Sea World Monorail System

The Sea World Monorail System is an Australian 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) monorail circuit around the Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast.[1] It is the sole remaining monorail system in Australia, after the closure of the Sydney Monorail and the other system at Broadbeach, linking the Oasis Shopping Centre with Jupiters Casino.

Sea World Monorail System
Sea World (Australia)
CostA$3 million
Opening date15 August 1986 (1986-08-15)
General statistics
Attraction typestraddle-beam Monorail
ManufacturerVon Roll Holding
ModelVon Roll MkII
Length2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Speed27 km/h (17 mph)
Vehicles3
Riders per vehicle96
Height restrictionChildren under 105 cm (41 in) must be accompanied by an adult.
Wheelchair accessible

History

The Sea World Monorail System opened on 15 August 1986 by Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen as Australia's first monorail system.[2][3][4][5] Following the conclusion of World Expo 88 in Brisbane, at least one of the monorail trains was relocated to Sea World in 1989.[6][7][8]

Stations
The operator cab of one of the trains.

Three stations are located on the 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) long line.[1] The first station is located near the front of the park adjacent to Penguin Encounter. It is known as the main monorail station. After taking a scenic journey alongside the Gold Coast Broadwater the monorail passes several Sea World attractions including the Dolphin Nursery, Fish Detectives arena, shopping plaza, Ray Reef and Polar Bear Shores.

The monorail then arrives at its next station known as the mid monorail station, located in the rough centre of the park. This station is situated between Shark Bay and the Sea World Theatre. From the mid monorail station the track then travels between the Sea World Resort's 1.6-hectare (170,000 sq ft) water park (also available as an upcharge for Sea World guests[9]) and Castaway Bay before arriving at the Sea World Resort and Water Park monorail station.

The final leg of the monorail circuit is the longest. It begins by travelling alongside the Imagine Dolphin Show arena and Dolphin Cove pools before passing over Jet Rescue and through the Sea Viper. The track then runs alongside the main lagoon where Pirates Unleashed is held before making a small circuit around the Sea World carpark and returning to the main monorail station.[10] All stations are located several metres above ground level and can be accessed by ramps or staircases.

Trains
A monorail train at Sea World.
Sea World Monorail System
 Sea World Resort Station
Maintenance facility
(not open to public)
 Mid Station
Main Station
Bus transfer
(via short walk outside park)

Three, nine-car trains are operated. Each of the trains can hold 96 passengers.[1][2] The last car on the train has been modified to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. A section of transfer track is located above Sea World Resort's Water Park and Castaway Bay.[10] This transfer track allows trains to be removed from the main circuit and stored in a maintenance bay located directly under the mid monorail station.

It is rare for all three trains to operate on the same day. This only occurs occasionally in the peak summer season.[11] One of the monorail trains previously operated at World Expo 88 in Brisbane in 1988 and was relocated to Sea World in 1989.[6][7][8]

See also

References
  1. "Sea World Monorail System (Sea World)". Parkz. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  2. Australia's First Monorail Railway Digest December 1986 page 387
  3. Monorail first at Seaworld Network January 1987 page 58
  4. Sea World. "History and Development of Sea World". MyFun. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  5. Sea World. "Sea World Mono Rail". MyFun. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  6. "Brisbane World Expo '88". New2Brisbane. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  7. Foster, Lee (1 May 1988). "Living It Up Down Under At Expo '88". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  8. "World Expo Park". Database Entry. Parkz. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  9. Sea World (2011). "Sea World Resort Water Park". MyFun. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  10. Sea World (2011). "Park Map". MyFun. Archived from the original on 18 October 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  11. Wilson, Richard (8 April 2005). "Sea World Monorail System". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
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