A Ferris wheel has arrived on Manly Beach, opposite the Corso, the headline addition to this year’s Rise Manly winter festival. After weeks of anticipation, locals walking the beachfront this week will see it standing more than 25 metres tall, the first Ferris wheel on Manly’s ocean beachfront and the closest the suburb has come to its old Fun Pier wheel, which operated at Manly Wharf on the harbour side from 1931 until it was demolished in 1989.
It’s gone up ahead of Rise Manly’s official opening this Friday, 19 June, and while it was originally booked in for the festival’s 10 day run to 28 June, its stay has since been extended. It will now remain on the beachfront until Sunday 19 July, giving locals and visitors a full month to take a spin.
For those wanting to ride it, the wheel operates  Friday and Saturday from 10am to 10pm and Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 9:30pm, with rides weather dependent. Tickets cost $10 per person or $35 for a family pass covering four people, sold onsite only.
Rise Manly itself runs 19 to 28 June with live street performances, light installations, a silent disco tour and ski parties, along with warming winter movies and winter-themed menus, including a Euro-esque fondue and wine experience at Henry G’s. The Corso’s ground surface will also be transformed into a canvas of light, in a nod to Vivid, while the historic Town Hall gets a projection makeover. For the more active, a 1km swim from Manly to Shelly Beach marks the winter solstice with the Ice Cold Classic, raising funds for people in need.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins said the wheel was one of several new additions building on last year’s success. “The program was such a success last year and there are plans to build on this with more surprises, including the Ferris wheel,” she said.
Local shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, and fitness and wellness businesses are taking part with an array of special events and experiences for the festival. More on Rise Manly can be found on the Hello Manly website.
