Sea World's Leviathan rollercoaster nears completion

Sea World’s Leviathan rollercoaster nears completion

April 18, 2021

Nigel Benton

Attractions / Marketing / Tourism /

The new Leviathan wooden rollercoaster at Gold Coast theme park Sea World is nearing completion.

As reported by the theme parks enthusiasts website Parkz, most of the new ride's layout in place in the park’s New Atlantis Precinct with its ‘cathedral’ like structure visible across the site.

Parkz suggests that Sea World is on its way to creating “one of the best looking wooden coasters out there” that “if all goes well … (should) be up and running within six months”.

Parkz continues that the new rollercoaster “combines all of M&V/Gravity Groups signature manoeuvres, from airtime hills to their pioneering 90 degree banked turns, which were previously unseen prior to 2005”.

Sea World has also been in the news following an animal rights protest over the Easter weekend.

The Animal Justice Party and Dolphin Freedom Fighters were among several organisations who held a protest to ban dolphin breeding opposite Sea World on Easter Saturday (10th April).

In response, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported Village Roadshow Theme Parks Chief Operating Officer, Bikash Randhawa as saying the protest was a “fizzer”.

A reported 90 protesters held signs and chanted to boycott Sea World who they accuse of breeding dolphins to “perform humiliating circus-style tricks for a dwindling number of spectators” to make a profit.

In characteristically combative-style, Randhawa said the protest, in which Queensland Police attended, was a “non-event” and a “waste of everybody’s time”.

Randhawa went on to say “last time there were activists who stormed into Sea World, our customers got quite irate, we had some customers try to hit them.

“It should be a beautiful day full of memories and it’s not fair on hardworking mums and dads who are faced with a bunch of ignorant individuals spreading misinformation.”

Image: Sea World's new Leviathan wooden rollercoaster nearing completion. Credit. Parkz.

About the author

Nigel Benton

Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management

Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.

With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.

Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.

In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.

He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).

In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.

As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.

Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.

His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.

His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.

Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.