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Melbourne’s newest attraction is the $100 million Southern Star
by Shamoli Dutt
21-10-2008
The Southern Star is Melbourne’s newest multimillion dollar attraction, set to open in November just in time for visitors flocking to the southern capital over the Christmas holidays.
Said to be the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the $100 million attraction is also the third largest such structure behind the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer.
Standing 40-storeys high, with a 120-metre orbit, the Southern Star has 21 cabins each accommodating up to 20 people in air-conditioned comfort and providing breathtaking views of Melbourne, the Docklands and Port Phillip Bay and beyond. It’s the “dreamchild” of former Dreamworld Theme Park chief executive, Fred Maybury, a self-confessed ‘roller-coaster junkie’ with a long history in Australia’s events and entertainment industry.
He has been working on this 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. “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”, he said. Backed by ING Bank, the Southern Star is expected to attract increased visitor numbers to the Waterfront City and Harbour precincts at Docklands, where a new European-style shopping and entertainment centre will link the wheel to the waterfront. Situated at the base of the wheel is the three storey Star Building and function centre –designed like a ladybird complete with spots.
It will provide undercover boarding and disembarkation areas, cafés, kiosks and souvenir and retail outlets.
Additionally, the Star Room will accommodate up to 300 people for cocktails and 200 for sit-down functions, as well as two private boardrooms.
According to Maybury, a Southern Star flight is an amazing sensation; gentle, quiet –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”, he said. “Unlike the old-style fairground wheels, a flight on the new attraction 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”, he added.
Meanwhile, Waterfront City is emerging as one of Melbourne’s busiest retail, residential, commercial and entertainment hubs.
It features a diverse range of retail stores, restaurants, bars, cafes and a piazza with capacity for up to 10,000 people.
Also included in this precinct is the new Harbour Town shopping centre.
Details: www.waterfrontcity.com.au
by Shamoli Dutt - Austguide Travel News Editor
Said to be the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the $100 million attraction is also the third largest such structure behind the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer.
Standing 40-storeys high, with a 120-metre orbit, the Southern Star has 21 cabins each accommodating up to 20 people in air-conditioned comfort and providing breathtaking views of Melbourne, the Docklands and Port Phillip Bay and beyond. It’s the “dreamchild” of former Dreamworld Theme Park chief executive, Fred Maybury, a self-confessed ‘roller-coaster junkie’ with a long history in Australia’s events and entertainment industry.
He has been working on this 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. “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”, he said. Backed by ING Bank, the Southern Star is expected to attract increased visitor numbers to the Waterfront City and Harbour precincts at Docklands, where a new European-style shopping and entertainment centre will link the wheel to the waterfront. Situated at the base of the wheel is the three storey Star Building and function centre –designed like a ladybird complete with spots.
It will provide undercover boarding and disembarkation areas, cafés, kiosks and souvenir and retail outlets.
Additionally, the Star Room will accommodate up to 300 people for cocktails and 200 for sit-down functions, as well as two private boardrooms.
According to Maybury, a Southern Star flight is an amazing sensation; gentle, quiet –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”, he said. “Unlike the old-style fairground wheels, a flight on the new attraction 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”, he added.
Meanwhile, Waterfront City is emerging as one of Melbourne’s busiest retail, residential, commercial and entertainment hubs.
It features a diverse range of retail stores, restaurants, bars, cafes and a piazza with capacity for up to 10,000 people.
Also included in this precinct is the new Harbour Town shopping centre.
Details: www.waterfrontcity.com.au
by Shamoli Dutt - Austguide Travel News Editor
