By NOEL MURPHY
EASTERN Beach’s Ferris wheel operator wants to return to Geelong’s waterfront for another three years.
Hi Lite Amusements has asked Heritage Victoria for a permit to again run the 46-metre high wheel for five months from November each year following successful trials over five seasons since 2007.
The Ferris wheel has won support among the public and tourists but also been controversial, drawing criticism from nearby residents who have complained about noise and light from the ride.
Their objections forced Hi Lite Amusments to seek approval from Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to operate the wheel from 2011 to 2013.
Former Premier Jeff Kennett, who initiated an overhaul of Geelong’s waterfront in the 1990s, has also slammed the attraction as “utterly disgusting”.
Hi Lite Amusement’s application to Heritage Victoria cited the historical significance of the waterfront site at the corner of Bellerine St and Ritchie Blvd.
The Verfuth family ran a highly-popular Hy Lite Amusement Park on the site between the 1950s and 1980s.
The Giant Sky Wheel has proven a colourful addition to the Geelong skyline, with its brightly-lit violet and yellow structure and 36 gondolas soaring into the night sky and visible from far away.
Hi Lite Amusements needs Heritage Victoria’s approval because a heritage planning overlay covers the site, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
According to the company’s application, the Ferris wheel employed up to 30 people, boosted spending in local businesses and offered social benefits as a “iconic feature” in Geelong.
