00:00So we've got staff camps, like we have caravans and staff camps as well.
00:04Hi guys, so we're up here on the Surfers Paradise Esplanade and you can see the big wheel of Oz
00:10Ferris wheel behind me being constructed.
00:13And we're here with Brent, so someone who's been travelling with the wheel for almost a decade and we're going
00:19to have a chat about what it really takes to travel, build and run one of Australia's biggest moving attractions.
00:38All right, well let's start with the logistics and the actual build.
00:42Like how long does it actually take to build something like this?
00:46So we usually do it in about two days.
00:50So first day we'll set it all up, do everything, then the second day we'll clean, wash it all, make
00:56sure it's all looking good.
01:00But we can usually get it up in about one day.
01:03And how many hours is that though? Because when do you start?
01:06We start at, like today we started at 7 o'clock in the morning.
01:10We'll probably go to say 5 o'clock and we'll probably have it done by then.
01:14And what about then taking it down after an event?
01:17Um, same thing, like comes down pretty quick.
01:21Yep.
01:21Um, probably about roughly the same time.
01:24Um, it's two trailers.
01:26So like there's one trailer that all the, the, the cars, cages and everything travels on.
01:31Oh!
01:32And the actual wheel and the wheel is one trailer, the white, the red here, it all folds in and
01:38folds down.
01:39And that's one trailer.
01:40Yeah, right.
01:42So that red trailer is actually pulled by that red truck, isn't it?
01:46And the trailer is actually the base of the Ferris wheel.
01:49And what do you mean by clean?
01:50Like do you actually hose it down or something or hand clean it?
01:53We'll just like gurn it, wash all the cakes and cars, like just make sure it's all clean.
01:58Um, when it's laid down, we can like do all the whites and that and go the whole, the whole
02:03thing.
02:03But yeah, we're going to keep it all nice and clean.
02:06Oh yeah, exactly.
02:07Does it get like sort of dirty in transport or something?
02:10100%.
02:10Oh!
02:11And it jobs because of foot traffic and stuff like that, especially like if it's a muddy job where it's
02:14been raining or something.
02:16Oh!
02:17It tends to get pretty dirty.
02:20How interesting.
02:21Well, what about, um, life on the road?
02:24Like what's, what's it actually like traveling with this thing?
02:26Like how do you plan like routes and appropriate roads because it's so big?
02:31Oh, we can pretty much go like on, on most normal roads.
02:35We don't really have to like go around much unless like, you know, we know there's a low bridge or
02:40something like that and maybe go around.
02:42But we're pretty much, pretty right.
02:44Um, we travel probably go as far as Melbourne, um, and up to like Cairns.
02:54And, um, we basically try and stick around Brisbane and, um, make a little bit of these self-flowers.
03:00But, yeah.
03:01And what about your own like accommodation?
03:04Like where do you go?
03:04So we've got staff camps, like the, we have caravans and then staff camps as well.
03:09Um, so all the staff, um, like share, uh, staff camp, which has like got two bunks in each room.
03:17And then it's a two-room staff camp, air conditioner and everything like that.
03:20Like it's got all the one comforts.
03:22And then the bosses have their own caravans and that that they travel in as well.
03:26So, but, um.
03:27How interesting.
03:28So you actually, is it caravans that you're pulling with the whole, um, entourage?
03:33Yeah, we have a bit of a compoy when we go, but like we're based here in Brisbane.
03:37Yep.
03:38Um, so if we're close by, we just travel there by car each day.
03:44Yep.
03:45But, um, so like after this, we leave this job, we go to Toowoomba for carnival flowers.
03:49Oh, yeah.
03:49Um, so we'll camp there at the, um, showgrounds at Swarmba.
03:55And yeah, we'll just take all that go there.
03:57It's all their, all their family comes and that, kids and everything, so.
04:00Oh, how interesting.
04:02The kids would love it probably.
04:03Like it'd be fun, like.
04:04Yeah, they'd be fun.
04:05Something different, yeah.
04:07Um, and what about, um, behind the scenes?
04:11Like what's something about running a Ferris wheel that most people wouldn't know?
04:15It's hard work, long hours.
04:17Like that's the main thing.
04:18Is it very physical work?
04:20Like lifting?
04:21Yeah, yeah, quite heavy.
04:23Oh, yeah.
04:23Not, um, not everybody can handle it.
04:26I'm sure they wouldn't, yeah, because the pieces look big.
04:29I was fascinated.
04:30I have actually seen, like I'm fascinated by the fact that the, what you think is the roof
04:35as it comes down, flips over and that becomes the floor.
04:38Like I remember live streaming the construct of this Ferris wheel once and that was really
04:42fascinating to me.
04:44Oh, yeah.
04:45And what about, um, engineering and safety?
04:48Like what would be like sort of daily checks that you would do or maintenance?
04:51Oh, so we just, we make sure, like, all our bolts are done, like on the car, okay, which
04:57they're doing now.
04:58Yep.
04:59Like they're bolting the cages down and that.
05:01Um, make sure all the bolts, like, carry out, make sure all the bolts are still good.
05:04Make sure all the arms are on the pins.
05:06Check all the pins up the top.
05:08Check all the pins up the top there.
05:10Yep.
05:10Um, make sure the wheels are greased and everything.
05:13Oh, right.
05:14Yeah, that's pretty much it for your daily checks and that.
05:17Um, just that we do that every morning, like, make sure that it's safe to go for everybody.
05:23Yeah.
05:24Yep.
05:24And what about, um, your own experience?
05:28Like, you've obviously been travelling for about 10 years with this, what's, I mean, obviously
05:34apart from the Gold Coast, ha ha, what's your favourite location that you've been to?
05:40Oh, probably, probably up, up.
05:44Oh, yeah.
05:46I try it on the border, not that's what I have there.
05:48Um, and then a few other bikes, like Melbourne and that.
05:53That's not bad, but I'm sort of a, uh, between then.
05:58So, I like to see them around Brisbane and then I'll trace them up.
06:02Yeah.
06:02Especially close to home as well.
06:05Yeah.
06:06Yep.
06:06And, um, what would be your advice then to someone who's never ridden on a Ferris wheel
06:10before and who might be a little bit nervous?
06:13Oh, I love it.
06:16People and parents, their babies, they sleep on it.
06:19It's that crazy.
06:20Yeah.
06:21It's not a fast ride.
06:21It's not a thrill ride.
06:22It's a ride the whole family can jump on and enjoy.
06:25Yeah.
06:26And do you have a go on it at times?
06:29Do you jump, do you guys jump on and go around?
06:31Yeah, 100%.
06:31Yeah.
06:32Enjoy the view?
06:33Yeah, get some good photos.
06:34Yeah.
06:35Get some good Instagram photos for sure.
06:38Thank you very much for your time.
06:41Really appreciate you.
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