The West Australian tests the Perth Royal Show’s scariest rides including the Lunarix

My legs dangle dangerously off the front of my chair, my eyes squeezed tight, not daring to peek to see just how high up above Claremont Showgrounds I am.

The West Australian was given an exclusive sneak peek of the show’s most heart-stopping rides.

First up is The Lunarix — a hair-raising pendulum ride, propelling riders 24m into the sky.

The ride, which will make its Australia debut at this year’s show, features more than 12 freely rotating seats, twisting and tumbling in a circular motion.

Owner operator Broderick Pavier described The Lunarix as “the best fun you can have with your clothes on”.

He said it reached a maximum speed of about 100kmh, making it an “unbelievable” monster ride.

“This is rather unique … it’s like when you’re a kid at the beach, rolling down the sand hill sideways,” he said.

Strapped in and wondering if it’s too late to bail, I pose for my photographer and give him a weak smile, my face pale with terror.

Tugging on my safety harness, my hands soaked in sweat, I give myself a pep talk: “Come on Jess,” I tell myself. “You’ve tackled much scarier things than ...”

And boom — I am soaring higher and higher, my seat spinning and swirling as I shriek in fear.

And then I am tumbling, my stomach falling to the floor as I desperately cling onto my harness, screaming with exhilaration, tears nearly streaming down my face.

Before I know it, it’s over.

Breathless, my voice shaky, I get unstrapped and jump off my seat, my knees threatening to buckle as I tumble on to the safety of the ground.

Next up is Speed II — a dizzying 40m tower ride where two gondolas, attached at opposite ends, flip and fall while soaring at lighting speed.

We ascend slowly, the ground getting further and further away, my legs swaying precariously off the front of my seat.

My chair somersaults as I hurtle forwards, and just when it looks as though I am about to nosedive into the floor, I flip upside down and I am shot up into the air again.

“Speed is very smooth which is completely different to The Lunarix, so it’s a completely different sensation all together,” Mr Pavier said.

Feeling slightly dizzy but pumped with adrenaline, I make my way to Wipeout — one of the show’s most popular rides, and the final stop for the day.

Wipeout begins by slowly spinning around in a 180 degree motion.

But before I can breathe a sigh of relief, we accelerate and I am thrown sideways as we swivel around at ultra-rapid speeds.

Others raise their hands with excitement, but I grasp onto my chair, squealing with joy-filled terror.

Nine-year-old Blaze Pavier, whose family runs some of the show’s most thrilling rides, described himself as the family’s “test dummy”.

“I’ve been on heaps (of rides), as many as I can count,” he said.

“I love it, I’m not really scared of rides.”

Blaze said The Lunarix was his favourite ride, boldly adding “it’s not that scary”.

“It’s just fun, no screaming, no hands, you don’t really need to hold on,” he said.

“It doesn’t make me sick or anything, I never get sick on rides.”

While I’m not as brave as young Blaze, I can say it was one of the most exhilarating afternoons of entire life, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Perth Royal Show starts on Saturday and runs until October 4.