Katoomba Scenic World - History

History

Built in 1958 the Scenic Skyway is another cable-driven conveyance at Scenic World. It travels across the gorge above the Katoomba Falls, 200 metres above the valley floor. The original Scenic Skyway was dismantled early in 2004 and replaced by a new cable car in December of the same year. The new Skyway was built by Doppelmayr and CWA Constructions, and features a 72 person cabin with sections of liquid crystal glass that turns a raised section of the floor from translucent to transparent as the ride progresses. In November 2005 a second station on the opposite cliff-face opened, allowing Skyway passengers to disembark and follow bushwalking trails to the nearby Echo Point.

In 1984 Scenic World began building a roller coaster known as the Orphan Rocker, named after the nearby Orphan Rock. This is the first roller coaster to be completely designed and manufactured in Australia. The highlight of this ride is meant to be a swooping banked turn that takes riders within metres of the edge of a 200m cliff. It has in the past been referred to as a "sitdown suspended" coaster, because although it is a conventional sitdown coaster, the trains can tilt from side to side, like a suspended coaster, giving it its name. It was originally planned as a scenic monorail ride, but it soon evolved into a roller-coaster ride. The roller coaster has never publicly opened due to demands for redevelopment elsewhere onsite. Visitation to Scenic World in the 80s were peaking at more than 1.2 million visitors annually, necessitating additional access into the valley and the idea for Scenic World's 3rd ride - The Cableway (originally Scenicscender) was born. The roller coaster track has been left in place for possible redevelopment in the future.

In 2000 Scenic World installed the Sceniscender, now called Scenic Cableway, 84 passenger cable car from Doppelmayr that passes over a 25 meter high tower on the edge of the cliff, and then 510 metres to the Valley Station in the Jamison Valley 200m below.