A 35m Ferris wheel that has towered above a busy Sunshine Coast esplanade for the past four months is about to leave town.
The 24-gondola Giant Ferris Wheel, owned and operated by Melbourne-based SkyLine Attractions, has proved to be a hit at Coolum Beach during winter and spring. It has also in past years been stationed at Caloundra.
It was installed at Lions and Norrie Job Park in July, with 360-degree views of Coolum and surrounds.
Wheel manager Katherine Brennan said about 43,000 people made the most of the experience.
For those who enjoy such attractions, the good news is the big wheel is set to return to the Sunshine Coast next year.
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“The turnout was great, especially during the school holidays,” she said of the Coolum visit.
“We also had school excursions and people from retirement villages having a day out.”
Season passes proved popular.
“We had so many people coming back for more,” Ms Brennan said.
“We made some pretty good friends, with people coming three or four times a week.
The wheel will be back on the Sunshine Coast next winter.
“We won’t be in Coolum though,” Ms Brennan said.
“I think we’re going to be somewhere around Maroochydore, maybe at Cotton Tree, although that’s not official yet, because we’re waiting on approval.
“But we’ll definitely be somewhere around the Sunny Coast next year.”
SkyLine Attractions has two giant Ferris wheels, which are 35m high, 30m in diameter and weigh 56 tonnes. They have 9000 lights each.
Each wheel can accommodate 144 people, within enclosed six-person ‘gondolas’, who enjoy rides of between six to eight minutes, for $10 per person or $30 per gondala.
The original wheel alternates between Adelaide in summer-autumn and Darwin in winter-spring, while the newer one, made in 2020, shifts between Melbourne in summer-autumn and the Sunshine Coast in winter-spring.
The new wheel is transported between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast on five trucks, with a trained team of 12 people.
It takes 1.5 days to take down and 2.5 days to put up, with the help of a 90-tonne crane, two local crane operators and a rough terrain forklift.
It was at Caloundra in 2020 and 2021 before moving to Coolum in 2022.
Ms Brennan essentially travels with the wheel, between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, renting a nearby property during her stay.
She employs and trains about seven locals to help operate the wheel.
The wheel’s last full day at Coolum will be on October 31, with a half day of operation on November 1.
For more information see Skyline Attractions – Giant Ferris Wheel.
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