By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
WHOEVER named the Victorian Governments $1.6 billion elevated rail line a ‘skyrail’ has been knocked down by Skyrail in Queensland.
According to the developer of the “real” Skyrail, Dr Ken Chapman, there is only one Skyrail and it’s not in Melbourne.
In a statement from Skyrail Rainforest Cableway released on Thursday 11 February Dr Chapman points to the big namesake mistake.
“Anyone who thinks the elevated railway proposal is a skyrail needs to get up to Cairns and experience the real thing, and I’m sure they won’t make that mistake again,” he said.
The statement revealed that Cairns held the rights to a skyrail long before Melbourne did, saying that “the name ‘Skyrail’ is a registered trademark of Skyrail Pty Ltd which owns the cableway”.
“The real Skyrail is the spectacular, multi-award winning Skyrail Rainforest Cableway tourist attraction in Cairns,” the statement read.
“The company has no plans to develop anything in Melbourne and certainly not an elevated railway.”
Melbourne’s elevated rail line, unofficially dubbed ‘skyrail’, will see parts of the Dandenong-Cranbourne line raised to create urban space underneath which has sparked community outrage over what could become a ‘ghetto’ below.
And Dr Chapman seemed to laugh in the face of Melbourne, pointing to the fact that many Melbournians may soon be in need of a little TLC.
“This debate has created a bit of tension in Melbourne so it seems clear that a lot of people are really going to need a holiday,” the statement read.
“Time to get up to Cairns to relax and enjoy the fabulous reef and rainforest of Tropical North Queensland, and, of course, the wonderful experience that is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway,” he said.
The statement was headlined: “Elevated Railway is no Skyrail”.
Should Melbourne’s elevated rail line be renamed?
