Overview
If you grew up in Brisbane between 1988 and 2000, then the Myer Centre was likely one of your favourite places to visit. In the space that's now taken up by the venue's top-level cinemas, the CBD shopping complex was home to an indoor theme park — and, amid the arcade games, it also boasted the dragon coaster.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, and with the precinct that was called Tops all those years back, it's incredibly self-explanatory. And while it has been more than two decades since the dragon coaster has gone whizzing around the complex, or at all — despite talks of bringing it back in a new spot a few years ago after the the long-discarded rollercoaster was located — an all-ages venue in Tingalpa has just unveiled a new attraction inspired by that beloved ride.
Meet The Hawk — which isn't a rollercoaster, has nothing to do with dragons and isn't in the Myer Centre, but wouldn't exist if The Jungle Adventure Play owner Lachlan Walker wasn't a dragon coaster fan.
"When I was a kid living on the Sunshine Coast, I loved coming down to Brisbane and going to the Queen Street Mall with my mum just so I could go for a ride on the dragon coaster," Walker advised.
"I have such fond memories of those times and wanted to create a ride unique not only to southeast Queensland, but to Australia."
The Hawk is an electric flying fox, and it isn't for the faint-hearted. According to The Jungle Adventure Play team, it's the longest electric flying fox in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, as well as zooming along a 140-metre track that zips both inside and outside, it gets moving at 22 kilometres per hour. So, you'll be whirling along at speed, indoors and out, all while strapped into a harness eight metres above the ground. And yes, whether it's sunny or rainy outdoors, you'll be flying through that as well.
Given that The Jungle Adventure Play is a family-friendly space, Brissie adults looking to indulge their inner kidult — for nostalgia purposes, or just because whizzing around in a flying fox never gets old — can expect to have plenty of company. That said, it's open for children and adults alike.
Bookings have just opened for The Hawk, but you won't be able to get zooming until Tuesday, March 29 — and yes, it sounds far more fun than the other Zooming you've been doing from your laptop during the pandemic.
The Jungle Adventure Play also features a giant inflatable bag that you can jump onto, climbing walls, high ropes and an indoor ninja course if you're keen for the whole experience between flying-fox rides.
Find The Jungle Adventure Play at 31 Proprietary Street, Tingalpa — open 9am–5pm Sunday–Thursday and 9am–7pm Friday–Saturday.