Geelong’s Giant Sky Wheel could be back as soon as next month according to planning documents lodged with the City of Greater Geelong.
Hi Lite Amusements wants the giant wheel to be operating in time for White Night on October 8.
It also wants to extend its operating months from November to April to September to July.
“Throughout our time on the foreshore, we have had around sixty to eighty thousand people enjoying the experience of the Giant Wheel each season – weather depending,” the planning documents said.
“In the past when undertaking postcode surveys, many tourists told us that the Giant Sky Wheel was one of the attractions bringing them to Geelong.”
Meanwhile, Geelong’s Eastern Beach will receive a major clean up when volunteers descend on the popular tourist spot to remove rubbish that has plagued the area.
A joint initiative between Telstra Business Technology Centre Geelong (TBTCG) and Beach Patrol 3220 and 3030, it will involve local businesses being asked to allow their employees to attend to help tidy up the beach.
The initiative comes after last year’s successful Beach Patrol 3030 which held a tree planting day in Wyndham City.
TBTCG Brand, People and Culture Manager Luciana Manrique said Eastern Beach was chosen because it was easily accessible.
“We came up with this simple idea in Wyndham last year and it was an enormous success, so we are bringing it to Geelong this year,” she said.
“It brings together simple messaging around looking after the environment, it brings the community together around a common cause, it is a small platform for education and it is an easy way to contribute towards eliminating single use plastics.
“Around 30 per cent of plastics consumed in Australia are single-use and we found so many at Eastern Beach.
“We’re not recycling enough, and the vast majority is ending up in landfill or littered in our parks, rivers and oceans. Plastic straws, coffee cups and lids, cutlery, soy sauce fish-shaped bottles, packaging, pieces of polystyrene, containers, water bottles etc.”
The clean-up event is on Friday September 16 from 3pm to 5pm on the corner of Eastern Beach Road and Hearne Parade.
Beach Patrol 3220 will supply cleaning bags, gloves, briefing and rubbish removal bags. Beach Patrol 3030 will demonstrate how to collect the litter data and TBTCG will provide sanitised wipes, keep cups and hot coffee from local shops.
Register your interest at worldcleanupday.org/event?name=telstra_business_beach_cleanup_BPW
