Sunshine Coast residents and visitors will be on top of the world, when Australia's tallest travelling, portable observation ferris wheel comes to Caloundra.
The giant Skyline wheel will provide a bird's eye view across our hinterland's mountains, our sparkling sea and vibrant towns from its 35m-high peak.
With 24 gondolas seating up to 144 people, including an accessible gondola, why not bring the kids, organise a special date or take the opportunity to boost your Instagram game day and night – the wheel holds more than 9,000 lights!
Division 2 Councillor Tim Dwyer is excited to jump on board the travelling attraction over the next five weeks and hopes it will help boost business across the region.
"Make sure you get down there to visit and check it out for yourselves. While you're there be sure to factor in some time to visit our great local businesses as well – we have so many world-class eateries– why not make a day of it one week and a night out another week!" he said.
"Each ride lasts around 6-8 minutes, so you can go around quite a few times and the 360-degree views will be breath-taking."
Downtown Caloundra Taskforce representative, Vicki Taylor, said it was the perfect way to showcase our beautiful beaches, foreshore and the shopping experience in Downtown Caloundra.
"With new businesses opening up and winter being a beautiful time to holiday in Caloundra, we encourage visitors and locals from Brisbane to Noosa to come into town to experience something with a difference."
Xtra Ordinary Events' Jane Jones said her team was very excited to bring their ferris wheel to Caloundra.
"The Sunshine Coast is a great destination. It has great weather, beautiful scenery and a great mix of our core demographic - families, couples and retirees which are residents as well as holiday makers," she said.
"We locate the wheel in several different locations throughout Australia each year and need to head to the warmer states during winter to ensure the business is sustainable year-round, so the Sunshine Coast is great for mobile outdoor businesses like ours.
"The Sunshine Coast Council have been very supportive of us. It saw this as an opportunity to bring something new and different to the town and the staff have helped us liaise with local businesses to gain community engagement, so I'd recommend any businesses looking to be mobile or to start a new office to contact the council and see how they can support them.
"We hope the people of the Sunshine Coast and Caloundra will get a chance to experience the wonderful views you will be able to see of this magnificent region from the top of the wheel."
The wheel will be constructed in the Bulcock Beach car park on The Esplanade in Caloundra from 10 June and the car park will be available for parking again on 25 July. Free parking is available at the Cooma Terrace Parking Station, 400m away.
Fast facts:
Dates of operation: 14 June – 21 July
Location: Bulcock Beach, The Esplanade, Caloundra
Times: 10am – late (closing time will be between 9–10pm each night, weather dependent)
Tickets: $10 each or $30 per gondola which seats up to 6 people! Available from www.skylineattractions.com.au/events. Special package deals will be available from participating businesses so stay tuned to www.downtowncaloundra.com.au
Destination information for Caloundra
Caloundra offers a wide range of water activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, windsurfing, fishing and jet skiing. For nature lovers, the Pumicestone Passage is an ideal spot to get up close and personal with a variety of migratory birds as well as dugongs and dolphins.
The Caloundra region has a range of accommodation available - from budget beachside cabins to luxurious resort suites. When it comes to sea and sand, there are loads of beaches to choose from including Golden Beach, Bulcock Beach, Shelly Beach, Moffat Beach, Dicky Beach, Currimundi and Kings Beach - which is popular for families due to its water park area with a fun fountain for the kids to play in and a foreshore swimming pool.
The best way to explore this part of the coast is by setting off on the Caloundra Coastal Walk which stretches 25 kilometres from Golden Beach in the south to Mooloolaba Beach in the north. It takes in Caloundra Headland, Moffat Headland and Point Cartwright - passing historic sites such as the Military Jetty used for operations in World War II and the heritage listed Kings Beach Bathing Pavillion constructed in 1937.
Major attractions in the area include Australia Zoo, Aussie World, The Ettamogah Pub, Big Kart Track and the Queensland Air Museum.
