2018


Thrill-seekers may soon be able to climb to the 65-metre peak of Perth's newly-minted Matagarup Bridge and take a high speed zipline back to the ground.

The pedestrian bridge, which grants access to the city's new 60,000-seat Perth Stadium and which has been compared to Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge, is due to open on Sunday.

Speaking with ABC Radio Perth this morning, a contractor revealed the infrastructure would be completed next week and the Government had indicated to him it would be soon followed by the installation of ziplines.

"I believe the Premier has confirmed that's the intent," Saferight chief executive Mack McCormack said.

"You're going to be able to climb to the top, and then have the option of the fast route down, because you have gravity on your side."





PHOTO: Mack McCormack takes in the view at the top of the Matagarup Bridge. (Supplied: Mack McCormack)


The Government has previously spruiked plans for the climbing tours but were today coy about plans for ziplines.

"The State Government has always said it would like to maximise the potential of the bridge and attract visitors. Bridge climbs and ziplines are some of the ideas that will be looked at," a spokesman said.



Saferight is the same company which developed the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge climbing tours and Mr McCormack said the Matagarup Bridge climb would be much the same, only steeper.

How the tours will work



Once operating, the tours would accommodate groups of up to 20 at a time on a 33-degree climb up the steps of the 65-metre tall arches.

There are handrails most of the way up and climbers will be decked out in safety gear including overalls to prevent objects falling on to pedestrians below.

Using the same technology as the Sydney Harbour Bridge climbing tours, each person would be tethered to a safety cable with staggered anchor points.

There would also be a slip-lock mechanism which Mr McCormack explained works much the same as modern seat-belts which cannot move when pulled too quickly.

If someone were to trip or move too rapidly they would not make it more than 3 millimetres before the system engaged, stopping them in their tracks and preventing any fall.

At the peak of the climb, where the two swan-inspired arches meet high above the river, there is a steel walkway.

From this vantage point climbers will have 360-degrees views where they can take in Perth Stadium, the Swan River and the CBD.

With ziplines installed, climbers would then have the option to take a leisurely stroll back down the arches or a high-speed flying-fox-style zipline back to earth.

The "landing zones" have not yet been decided but could potentially be on either side of the river.

Workers on the bridge walked across it for the first time last week and engineers have since been conducting dynamic testing and fine-tuning ahead of its official opening.