Australia’s newest tourist attraction set to take off

Melbourne, Australia will soon have a new icon as finishing touches are made to the Southern Star observation wheel, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Standing 40-storeys high with a 120-metre orbit, the AU$100 million wheel is the third largest in the world, behind the London Eye and Singapore Flyer. 

Only 15 metres less in circumference than the London Eye, Southern Star’s 21 walk-around cabins hold up to 20 people each in air-conditioned comfort and provide 360° breathtaking views of Melbourne, Docklands and Port Phillip Bay, and up to 40 kilometres beyond.

Fred Maybury is a former CEO of Dreamworld on Australia’s Gold Coast, and a self-confessed ‘roller-coaster junkie’ with a long history in the events and entertainment industry. He has been working on the project for more than six years.

“Southern Star is set to become Melbourne’s most popular tourist attraction and will be the hottest ticket in Australia this summer,” says Maybury. 

“We estimate that Southern Star will attract 1.5 million guests in the first year, and will be a real boon to tourism in both Melbourne and Australia.”

Backed by ING, the Southern Star is expected to attract increased foot traffic to the Waterfront City and Harbour Town precincts at Docklands, where a new, 40,000 square metre European-style shopping and entertainment centre will link the wheel to the waterfront.  

At the base of the wheel is the 3-level Star Building and function centre, based on the design of a ladybird, complete with spots. It provides undercover boarding and disembarkation, cafés, kiosks, souvenir and retail outlets. Within it, the Star Room holds over 300 for cocktails or over 200 for sit-down functions as well as two private boardrooms. Star Room guests receive special VIP access to their Southern Star flight.

“A Southern Star flight is an amazing sensation; gentle, quiet and almost a bit surreal.”

“It’s a fabulous experience for all the family.”

“It’s a bit like the difference between a glider and a 747.”

“It’s very gentle.”

“You don’t notice you are ascending until you reach the top and start descending,” says Maybury.

Unlike the old-style fairground wheels, a flight on the Southern Star is more like a smooth, floating sensation, a result of the cabins being fixed to the outside of the wheel, rather than swaying in the breeze. And, the giant wheel’s cabins are much more versatile.

With each cabin measuring 5.6 metres in length and 3.7 metres wide, the cabins are set to become the coolest venues for weddings, cocktail functions and sunset flights.

Southern Star is expected to open in November and will operate 365 days a year.

About Waterfront City and Harbour Town

Located in the heart of Melbourne Docklands, Waterfront City is emerging as one of Melbourne’s most exciting retail, residential, commercial, event and entertainment hubs.

Waterfront City is home to a diverse range of retail stores, restaurants, bars, cafes, a piazza with a capacity to hold up to 10,000 people and the largest public marina in Melbourne. Waterfront City also boasts the new Harbour Town shopping centre. 

Set across two spacious levels, the open air shopping precinct offers an exceptional mix of retailers offering a choice of brand direct and specialty stores.

For further information on the mix of Harbour Town shopping centre retailers and Waterfront City, visit www.waterfrontcity.com.au

A Report by The Mole