Wheel of Brisbane

[Ashley]

I'm curious while looking up Brisbane's Ferris wheel the Wheel of Brisbane I noticed that it has quite a few similarities to Sea Worlds old Ferris wheel the Sea World Eye and I was curious if anyone knew what happened to Seaworld's Ferris wheel and if possibly the Ferris wheel, whats at south bank is SW's old Ferris wheel.

Both wheels are and were 60m tall

42 carriages, 1 of which was and is a VIP carriage

SW's closed in early 2008 and Brisbane's opened in late 2008

Similar ride times, SW''s 15mins approx and Brisbane's 13mins approx 

[Tim Dasco]

The Sea World eye I believe was the wheel that was sent to Perth and constructed on our foreshow in the city. Later on it was removed and placed into storage to make way for the Elizabeth Quay construction and after being in storage for a few years the city of Fremantle (in Perth) brought it and installed it in the town centre.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Didn't the Sea World one go to the bus depot in Surfers?

[themagician]

@AlexB it did, but hasn’t been there for a few years now 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yes I thought as much - this kind of moots the suggestion it went to brisbane, no?

 

I knew they weren't the same, but those facts were the easiest way to show it... rather than just say 'they aren't the same wheel but i have no proof!"

[Spotty]

The one that was on the Gold Coast travel centre was a R50 model (50m tall) and not the R60 model like the Wheel of Brisbane and Sea World Eye. The one that used to be on the Gold Coast was actually the unit that was sent to Perth and was owned by World Tourist Attractions and only had 36 gondola's vs the 42 on the Brisbane / Sea World one.

The Sea World Eye was actually originally from London as the "Wheel of Birmingham" and was relocated to Sea World in 2006 after being brought by World Tourist Attractions and leased to Sea World. After all the issues with Sea World that particular wheel didn't operate in Australia again. We have had 3 Bussnik wheel's in Australia in total. 2 of the R60's (Brisbane and Sea World) and a R50 model which was the Gold Coast one later transported to Perth. The only model left is now the one in Brisbane. There was also another wheel that operated in Perth for a while which was a Mondial unit (SkyView) hope this answers your questions