, Sunshine North, about 6.30pm on Thursday.

Emergency services were told Ethan had been struck by a red sedan.

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He was taken to hospital but died overnight.

Family, friends and the community have been left heartbroken by the incident.

"Why car can't stop? I don't know," Ethan's grandmother sobbed at the scene.

Flowers and the little boy's favourite tea have been laid on the street as a tribute.

CCTV of the incident showed Ethan running onto the road after being picked up from daycare.

Witnesses said the boy's mother told him to stop.

"She said 'Ethan, stop!' and then he listen and stop but the car not stop," a witness said.

"My business owner he say 'stop, stop, stop', he see the boy when he cross the road and cause little boy he not understand, that's why," Saad Alyoshik, another witness said.

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A 73-year-old woman handed herself into police earlier today.

Police said the driver of the vehicle "failed to render assistance and drove off from the scene".

"I mean having a quick look at the vehicle, it's pretty evident that you would know you've hit something," Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said.

"Whether that driver knew that they'd hit a child or something else is still to be determined."

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Anybody with CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact police.

The driver of an unregistered white Ferrari had his license suspended this morning after he was clocked travelling at more than 200km/h on a New South Wales highway.

Officers detected the luxury car speeding at about 7.40am in a 110km sign-posted area on the Hume Highway, Goulburn.

Police stopped the car and spoke with the 42-year-old driver. As well as having his licence suspended, his vehicle was also confiscated for three months.

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"He was issued with a Court Attendance Notice for drive vehicle recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, exceed speed limit – over 45kph, and use unregistered motor vehicle," police said.

"The Rhodes man will appear in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday 29 June 2022."

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