“On Monday an important new landmark on the city skyline opens for Melbourne,” Melbourne Star Management Group CEO Chris Kelly said.

“The Melbourne Star Observation Wheel represents the largest single investment in a tourism attraction in Australia since 1995, and the first significant new attraction to open in Melbourne for five years,” he said.   “Melbourne Star is a completely new product in terms of its design, engineering and construction and the range of unique and innovative features that have been incorporated.”

Mr Kelly said the new features have been designed to offer visitors a new introduction to Melbourne and provide a new perspective of the city for Melburnians.

He said anyone holding purchased tickets for the original Southern Star Observation Wheel could bring them to the Melbourne Star and have them replaced for a ride on the all-new and significantly enhanced observation wheel.

Visitors to Melbourne Star will enjoy a wealth of information about Melbourne, including its history, culture, eccentricities and the ‘Star’ qualities of modern Melbourne, through a pre-boarding display and story panels, ‘Tales of Melbourne’, and via specially researched cabin audio.

“It is far more than a ride on a giant observation wheel, although for most people that will be an entirely new experience in itself,” Mr Kelly said. “However, it is a wholly new Melbourne experience and I believe it will become a must-do activity for locals and visitors alike.”

The new Melbourne Star also features three-and-a-half kilometres of new LED lighting, the most advanced ever installed in Melbourne, allowing for more than 15 million different light combinations. It will light up Melbourne’s skyline nightly on opening, and ensure the Melbourne Star plays a key role in Melbourne’s major events calendar.

Melbourne Star will provide an important new venue centre for Melbourne and the Docklands precinct, with a range of dedicated function spaces, with catering provided exclusively by Peter Rowland Catering. The Star Piazza, at the base of the Star, has the capacity to host a cocktail reception for up to 1500 people, making it one of Melbourne’s largest open-air event venues and a key addition to supporting Melbourne’s reputation as a business events destination.

The Melbourne Star has 21 fully enclosed air-conditioned glass cabins, each capable of holding up to 20 guests who will enjoy a 30 minute flight journey taking in views of up 40 kilometres, including the Docklands precinct, Melbourne’s CBD, Port Phillip Bay and as far as Mount Macedon and the Dandenong Ranges.

Following the opening day, The Melbourne Star Observation Wheel will open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, with the last departure at 9.30 pm. It will open at 1 pm on Christmas Day and ANZAC Day.

Value-packed family ticket options are available, with a family ticket for one adult and two children costing for $56 and a ticket for two adults and two children available for $82.

During peak periods, up to 100 people will be employed at the Melbourne Star.

Melbourne Star is owned by Sanoyas Rides Australia Pty Ltd and is managed by the Melbourne Star Management Group.