A 32-metre-tall Ferris wheel could be turning on Auckland’s waterfront by December, if plans get the green light.
American amusement company Skyline Attractions has asked Auckland Council for permission to run the wheel on Queens Wharf, near the Downtown Ferry Terminal at the bottom of Queen Street. At 32 metres, it would be roughly as tall as a ten-storey building.
The wheel would have 24 gondolas, carrying up to 144 people at a time, with views across the Waitematā Harbour. It would run every day from 10am to 10pm, with later hours asked for on weekends and in school holidays.
The plans also include ticket booths, an ice cream cart and a cultural centre, created with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, the group in charge of events and tourism in Auckland, says the wheel is one of its favourite ideas for the waterfront this summer. It’s part of bigger plans to open several central wharves to the public for the first time.
However, Annie Dundas from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited said “the wheel remains subject to the necessary consents and approvals before plans can be confirmed.”
The council received the application on 16 October and expects to make a decision within about four weeks.
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