Queen’s Wharf zipline plan to be Brisbane’s Star attraction

As plans for a zipline on Mt Coot-tha divides the community, a second one has been proposed for another iconic part of Brisbane.

The Queen’s Wharf Sky Deck is being considered as a launch site for the zipline, which would traverse the river.

A ZIPLINE could send thrillseekers soaring across the Brisbane River as part of an ambitious plan to deliver more world-class tourist attractions to the city.

As debate rages over a controversial zipline planned by Brisbane City Council for Mt Coot-tha, The Courier-Mail can reveal the Star Entertainment Group aspires to build a similar attraction from the $3 billion Queen’s Wharf development across the river to South Bank.

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It is one of two zipline proposals by Star for its expanding southeast Queensland holdings, with plans also afoot for one that would send tourists from high above the Gold Coast casino to the famous sands of Kurrawa Beach.

An artist’s impression of the Mt Coot-tha zipline, for which trees need to be removed, unlike Star’s ziplines, which would be in urban areas.

Star boss Matt Bekier said ziplines were becoming enormously popular around the globe and would add tremendous value to the company’s two flagship properties.

“You see them in Europe, in Las Vegas in the US, the queues are gigantic,” he said.

Both Queensland ventures are still in the early planning stages, with exact routes and configurations yet to be confirmed.

At Queen’s Wharf, passengers would soar across the river from 100 metres up, offering an exhilarating new way to experience one of Brisbane’s greatest assets.

The Sky Deck entertainment precinct, which will feature 360-degree views of the city, is one location being considered as a launch site.

The masterplan for Star Gold Coast also features scope for a zipline, which could run high above the Gold Coast Highway, touching down in front of Kurrawa Beach.

Star boss Matt Bekier says the ziplines would add tremendous value to the company’s two flagship properties. Picture: AAP/Claudia Baxter

Other options include a zipline traversing two towers on the Broadbeach Island site or finishing at the neighbouring Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Mr Bekier said the ziplines had the potential to be major tourism drawcards.

“We need to create attractions to give people reasons to visit, and ziplines are becoming very popular around the world,” he said.

“If you are brave enough, you could take the zipline over to South Bank, then walk back across the bridge to enjoy the view of the city both ways.

“On the Gold Coast, a zipline down to the beach would be phenomenal.

“It would really be a unique experience.”

Mr Bekier has visited ziplines in the US, France and Norway that have proved to be wildly popular, including a temporary one in Paris from the Eiffel Tower during the French Open tennis tournament.

No time frame has been set for either zipline as construction continues at both properties.

However, Mr Bekier said unlike the Mt Coot-tha proposal, which has received hundreds of objections, the Brisbane River and Gold Coast ziplines would traverse urban environments.

“We don’t have to cut down trees or anything else,” he said.

“There would be no environmental impact.”

Originally published as Queen’s Wharf zipline plan to be Brisbane’s Star attraction