AusLeisure

Australia’s largest high ropes course, and the nation’s first at a shopping centre, has been opened to the public at Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore.

Next Level, a $3-million investment by Melbourne-based TreeTops Adventure Group offers seven circuits across four levels of difficulty, including 145 aerial obstacles connected by 16 zip lines.

Introducing the attraction, TreeTops Adventure Group Chief Executive, Nicolas Dansin stated “Next Level is an aerial adventure like no other and today we’re not only celebrating the opening of our first urban park, but also our expansion into Queensland.

“We already have 13 successful parks across Australia all set in the natural environment, and this wealth of experience combined with a great deal of research internationally led to the design of our first urban park, Next Level.

“The unique design is a real engineering feat, including three hexagonal towers made up of 35 poles, each up to 20 metres high. We encourage our players to start on the two easier courses and then to progress to the ‘next level’ all the way up to circuit 7 which is based around Tower One and a real challenge.”

“We opened our first park at Belgrave in 2010 and we are delighted to add Queensland to our existing locations in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia. The response from our local communities has always been overwhelming and we look forward to welcoming our first Sunshine Coast players onto the park.”

The course has over one kilometre of zip lines, the longest of which spans 135 metres across Cornmeal Creek taking participants from all levels back to the starting point on the main tower.

Next Level also includes a 22-metre-high viewing platform offering impressive 360-degree views of the Sunshine Coast which can be accessed as a separate activity to the high ropes.

Lachlan Dyson, Head of Operations for Lendlease, welcomed the new experience as part of Sunshine Plaza’s vision, noting “I’m thrilled to welcome TreeTops Adventure Group to the Sunshine Plaza family, joining over 300 other stores and services we already have here.

“The opening of this course marks the completion of Sunshine Plaza’s momentous $440 million redevelopment, and realises our vision for the centre: to create a world-class dining, shopping and now adventure experience at Sunshine Plaza.”

Cornmeal Promenade - which looks over the creek and the Next Level course - will come alive this summer with StrEATside Market expanding on the centre’s dining and entertainment offering over the coming months.

The StrEATside Market will bring some of the Coast’s most popular street-food vendors, an artisanal pop-up bar and a range of musicians and entertainers to the creek-side precinct.

This offer is in addition to the existing dining options of Japanese cuisine from Motto Motto, Vietnamese favourite Nguyen Brothers and Roti & Buns serving Malaysian and Hong Kong street food, the soon-to-be-opened Hello Harry The Burger Joint will serve delicious burgers and craft beer and Artisan Coffee Roastery & Toastery Criminal Coffee Co will add gourmet toasties and their awarding-winning coffee to the menu.

Dansin said the diverse dining options would further add to the experience for those who work up an appetite on the high ropes course, irrespective of what circuit they complete, adding “players as young as six can enjoy the experience on the lower levels while even the most capable climbers would find themselves challenged on circuits 6 and 7.

“This is the perfect activity for families and those looking to have some fun during the festive season. We are delighted to open at a time when Australians are encouraged to explore their own backyard and expect demand will be high across all our parks in the months ahead.”

“We know the tourism trade at Sunshine Plaza accounts for around 20% of all sales and we are confident that Next Level will be an additional drawcard to bring people into the region - particularly from the drive markets.

“We’ve also had a great response to our recruitment drive which has seen us employ around 30 local team members. These are exciting times for us and we thank the Sunshine Coast for welcoming us with open arms.”

Next Level commenced operations from last Friday (27th November).

Images courtesy of Sunshine Plaza.

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