Ferris Wheel The Australian 4 April 2007

4 APRIL 2007

John Stapleton

Benjamin Marks

AFTER five million dollars and a massively complex shipping operation, the world's largest transportable ferris wheel will tomorrow  take its first paying customer at the opening of Sydney's Royal Easter Show.

Designed for Australian conditions, the SkyView Wheel is the world's only ferris wheel with individually air conditioned gondolas.

Weighing 200 tonnes and 46 metres high, it is transported on three trucks which are then parked side by side. The machine essentially unfolds itself, with its various components ``walking'' themselves together.

Owner Glen Blades said ferris wheels had a history dating back more than a century and he expected his modern wonder to do good business. ``They have an eternal appeal to all age groups,'' he said.

Owner of the Dutch manufacturing company Mondial Froukja Knijpstra, who is in Australia ensuring the world's most hi-tech ferris wheel's first days of operation go without a hitch, said business better than ever. ``Fairgrounds are not a dying tradition, not at all,'' she said.

Geoff Kannock, secretary of the Australian Council of Agricultural Societies, the peak body for the country's nine capital city shows, said shows were still very important for country people, despite the drought and a declining population. ``Everything is not right in the country; people are doing it tough,'' he said. ``People in tough times seek out events as a way out of the drudgery of their farm life.

``But we are resorting to expensive mobile amusement for the Royal shows to have appeal to urban populations. Hence the investment in rides like SkyView.''

Roger Perkins, Chief Executive of the Royal Agricultural Society, said while the drought was making it difficult for some rural families to participate, agriculture played as important a part as ever. ``We unashamedly provide all the whizz bang entertainment, but we also have an enormous opportunity and responsibility to showcase agriculture. Country people, not withstanding the terrible circumstances a lot are experiencing, are still turning up.

``And city people still want to know where we came from. A lot of people say Australia is the best place in the world to live, and the value system, principles and ideals as a nation have largely come from rural Australia. We ignore that at our peril.''

Ray Reid, 81, from Woodenbong near the Queensland border, said: ``Whatever adversity, at show time people always turn up. It is good therapy, good for their spirit. People come down here and forget about it all for awhile.''