Southern Star of Australia

Chingshang *

I just could not believe my eyes at all that the cityscape and skyline of Melbourne has been changing rapidly than I normally thought it to be. But seeing is believing. It wasn't there yesterday.

Today it is. The amount of infrastructure spending and development is simply mindboggling. The recent $ 5 billion transportation plan for Victoria over the next few years is another shot in the arm for city's rapid development in the infrastructure sector.

It is even more interesting to note that not less that $ 100 million have been earmarked for the improvement and expansion of bicycling paths in and around Melbourne. Already the city is highly accessible but they want to make it more people friendly, environmentally.

One of the most important and interesting parts of any infrastructure development that are taking place in the city is that they are meticulously planned and executed with a sound economic and commercial agenda in the long run. This is what actually taking place in Waterfront city in Melbourne Docklands.

When I came to Melbourne last year, it was just a beautiful empty space around the Docklands area. Nothing was there in fact. I used to drive my bicycle in front of that area everyday on the way to uni. There was not any traffic signal for me to stop and wait. It was just a free ride on the path smoothly.

But today everything changes and I feel that a whole new city has just come up overnight. A new flyover has been constructed over the entrance to the docklands easing traffic for the newest city. Amazing, it took less than a year to complete and open to traffic.

Now I have to cross at least two traffic signals in front of the entrance to city's newest real estate properties. Wait a minute. I haven't been telling so far what I meant to. Melbourne's or Australia's latest attraction is a wheel, an observation wheel. It is aptly named as Southern Star as the wheel itself is. It is conveniently located in the Docklands Drive, Waterfront city, Melbourne Docklands, one of the hottest real estate properties. It is easily accessible with a short tram ride, bicycle or a simple walk from the city centre.

Southern Star is claimed to be the largest observation wheel in the Southern Hemisphere. Flying to a spectacular 120 meters high above Melbourne skyline providing stunning 360 panoramic views of the city, the wheel is the latest fad among the cityfolk. It was opened to the public on 20th December 2008. It opens daily from 10 am to 10 pm.

The "star" as seen in full

Originally it was planned to be constructed during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006. It has 21 air conditioned cabins that can accommodate upto 20 persons. Southern Star is modelled on the London Eye which is rather more popular globally as a money spinner for the British capital. It is no doubt that Southern star is constructed on a less similar commercial motive. It is intended to establish as a prime tourist attraction in the days to come.

For a 30 minute spin, an adult ticket cost $ 29 and $ 17 for children. I would say it is worth paying that amount for a unique flight experience it offers. The tagline of Southern Star is 'nothing like on Earth'. The breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay and concrete jungles of Melbourne city from a bird's eye perspective were just marvellous.

I personally feel that the views were just a refreshing treat to the city sore eyes. The rhythmic rotation of the wheel takes up you to the different stages of heights with varying views of the surroundings far and wide. Observing the complete cityscape from a rotating platform was indeed a different experience. I have seen the city skyline previously from Eureka Skydeck, the highest observation tower in Southern Hemisphere, located at Southbank, Melbourne.

It was a different experience at that time. But flying atop Southern Star and viewing the city skyline was completely a new experience. The wheel can provide views upto 40 kms spread on a fine day. The operators of the Southern Star are expecting to attract not less than 1.5 million people a year. Judging from the steady stream of people flocking to ride the wheel definitely will prove that the operators were not wrong in their objective speculation.

Of course, every major infrastructure development involves sort of risks in terms of getting back its dividends. Southern Star may not be an exception. Millions of dollars have been spent in constructing this giant web of reinforced steel structure. But considering the strategic location where it rotates, getting back their investment may not a very difficult uphill task.

Southern Star is, in fact, a part and parcel of the Harbour Town shopping hub, Melbourne's latest addition to its numerous shopping precincts in strategic areas. Already many leading brands of national and international repute have opened their retailing units here. Southern Star is likely to be an iconic landmark that provides a wholesome gateway for fun and frolic entertainment cum shopping experience at Harbour Town.

I feel that it is a part of the complete package in real estate development with a long term vision of sustainable income generation. The rapidly increasing interest in Harbour Town living is reflected in the rising real estate prices in recent times. The town is bustling with many new activities. Ample several storey parking spaces have been constructed to accommodate numerous vehicles entering Harbour Town.

Lots of restaurants, takeaway eateries, bars and cafes have been doing brisk business in this rapidly developing lifestyle area. The natural presence of a sheltered marina in Harbour Town provides the much needed space for the rich and famous to dock their lifestyle boats and yachts. Even I saw the opening of a new weekly market on Sundays in Harbour Town very recently. It is not of our typical market scene of vegetables and food et al. stuff. It is a lifestyle statement market associated with collectable items, antiques, books, vintage and retro clothing and so on providing sort of leisure activities for the city slickers.

A close-up view of the "star"

Well, what I am just trying to communicate here is that when you come here to enjoy the ride atop Southern Star, you are also bound to explore the myriads of other activities that the Harbour Town or Waterfront city put up on offer. Southern Star is only the poster image of the whole Harbour Town exposition. But Southern Star shines over Harbour Town bringing all those glitter and jitter. The planning of Harbour Town and its associated activities are simply superb.

I must say that the development here is very sequential with sound commercial agenda behind. Every inch of the space is meticulously planned with adequate precision to ensure maximum return in the future. The design of the shopping hub itself is a testimony to its detailed and meticulous planning. Southern Star complex is surrounded by the shopping hub and numerous cafes, bars and restaurants making it a continuous space for the visitors to ride and stroll simultaneously in the sprawling shopping area.

It makes a complete business sense for the operators of the Southern Star and the owners of the retail units in the shopping plaza to spin around together. As I have been seeing the development of Harbour Town since its inception, obviously I must admit that the design of any existing space require adequate planning from a commercial point of view with extreme care on accessibility agenda.

I am not surprise by the success of Harbour Town in all the departments of development. Well, everything seems run so well in a rhythmic tandem here with songs of satisfaction. But one thing, lastly, I don't know why I am reminded very often of the stark realities in failings of Singjamei, Porompat and Lamphelpat shopping complexes in recent past.

It also makes me to think what it all takes in designing and planning of space for its commercial use and patronage by the public. Spinning atop Southern Star was just one view for a larger vision.



Check out the photo gallery on this report here.

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* Chingshang, a Graduate student at University of Melbourne, contributes regularly to e-pao.net. The writer can be contacted at rockm(at)rediffmail(dot)com . This article was webcasted on January 20th 2009.

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