After 13 years of ups and downs, the Docklands’ Melbourne Star is powering down for good after suffering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While its final rotational swan song was today, the towering 120m observation wheel has faced its fair share of challenges over the years; first shutting down after only a month of opening back in 2008 due to technical difficulties which were soon followed by legal troubles.
Reopening in 2013 with new operators and a new name, the Melbourne Star saw some success cashing in on the tourism trade. However, with tourists usually accounting for just shy of half its revenue, owners MB Star Properties Pty Ltd were left with no choice but to shut up shop.
Whether it’s picked up by a new operator or deconstructed remains to be seen, though for now, we can say goodbye to Docklands’ biggest (and we mean that in its most literal sense) tourist attraction.
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Image credit: Mitchell Luo