Once Melbourne's 'laughing stock', Star ferris wheel turns again

Key points

• Melbourne's Melbourne Star observation wheel in Docklands has started turning again, after sitting stationary for five years. Owners Jane and Jay Jones say they are confident 2026 will mark a turning point for the attraction.
• Docklands precinct chief executive Jonathan Codman expects an additional 300,000 visitors each year. The wheel has had several closures since opening in 2008, including a stop in 2021 when its owners went into liquidation.
• Cancer patient Melanie Olsen and her daughter Charli-Koko Vance, who has a rare disease, attended the reopening.