Detailed Analysis: Eureka Skydeck, Melbourne - Attraction Visit Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of the Eureka Skydeck in Melbourne, a popular tourist destination. It examines the Skydeck's features, including its location, accessibility, facilities, visitor information, and audio-visual materials. The report also explores visitor motivations, drawing on theories of travel motivation to explain why tourists are drawn to the Skydeck. It analyzes the overall impression of the attraction, focusing on the unique experience it offers, such as the Edge and Eureka Vertigo. The study also discusses the Skydeck's website, accessibility through public transport and parking, and the availability of guides and educational opportunities. Overall, the report highlights the Skydeck's appeal as a must-see attraction in Melbourne, emphasizing its ability to provide a memorable experience that aligns with both 'sunlust' and 'wanderlust' motivations of tourists.

Running head: ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
Attraction Visit and Analysis: Eureka Skydeck, Melbourne
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
Introduction
Eureka Skydeck is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Melbourne. The
Skydeck is located on the 88th floor of the 91 storied Eureka Tower, providing the highest public
view in the Southern Hemisphere at 935 ft (285 m) above the sea level (planetware.com 2018).
In the heart of the Southbank of Melbourne, by the Yarra River, the attraction was built from
2002 to 2006. The tower is the tallest one in Melbourne and second tallest in Australia, after Q1
in Queensland. The tower was named after the Eureka Stockade, the rebellion at the time of 1854
Victorian gold rush and hence, the design has incorporated a gold crown at the top of the
building representing the gold rush (Eureka Skydeck 2018). The Skydeck also features The
Edge, a glass cube projecting outside the building providing a 360 degree view of the city.
Website
Eureka Skydeck has a complete website with all the relevant information about the
observation deck. Right from the ‘About Us’ to ticket pricing, things to see, education, dining
and many more, the website is filled with all sorts of information and pictures. Visitors can check
out www.eurekaskydeck.com.au to get the detailed information before visiting this attraction.
The website is user-friendly as it contains easy links to important information along with photos
of the visitors. It also has multilingual options for visitors, not having proficiency in English
only.
Accessibility
It is located in the Riverside Quay in Southbank of Yarra River, which is easily
accessible by public transport. All the public buses, trams and trains, crossing the Flinders Street
Train Station and St. Kilda Road can be availed by the tourists to reach Eureka. Parking options

2ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
are available at the Wilson Eureka Parking at the cost of AUD 13 for Monday to Friday, entry
prior to 4pm, AUD 6 for Monday to Friday, entry after 4pm and AUD 11 for the weekends
(Eureka Skydeck 2018). There are plenty of other parking spots at reasonable prices nearby
where visitors can park their cars and bikes.
Facilities
The Skydeck has all the modern facilities such as, toilets, disabled ramp to the entrance,
souvenir shop, with variety of gift products, free WiFi area (Yoo 2017), small cafes for
sandwiches and hot drinks, small seating arrangements and a fine dining restaurant at 89th floor.
Visitor signage
There are easy navigation signs that help the visitor through the attraction, from the
entrance to the building up to the 88th floor. There are maps of the path with ‘You are here’ sign
at every point of stop for the visitors, however, the signboards are all written in English.
Public education and visitor information
Eureka Skydeck offers excellent opportunities for the schools to celebrate different
educational events, such as, teacher’s day, education week, children’s day etc. and many more
excursions. The schools are offered guided tours at no additional cost if they book during the
offers, free entry to the teachers upon showing the VIT card during teacher’s day promotions.
The visitor information can be found in the website (Eureka Skydeck 2018).

3ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
Guides
Guides are available for the guided tours only. People mostly prefer to go on a self
guided tour and spend time as their own. In case of education excursions and tourists, with
difficulty in English, can opt for guided tours. The tourists can avail the audio aid with
headphones for audio tour.
Brochures, guide books, touch screens
There brochures and guide books about the Skydeck are available at the entrance of the
tower, ticket counters and at the 88th floor. However, apart from the ‘Serendipity’ touchtable,
there are no touch screens for interactions throughout the path to the deck (Eureka Skydeck
2018).
Audio-visual material
The visitors have the option to pick a headphone and walkman to get an audio visual
experience of the tour. The AV experience depicts the view points at every angle along with the
audio of the history of the construction of the tower and contemporary Melbourne life, some fun
facts and trivia (lookear.net.au 2018). Through the interactive AV structure and scripts are also
present in the 6 meter long ‘Serendipity’ touchtable presenting less well known facts of the city.
Overall impression, attraction and interpretation
Eureka Skydeck offers a 360 degree breathtaking view of the Melbourne city, especially,
the Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne’s CBD and Dandenong Ranges through thirty view finders on
the observation deck in 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. It is open daily from 10 in the morning to
10 in the night. Sunset and the evening are the most favored time of the visitors (tripadvisor.in

4ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
2018). Apart from the deck, the Edge is also another favorite of the tourists. Eureka has
introduced another visitor experience, Eureka Vertigo, where it presents to the visitors an illusion
of loosing balance and falling from the 88th floor at the extra cost of AUD 15. The elevator takes
only 38 seconds to reach the deck (tripadvisor.in 2018). The open-air terrace gives a feel of the
strong wind and people get the sensation of hanging midair in the Edge. Although it is a ticketed
attraction, people prefer to visit the Skydeck to get an extraordinary experience of the
magnificent view of the city.
As stated by Swarbrooke & Horner (2004), tourists are motivated to visit a place due to
the push and pull factors and personality of the tourists is a determining factor for motivation,
perceptions and the tourist behavior. Skydeck is preferred by the tourists who are motivated by
the features of the Eureka Skydeck and the uniqueness of the experience that it gives. According
to the travel-motivation theory by Gray (1979), the consumers choose the travel destination
based on the two motives, one is to travel from a known place to unknown place, known as the
‘Wanderlust’ and the other is to travel with a specific purpose to avail some facilities not
available at the residential place, known as ‘Sunlust’. These are the mostly the recreational,
pleasure, cultural experience, shopping and new experiences (Chen and Chen 2015). In case of
the Eureka Skydeck, people come here to have new experience, following the ‘sunlust’
motivation.
Conclusion
It can be said that, people love to visit the Eureka Skydeck in the Southbank of
Melbourne to get the best view of the city from the tallest observation deck in the Southern
Hemisphere. At a minimum cost, the tourists want to get a unique experience, which reflects the

5ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
motivation of sunlust as well as due to the push and pull factors of the Skydeck. Eureka Skydeck
is a must see attraction of Melbourne that provides all the modern facilities to the tourists apart
from the marvelous view of the city. From gifts to dining experience, Eureka Vertigo and the
Edge are the additional factors that drive the tourists to the Skydeck and make an incredible
memory for the lifetime.

6ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
References
Chen, L.J. and Chen, W.P., 2015. Push–pull factors in international birders' travel. Tourism
Management, 48, pp.416-425.
Eureka Skydeck, 2018. Eureka Skydeck. [online] Eureka Skydeck. Available at:
https://www.eurekaskydeck.com.au/ [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].
lookear.net.au, 2018. Eureka Skydeck. [online] LookEar. Available at:
http://www.lookear.net.au/eureka-skydeck.html [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].
planetware.com, 2018. 17 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Melbourne | PlanetWare. [online]
Planetware.com. Available at: http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/melbourne-aus-
vic-m.htm [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].
Schroeder, A. and Pennington-Gray, L., 2015. The role of social media in international tourist’s
decision making. Journal of Travel Research, 54(5), pp.584-595.
Swarbrooke, J. and Horner, S., 2007. Consumer behavior in tourism . Jordan Hill.
tripadvisor.in, 2018. Eureka Skydeck 88 (Melbourne) - What to Know Before You Go (with
Photos) - TripAdvisor. [online] Tripadvisor.in. Available at:
https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g255100-d654640-Reviews-Eureka_Skydeck_88-
Melbourne_Victoria.html [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].
Yoo, T., 2017. Melbourne's Eureka Tower now has superfast 200Mbps broadband to rival the
NBN. [online] Business Insider Australia. Available at:

7ATTRACTION VISIT AND ANALYSIS
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/melbournes-eureka-tower-now-has-superfast-broadband-at-
double-the-nbns-speed-2017-2 [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].