After sitting still for nearly four years, the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel is gearing up for a comeback. It’s been announced that MB Star Properties Pty Ltd, owner of the 120-metre Docklands landmark that went into liquidation in 2021, will be restructured under an $11 million takeover.
The new partnership bringing the Star back to life includes Melbourne-based Skyline Attractions, US operator Ray Cammack Shows (behind wheels at Coachella and the LA County Fair), and RoBu Group, which bought the wheel in early 2021. Skyline Attractions, run by husband-and-wife duo Jay and Jane Jones, will oversee daily operations.
The wheel is scheduled to reopen in 2026, though a precise date is yet to be confirmed.
Lord Mayor Nick Reece welcomed the news: “The City of Melbourne has been involved in many behind-the-scenes conversations to help get the Star turning once more. We’ll be working closely with Skyline Attractions to ensure a smooth process towards the relaunch,” he said.
It’s been a chequered history for the 40-storey, 1,500-tonne giant. Originally launched as the Southern Star in late 2008, it lasted just 40 days before cracks – some up to three metres long -forced its closure. Blamed first on a heatwave, then on structural flaws, the wheel was dismantled and rebuilt from scratch.
Even its reconstruction was plagued with drama. In 2011, strong winds caused the wheel to break free from restraints, injuring a worker. It eventually reopened in December 2013 as the Melbourne Star, but shut for good in September 2021, with operators citing the pandemic’s impact and changes in Docklands.
This time, the team plans to add fresh experiences from pre-football packages and drink experiences to family carriages and historic Melbourne tour in a bid to welcome 250,000 visitors in its first year.
