Five children were hospitalised after strong winds lifted jumping castles into the air during separate incidents in Victoria and New South Wales on Saturday, 5 September.
Two primary-school-aged children were thrown from an inflatable at a birthday party on Lower Duneed Road in Mount Duneed, near Geelong, shortly before 11am. Victoria Police said other children on the castle escaped injury.
Ambulance Victoria said a mobile intensive care ambulance and advanced life support paramedics attended. The injured boy and girl were taken by road to Geelong University Hospital with upper-body injuries and were in a stable condition. ([abc.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-05/children-in-hospital-jumping-castle-lifts-off-birthday-party/107120370?utm_source=openai))
Three children injured in Banksia
A second incident occurred about two hours later at Gardiner Park in Banksia, in Sydney’s south, when another jumping castle became airborne in strong winds.
NSW Ambulance treated a pre-school-aged boy and girl for head injuries before they were taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital in a stable condition. An infant suffered minor injuries and was also taken to hospital, while a woman was treated for minor injuries.
The incidents came as a cold front brought damaging winds across south-eastern Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology had warned of gusts of up to 90km/h in parts of Victoria, while gusts of up to 80km/h were recorded at Sydney Airport. ([abc.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-05/children-in-hospital-jumping-castle-lifts-off-birthday-party/107120370?utm_source=openai))
Residents were advised to secure loose outdoor items, including umbrellas, outdoor furniture and trampolines, and to remain indoors and away from windows during the worst of the weather.
Conditions were forecast to ease in both states on Sunday, with cooler, calmer weather expected in Sydney and showers and gusty winds clearing across Victoria. There had been no further update on the children’s conditions by Sunday.
