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Eureka Tower

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LenR
LenR
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4 out of 5
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Eureka Tower Skydeck.

  • November 27, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by LenR from Townsville, Australia
Eureka Tower Skydeck.

Eureka Tower is the tallest residential building in the world, when measured either by the height of its roof, or by the height of its highest habitable floor. The building stands 297.3 m in height, with 91 storeys above ground plus one basement level. It is one of only six buildings in the world with 90 or more storeys but is merely the 38th tallest building in the world, most likely due to the fact that it does not have a spire or antenna.

The observation deck (SkyDeck) is situated on the 88th floor and is the highest public vantage point (285m/935 ft) in the southern hemisphere. I visited one afternoon and was astonished by the view over the city, suburbs and Port Phillip Bay. One unusual aspect is that sound effects are present in the Skydeck so if you look at Albert Park Lake, for instance, you can hear sounds of the cars racing at the Melbourne Grand Prix event.

Apart from the unforgettable panorama, Skydeck 88 entertains the entire family with a host of activities and sloping floors designed to "play with people's senses". You will discover "Serendipity" the 6-metre long, multi-user "Table of Knowledge", follow the scrolling floor & wall displays to pinpoint landmarks or simply step on to the "Terrace" & expose yourself to the outside elements. There are viewfinders positioned to take in places of interest around Melbourne.

Skydeck 88 also features what I consider to be a nightmare but others obviously love. 'The Edge' - a glass cube which projects 3 metres out from the building - with visitors inside – is suspended almost 300 metres above the ground. When you enter, the glass is opaque as the cube moves out over the edge of the building. Once fully extended over the edge, the glass (including the floor) becomes crystal clear to the sounds of smashing glass and machine malfunctions.

The two lifts servicing the observation decks are the fastest in Australia, travelling at nine meters per second and taking just over 30 seconds from the ground floor lobby.

At $12, admission to the Skydeck 88 observation deck seems reasonable value for those wanting a bird’s eye view of the city. Despite my concern with heights, I enjoyed it. The Edge is extra. Fortunately, when I was there the line to participate was long and the wait was estimated at 40 minutes so we could not experience something that would have haunted me for months.

From journal Marvellous Melbourne

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