Surfers Paradise Slingshot ride meets ‘pent up demand for excitement’

The reopened Surfers Paradise Slingshot has been proving to be a major drawcard for Gold Coast visitors and thrillseekers since recommencing operations on 27th December.

At its new location on Surfers Paradise’s Cavill Avenue, the busiest tourist street in Australia,

the attraction shoots riders more than 80 metres into the air at a speed of 160km/h.

Relocated from Palm Avenue where it had operated since 1995, the new location offers what Slingshot owner Brian Mirfin calls the attraction’s “skyscraper” headquarters - a three-storey structure containing offices, workshops and amenities.

Mirfin advises that there are also plans to add a bar, restaurant and games room at the site.

Commenting on the performance of Surfers Paradise Slingshot since its opening, Mirfin states that it has “been way above expectations.

“With the border reopening we’ve been meeting a pent up demand for excitement.”

The Slingshot ride itself has been through ongoing enhancement since its 1995 launch with and now features state-of-the-art safety mechanisms and a range of patented technologies including spring powered gearbox and programmable logical controller (PLC) technology to control both automation and safety functions.

In securing design registration certification from the Queensland Government in order for the ride to be operational for the peak summer season, Mirfin also acknowledged the role of Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association (AALARA) General Manager Kristy Ahrens and Gold Coast City Council in helping get the attraction operational.

In recent days a video shared to social media showing a rider apparently passing out while on the ride has been widely shared online and was reported on this morning by the Sunrise program.

In the brief clip, a girl named Vanessa can be heard predicting her own fate, telling the friend strapped in next to her “I’m gonna faint” only moments before the pair were shot into the sky.

12 seconds after take-off the girl is seen fainting before coming to and seemingly passing out on two further occasions.

The video has gone viral with more than 300,000 views on Facebook.

However, Mirfin notes that while people can faint on high adrenalin rides he points out that the girl’s grip on the ride’s handlebars never eases during the video.

Images courtesy of Slingshot Surfers Paradise.