Today’s prompt in the Expat Blog Challenge is a day in photos so I thought I’d share my photos from my visit to Docklands and a ride on the Melbourne Star.
My brother and sister out-law gave my partner Theo and I tickets to the Melbourne Star for our birthdays. The Melbourne Star is a giant Ferris wheel in the Waterfront City precinct in the Docklands area of Melbourne. It opened in December 2008, but closed 40 days later due to structural defects, and was subsequently dismantled for major repairs. It reopened just last December. You could imagine all the jokes and warnings we received about the safety of the Melbourne Star, but we are fearless adventurers.
We took the train into the CBD because we thought parking in Waterfront City would be difficult, but to my surprise the area is practically a ghost town. I thought, if this were Miami, it would be booming. It’s a lovely, waterfront area, and it’s dead. There is the outdoor Harbor Town Shopping Centre, but it closes at 6pm. There are a couple of restaurants, but eateries along the lines of KFC, Nando’s, and Subway aren’t exactly draws for a big night on the town. Then there’s the Melbourne Star, one of only three of its kind in the entire world.
There were hardly any people there and we walked right in. A ride on the Melbourne Star takes about 30 minutes and it doesn’t stop. It moves very slowly and you enter a cabin as it approaches. It was air-conditioned, clean, and comfortable, and Theo and I had it all to ourselves.
The views are wonderful and what’s even better is that Eva and David gifted us with encore tickets, which means we can return for another ride within 30 days. Next time, we’ll do it later so we can catch the sunset and city lights. Thank you, Eva and David for such a cool gift!
After riding the wheel, we walked around Docklands enjoying the pretty sunset and nice weather.
Go to the website to plan your visit.
Have you been on the Melbourne Star yet?
Very cool! I’ve been on the Singapore Flyer and it’s similar to the Melbourne Star. But we certainly did not have the whole cabin to ourselves. That would have been nice. And is there a reason for the statue of Dame Edna? LOL
Yes, Singapore and London are the where the other two big Ferris wheels are. I hear one is going to be built in Orlando, Florida. The statue of Dame Edna (pretty random, right?) is just there, along with about four others of people I did not recognize. One might have been Kylie Minogue, but we’re not sure.
Looks like you had a lovely day. I like the statue of Dame Edna!
It was a nice evening out. My partner hates it, but I love going into the city.
Love your pics! I’ve only been to Melbourne for a long weekend. I’d love to go back sometimes – what a beautiful view from the Melbourne Star.
Melbourne is a lovely city with so much to do. I hope you get to visit again!
I’m so glad that you posted this. We have been wondering when it re-opened—on our last few trips to the airport, we were pretty sure we could see people inside. I will add it to our itinerary for the next two months. Did you take all the photos yourself of the Melbourne Star? I thought they were really good.
Thanks! Yes, I took all these with my Canon PowerShot, a little point and shoot camera.
Looks just like the London Eye, which I have seen in person but never went on. I wish NYC had one, it would be a great way to see the city from a different perspective and varying heights.
And I love the street art mural of that girl and the horse, so weird and funky.
(By the way is that Theo in the picture? Or just some random guy waiting for his turn too?)
I went to London years ago and I wish I had gone on the London Eye. I really don’t remember why I didn’t, time constraints perhaps. No, that’s not Theo; that’s an employee at the Melbourne Star.
Great photos, Cosette.
And you’ve prompted me to want to try the Star. We did the London Eye a few years ago, but I wasn’t that impressed. However, my husband loved it and I suspect I’d love to view my own city from that height as well.
Dooooo eeeeet! It was fun.
I’ve already showed your photos to Tony, he’s all for it. 🙂