Australia and New Zealand

Dreamworld and RSVP.com.au are joining forces to bring DreamDate to the Gold Coast on Valentine's eve -- the largest singles event of its kind in Australia.

During DreamDate, the Big 6 thrill rides will operate from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, along with live entertainment and a range of flirtatious games.

Ride operators will be mixing singles up to make sure that everyone has a riding partner.

"It takes place outside the conventional environments like bars, so it's guaranteed to be fun and a less intimidating way to meet someone special", Dreamworld’s Event Manager, Jennifer Neville, said.

This event is strictly 18+. Tickets can be purchased through the Dreamworld website and at the gate.

Photo: Dreamworld

Wet'n'Wild on the Gold Coast has confirmed that they will be installing four AquaLoop water slides in 2010.

The ride begins with riders standing in a small chamber fitted with a trap door, which opens up at the touch of a button. Once triggered, riders are sent down a steep descent at more than 60 kilometres per hour before flying through an angled loop.

The slides will be supplied by the Canadian manufacturer WhiteWater West.

The ride will be the first of its kind in Australia and will be the park's first addition since the Kamikaze was introduced in 2008.

Although the opening date for the slides is currently unknown, it is likely that construction will start within a few months.

Photo: WhiteWater West

Adventure World launched a new thrill ride on New Year's Day titled The Freefall -- a 56-metre-tall Shot & Drop ride.

Like other Shot & Drop rides, The Freefall is not just about the fall; it combines a 20-second trip up with a 25-second drop.

When it reaches top speed, the ride plummets at 15 metres per second and achieves a maximum acceleration of 1.2 Gs.

The Freefall took four weeks to ship from Germany before being reassembled at the Perth theme park.

Adventure World has also launched a themed laser tag adventure called Terminator X. This runs until the end of January.

Photo: Adventure World

Dreamworld has officially launched a new show for the school holidays titled MTV Plugs into Dreamworld.

The show will not be a typical theme park show; it is a mixture of a game and stunt show with pumped-up tunes delivered by a live DJ.

MTV Plugs into Dreamworld includes various celebrity guests as well as professional dancers and stunt personnel on hand to deliver top-quality choreography and stunts.

The show will run three times daily from December 26, 2009 until January 22, 2010.

Photo: Ashley Irvine

Deconstruction of Melbourne's Southern Star Observation Wheel is almost complete.

A spokesperson for ING Real Estate recently advised that all the outer spokes have now been detached from the former 120-metre high structure, and that the inner-rim should be dismantled by Christmas.

Reconstruction work is anticipated to start next year.

Southern Star closed in January after only 40 days of operations when cracks were discovered in the steel. The cracks resulted from problems in the wheel's original design.

Sanoyas Hishino Meisho Corporation, the designers and manufacturers of the Southern Star, will carry out all works under the original warranty with independent engineers signing off on all procedures.

Photo: Ashley Irvine