A 4.2m-tall inflatable is basically a very fun sail. So we don't guess with wind, we measure it, log it, and we have one hard number that ends the night. Here's the whole policy, in plain English, plus the exact process and gear we use.
28 km/h
Our stop-use limit
40 km/h
Engineered anchoring design wind speed
16 stakes
4 per side, 400mm steel
The traffic light
Read the meter, find your band, act. That's the whole system.
Wind speed
0 – 19 km/h
Green: party on
Light breeze. Normal operation, keep logging every hour.
Wind speed
20 – 27 km/h
Amber: watch it
Log more often, brief your guests, get ready to call it.
Wind speed
28 km/h +
Red: everybody out
Stop use, clear the tent, deflate. No exceptions, no debate.
Gusts count. If a single gust reads 28km/h or above, that's a red , even if the average is sitting pretty. Same rule if you can see a storm front rolling in.
Where 28km/h comes from
Our inflatable was independently audited against AS 3533.4.1, the Australian Standard for land-borne inflatable devices, by accredited amusement-device safety engineers. That review confirmed the anchoring system is designed to stay put in winds of at least 40km/h (11.1 m/s), calculated using Appendix B of the Standard.
The Standard also says weather has to be monitored continuously, and the device cleared and deflated immediately if wind approaches the maximum. So we don't operate to 40. We built a buffer and stop at 28km/h, roughly a fresh breeze where small trees start swaying. That gap is your safety margin, because real wind arrives in gusts, not tidy averages.
How it's held down
16 anchor points
The engineering calc requires a minimum of three per side. Our documented setup uses four per side, corners first, then evenly spaced.
1.6 kN per stake
Every anchor point and its stake is rated to hold a minimum horizontal force of 1.6 kN, per the Standard.
Purpose-made stakes
16mm steel, 400mm long, curved head, driven to at least 300mm embedment at roughly 45°.
Grass only
Concrete, pavers, decking and artificial turf can't take the stakes, so we can't set up on them. Not a preference, a compliance limit.
The stake heads sit under high-vis cones so nobody trips on them, and your crew walkthrough covers where they are before the first guest arrives.
The kit
What we actually use
Kestrel wind meter
A proper handheld anemometer travels with every hire, the Standard recommends one, we make it standard. Live readings beat vibes.
Digital weather log
You get a texted link to your own log. A setup reading, then one an hour, with temperature and conditions pre-filled from live forecast data. Wind you always read yourself. That's the number that matters.
Overnight cut-off & End Party
Overnight hires log until 2am. Finished early? Tap End Party and the remaining readings drop off automatically.
Signed record
You sign the log off at the end. It's stored against your booking, so there's a full, timestamped record of the night.
Our weather process, hour by hour
Step 1
7 days out
We start watching the forecast for your address, not just 'Sydney'.
Step 2
48 hours out
If the wind model looks spicy, you get an honest heads-up email.
Step 3
Setup morning
Final go/no-go call before the truck rolls, based on the day's wind forecast.
Step 4
At setup
Crew take a live wind reading, log it, and walk you through the shutdown drill.
Step 5
Every hour
A reading goes in the digital log, temperature, conditions and wind speed.
Step 6
Pack-down
You sign off the log. It's stored against your booking as a permanent record.
Who's watching the wind?
Wet hire
Our crew
Trained operator stays on site the whole night
They take the readings and make the call
They can shut the night down on the spot
Dry hire
You do
We train the responsible adult at setup and sign it off
You read the meter and fill the hourly log
You clear the tent at 28km/h and call us
Either way it's one named responsible adult, 18+, who signs the service agreement and stays for the whole hire. That's how the Standard expects an inflatable to be supervised, and it's how SafeWork NSW expects amusement devices to be run, you can read their guidance on amusement devices here.
If it hits red
1Music down, everyone out of the tent, calmly and through the doorways.
2Keep guests clear of the structure and the stake lines.
3Open the emergency deflation zips (we show you exactly where at setup).
4Call us on 0406 767 106. If anyone's hurt, 000 first.
5Log the reading and what you did. Don't re-enter until the wind drops and we say it's OK.
Wind and rain travel together
Most nights we cancel, it's a combo: a front brings gusts and rain at once. Our gear (blower, lighting rig, sound, smoke) is electrical and sits at the rear of the structure, and wet ground also softens the hold on our stakes. So the wet-weather rules run alongside this one.
Rain rules live here
Full detail on wet weather, ground conditions and how we make the call: Rain & cancellations. Cancellation fees and rescheduling terms are in our refund policy.
Our promise, both ways
Measure with a real meter, every hour
Tell you early, not at the last second
Full refund or free reschedule if we cancel
Keep a signed record of your night
Push past 28km/h because it's a big birthday
Anchor into anything but natural grass
Leave you to guess what the wind's doing
Operate outside our certification. Ever.
Wind FAQ
Why 28km/h when the tent is engineered for 40km/h?+
The independent AS 3533.4.1 design review confirmed the anchoring system is designed to hold in winds of at least 40km/h (11.1 m/s). We stop at 28km/h so there's a real safety margin between 'still fine' and 'the engineered limit', gusts can be well above the average you're reading.
Is that average wind or gusts?+
Whichever is higher. If a gust hits 28km/h on the meter, that's your trigger to clear the tent. Don't average it out in your head.
Who takes the readings?+
On a wet hire (crew on site) our operator does it. On a dry hire, the responsible adult who signed the agreement does it, using the Kestrel wind meter we leave with you and the digital log link we text you.
What happens if we have to shut down mid-party?+
Clear everyone out of the tent, hit the emergency deflation zips, and call us on 0406 767 106. The structure comes down fast and safe, that's exactly what it's designed to do.
Do I get a refund if wind cancels my night?+
If we cancel before setup for weather, you choose: full refund or reschedule to any available date, deposit carried over, no fees. If wind shuts the night down after setup, talk to us, we look at it case by case and we're fair about it.
Can you set up somewhere sheltered instead?+
We'll always look at your yard for the best spot. But the anchoring is non-negotiable: 16 steel stakes into natural grass. No concrete, no pavers, no decking, no artificial turf.
Isn't wind less of an issue for an overnight hire?+
Overnight hires get the same rules, plus formal readings stop at 2am. If wind picks up overnight, nobody goes back in the tent until it drops, and we'd rather you call us at 3am than risk it.
This page explains how we operate in wind. Where it overlaps with your hire agreement, the signed terms & conditions apply.
Windy forecast? Ask us before you stress.
We watch the models for your address all week and we'll always give you the straight answer.
