Wheel of Brisbane submitted by John Ball.
While visitors to this year's Ekka were enjoying Ferris wheel rides at Bowen Hills, workers in the city were focussing on South Bank where another Ferris wheel, a topic of daily conversation and possibly the subject of the odd bet or two, was undergoing construction.
When will it be finished? How many carriages will it have? How fast will it go? Is it as high as the London Eye?
All these questions were answered on 30th August 2008 when Brisbane's latest attraction, the Wheel of Brisbane, despite earlier delays officially opened the day of QBE Riverfire with all the precision timing of the F-111 flyover.
Fully owned and operated by World Tourist Attractions Australia, the Wheel of Brisbane stands 60 metres tall (somewhat shorter than London Eye's 135 metres) but impressive nonetheless, illuminating the South Bank skyline and river with thousands of LED lights at night and presenting an exciting new landmark for visitors and locals alike.
The wheel has 42 air-conditioned, fully enclosed capsules each capable of seating up to 6 adults and 2 children. Each ride is of 12 to 15 minutes duration (which roughly equates to 3 or 4 wheel rotations) and offers unique panoramic 360 degree views of the river and city.
The Wheel of Brisbane at South Bank is open seven days a week, from 10am to 10pm.
Tickets are priced at $15 for adults, $10 for children 12 years and under and $2 for children aged between 1 year and 3 years. A private gondola may be booked at a rate of $95 and a discount will soon be available on tickets purchased online.
Brisbane residents and visitors will have two years to enjoy this exciting new addition to our city’s most popular recreation spot at South Bank.
What a relief to realise this garish monster will only be here for a few years.