Sea World Monorail System
Encyclopedia
The Sea World Monorail System is a 2 kilometres (6,561.7 ft) monorail
circuit around the Sea World
theme park on the Gold Coast
, Australia
.
, at least one of the monorail trains from World Expo Park
was relocated to Sea World in 1989.
. 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 hectares (172,222.6 sq ft) water park
(also available as an upcharge for Sea World guests) 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. All stations are located several metres above ground level and can be accessed by ramps or staircases.
s or strollers. A section of transfer track is located above Sea World Resort's Water Park and Castaway Bay. 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 very rare for all three trains to operate on the same day. This only occurs occasionally in the peak summer season. At least one of the monorail trains which operated at World Expo Park in 1988 was relocated to Sea World in 1989.
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
circuit around the Sea World
Sea World
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and promotes conservation through education and through the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The...
theme park on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
The Sea World Monorail System opened on 15 August 1986 as Australia's first monorail system. Following the conclusion of Expo 88 in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, at least one of the monorail trains from World Expo Park
World Expo Park
World Expo Park was an amusement park built for Expo '88 in Brisbane, Australia. It was positioned on the corner of Melbourne and Glenelg Streets in South Brisbane, the current site of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The park was opened when the exposition opened on the 30 April 1988...
was relocated to Sea World in 1989.
Stations
Three stations are located around the 2 kilometres (6,561.7 ft) Sea World Monorail System. The first station is located near the front of the park adjacent to Penguin EncounterPenguin Encounter
Penguin Encounter is an animal exhibit at the Sea World amusement park on the Gold Coast, Australia, featuring King and Gentoo penguins.-History:...
. It is known as the main monorail station. After taking a scenic journey alongside the Gold Coast Broadwater
Gold Coast Broadwater
The Gold Coast Broadwater, also known as Southport Broadwater and Gold Coast Harbour, is a large shallow estuary of water reaching from the locality of Southport to the southern section of the World Heritage Listed Moreton Bay along the eastern coast of Australia...
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
Happy Feet 4-D Experience
Happy Feet 4-D Experience is a 4-D film currently showing at a variety of amusement parks and aquariums around the world including Sea World, Shedd Aquarium, Moody Gardens, Nickelodeon Suites Resort and Adventure Aquarium. It was previously shown at Drayton Manor throughout the 2010 season...
. From the mid monorail station the track then travels between the Sea World Resort's 1.6 hectares (172,222.6 sq ft) water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
(also available as an upcharge for Sea World guests) 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. All stations are located several metres above ground level and can be accessed by ramps or staircases.
Trains
Three, nine-car trains make up the Sea World Monorail System. Each of the trains can hold 96 passengers. The last car on the train is modified to accommodate those with wheelchairWheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
s or strollers. A section of transfer track is located above Sea World Resort's Water Park and Castaway Bay. 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 very rare for all three trains to operate on the same day. This only occurs occasionally in the peak summer season. At least one of the monorail trains which operated at World Expo Park in 1988 was relocated to Sea World in 1989.
External links
- Sea World Monorail System on the official Sea World website