Recently two people plunged from Eureka. Luckily for them they were experienced B.A.S.E. Jumpers and I believe all went well. Anyone know more?
Seems like The Big E has been christened...if you are allowed to use that term these days ;-)
Let's call it a Non-denominational debut via parachute.

Yeah well the HUN said that today, and i remember a forum member mentioning base jumping back around then, i'm not suprised. I'm waiting for one day when the council gets a few jumpers to peform during an event.

Oh it was in the Hun was it? I didn't read the paper today and just heard it mentioned on the radio in the wee small hours. Sorry for the stale news-still worth a mention on the forum though I guess.

Can't see any organised base jumping sadly due to all the legal and public safety issues but it would be good. Seems that pastime will remian in the realm of stealthy 'daredevils' who are spirited away by waiting cars upon landing.

I do remember years ago watching in person 3 firefighters ab-sail down the south edge of the Rialto. One didn't make it past what is now the observation deck and went back to the roof for reasons unknown. The other two eventually made it down but not before getting blown about and tangled half way down. They looked utterly and understandably exhausted and relieved to make it down to Flinders Lane.

More recently there was that other fire fighter that used a cable to get from the top of 120 collins to 101 which I also saw by chance. Sorry no camera on hand at the time sadly.

Damn I thought you were going to tell us where we could get jumpers with Eureka on them from. Way to get my hopes up. :)

Lol. I was hoping I could jump off.
:badnews: weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

That'd be pretty fun yet freaky. So they illegally did it aye. Were they caught. Imagine owning a penthouse. Buy an emergency parachute and say you thought there was a fire.

Damn I thought you were going to tell us where we could get jumpers with Eureka on them from. Way to get my hopes up. :)


I've got a jumper with Eureka on it; only cost you $500 bucks a year and 56 hours a week Arch............:cheers2:

Maybe they where new tennants testing the emergency fire/terrorist attack egress system. Not such a daft idea if you think about it seriously. Would have been handy 5 years ago for some poor souls.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20513897-2862,00.html

Eureka – I did it

October 03, 2006 12:00am

A DAREDEVIL base jumper plunged more than 250m from the top of Southbank's Eureka Tower -- and lived to tell the tale.

The man leapt from the 70th storey of Melbourne's tallest building on a Saturday afternoon last year.
But the huge security breach was kept quiet by project chiefs because of fears that unions would shut down the site.

The Herald Sun can reveal the man scaled a 3m barbed-wire fence, his parachute already strapped to his back, and made his way to the top via an unsecured lift and stairwell.

It is believed he was detected by workers once he reached the 70th floor, but hurled himself over the edge before he could be detained.

He descended safely to the ground after his parachute opened a few seconds into the free-fall, landing in Cook St. A van whisked him away.

The leap was not reported to police.

A building industry source said the man had avoided two security guards patrolling the ground floor of the tower, which was months from completion.

The Australian BASE Association admitted yesterday it knew of at least two successful jumps from the skyscraper.

"It wouldn't surprise me if many people had done it," ABA president Gary Cunningham said.

Eureka is 92 storeys and 300m -- making it the world's highest residential tower when measured to its roof.

The new Q1 building on the Gold Coast also lays claim to being the tallest, at 323m, if measured to the top of its spire.

Base jumping -- an acronym derived from bridge, antenna, span and earth ---- involves parachuters leaping from cliff tops, buildings, bridges and spires.

An Australian man died in Mexico last month after slamming into an 800m cliff during a legal base-jumping event. It is believed his parachute malfunctioned.

A second Australian died in a similar accident in Norway in May.

At least 10 Australians have died participating in the extreme sport since it took off in the 1980s.

Anyone know when the Ob Deck opens? i tried rining Eureka Tower but the number for the ob deck just rings out.

I dunno. I emailed the address on the site and the people just replied saying they can't release that info or they don't know or something. Bit annoying.

November/ December from what I've heard. Finishing touches now.

Stu

Cools. Thanx. Can't wait!!!!

nice one, and for anyone interested,
http://www.news.com.au/sundayheraldsun/podcasts/video

view from the top

I was told by Rialto staff that it will be opened on December 1st.

Cool.Why do the Eureka staff not know yet the Rialto staff do?

will rialto observation deck stay open now that eureka one is open
or maby the people in rialto might loose there jobs and then get a deal that they could work in the eureka observation deck maby i donno

I'm not sure. The Eureka will be higher and new but the Rialto has alot more room. The Rialto has a slightly different view. I suppose it still could stay open. Haven't heard anything about it though.

Recently they've taken advantage of the last months of being the highest observation deck in Melbourne with their radio adds.

i dont think rialto's deck will be able to compete with eureka's deck

for the vast majority of customers, its basically the same experience. so why not go to the one which is taller. most people wouldn't pay twice to generally see the same view.

its australia square versus sydney tower, again

i dont think rialto's deck will be able to compete with eureka's deck

for the vast majority of customers, its basically the same experience. so why not go to the one which is taller. most people wouldn't pay twice to generally see the same view.

its australia square versus sydney tower, again
I could see Rialto turning into a high class restaurant, with a few outdoor tables :P

^^ lol yes ala aust square's summit restaurant

But Eureka's ob deck capacity is like a quarter of Rialto's from what I've heard...

IT WOULD be great if it opened in december - i am looking forward to going up it actually !

Lozza:lock:

I still hope that an outdoor deck opens on the top of the building. I've seen photos of the tracking for the window cleaning machine but if they make it like the NY WTC deck it would be fantastic. elevated over and slightly in from the sides with low railing, no cage around and just the sky above. It was awsome.You would ride an escalator from the inside OB deck below.In that location it would be above 300m. and be the highest open deck in the world......I think ?

^nah the roof cannot be used for observation.but 50m com mast can be. maybe its still on agenda next year?

why not roof?

Culwulla, I see by pics that the roof is complex with tracking equipment etc. but as I mentioned the old open deck on the NY. WTC.tower 2 (RIP) was elevated above all that....and because it was about ??? say 4 - 5 metres above the roof and a few metres in from the sides ( may have a factor of less air turbulance. )it only had waist height railings with no other mesh or grill around or above. This gave the most awsome feeling so high above the city. I can imagine that feeling looking out over the CBD to the north and parklands to the east.....and down over Albert Park and the bay....One of the best views Melbourne has. If you compare New Yorks climate and the position of the buiding I can't see how one above the Eureka wouldn't work. I know the comunication tower....with ob. deck may still go ahead but would be very satisfied with just this open deck above the roof!.....that's all.

Culwulla, I see by pics that the roof is complex with tracking equipment etc. but as I mentioned the old open deck on the NY. WTC.tower 2 (RIP) was elevated above all that....and because it was about ??? say 4 - 5 metres above the roof and a few metres in from the sides ( may have a factor of less air turbulance. )it only had waist height railings with no other mesh or grill around or above. This gave the most awsome feeling so high above the city. I can imagine that feeling looking out over the CBD to the north and parklands to the east.....and down over Albert Park and the bay....One of the best views Melbourne has. If you compare New Yorks climate and the position of the buiding I can't see how one above the Eureka wouldn't work. I know the comunication tower....with ob. deck may still go ahead but would be very satisfied with just this open deck above the roof!.....that's all.

Hi all,
just come back from vacation and was wondering if there's been any further news on when the Eureka ob/deck is opening.
Went to the Q1 deck whilst holidaying in GC and thought it was terrific, Q1 looks great lit up at night.
I can't help think Eureka's designers lack of interest in how this landmark building would look at night (please no comments on how this is a residential building etc etc...I know this..just stating an opinion).

No knews. Not really. Rumours it's opening around March but remember there used to be rumours saying it would open in August and November etc.

The level 89 website syays that it will be open early 2007.

Hopefully some form of lightling up top will be unveiled when the observation deck is opened and the major sculptue on the podium is unveiled.

^^ ^^
Thanks guys, hopefully not too long now.
Whilst I was checking out Q1's obs/deck I kept thinking how cool Eureka's is going to be when open as it will be even higher.
I wonder what will come of Rialto's obs/deck ? Would be great if they kept it open.