‘Golden years of Dreamworld’: 15 fan-favourite closed rides and the group keeping its memory alive
From the Thunderbolt to the Buzzsaw, take a walk down memory lane and explore 15 of Dreamworld’s most famous and beloved closed rides and attractions.
Lifestyle
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Dreamworld is one of Queensland’s and the country’s most recognisable theme parks.
Opened on December 15, 1981 by John Longhurst, the park has shaped the childhoods of Aussie kids for more than 40 years.
Now under the direction of parent company Ardent Leisure and CEO Greg Yong, Dreamworld is currently undergoing a significant $55m revamp with aims to begin a “new age” for the park, exciting locals and tourists alike.
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But perhaps most excited for the future of Dreamworld is Dreamworld’s Golden Years, a community group dedicated to celebrating the past, present and future of the Coomera theme park.
Founded in 2019, Dreamworld’s Golden Years began as a Facebook page that has now amassed more than 7200 followers, as a place to ‘share the memories of the theme park, its history, its people, and its many guests through the years’ according to one of the group’s admins, Paul Hollibone.
“At the time, we hoped it would help rekindle the good memories people have, and give them the courage to visit the park,” Mr Hollibone said.
“We had no idea at the time if the page would get a following, but we felt as though it was the least we could do.
“As time has gone on, our focus has grown, covering what is happening today in the park with new developments, and looking towards the future, always with the park’s history at the core of what we do.”
Run by a diverse group of four passionate volunteer administrators, Dreamworld’s Golden Years consists of old photos, videos and advertisements of Dreamworld, as well as updates about new rides, as well as sharing nostalgic throwbacks to its older attractions.
Each administrator of the group has their own connection to the park, with their first memories spanning from finally being tall enough to ride the Thunderbolt roller coaster, watching the Barbershop Quartet, seeing the Bushranger show from the Captain Sturt Paddle Wheeler and Mr Hollibone’s first memory of observing the Tower of Terror being built.
Mr Hollibone said it’s the idea of the park’s ‘golden years’ being unique to each person that makes their page resonate so strongly with the community.
“What my golden years are of Dreamworld will be different to our children’s, even our admin team all have their own ideas as to what the Golden Years of Dreamworld are,” Mr Hollibone said.
“There is no right or wrong answer, because memories are unique and personalised.
“We believe this is why the community has resonated with many, as Dreamworld is a special place for many … and as such, many people hold those memories close to their heart.”
Capturing and documenting the big changes at the park, the upcoming redevelopment is a project that Mr Hollibone and the team are ‘very excited’ for.
“The River Town development in particular is a game changer for the park, not only Dreamworld but the whole industry in Australia,” Mr Hollibone said.
“The promised highly detailed place marking, together with some unique, and immersive attractions for the whole family are something that the industry has moved away from in recent years,
“Dreamworld was founded on high quality attractions for the whole family, set in rich environments, so seeing this kind of development come to Dreamworld is a refreshing recognition of the formula the park was founded on.”
With the school holidays coming up, there’s no better time to relive the memories of Dreamworld by taking a look at some of its most well-loved attractions that have closed over the years, from the Thunderbolt to the Buzzsaw.
Buzzsaw – closed 2021
Recognised as one of Dreamworld’s big thrill rides, the Buzzsaw opened in September, 2011 as part of the theme park’s 30th birthday celebrations which introduced the 150-metre long stomach-turning coaster.
Located just left of the park’s entry in Gold Rush Country, the ‘abandoned saw mill’ ride was the tallest inversion coaster in the Southern Hemisphere, carrying 12 riders at a time on a trip lasting roughly 50 seconds and featuring a 360 degree heart roll and 90 degree drop.
Just under 10 years after opening, the ride officially closed on August 31, 2021 to make way for new developments and was moved to Gumbuya World in Melbourne where it was painted green and renamed ‘Project Zero’.
The Buzzsaw also had several occurrences of having to stop mid-ride, making news headlines in 2017 after leaving 12 patrons hanging in mid-air for five minutes, and again in 2018 after six riders were stuck on the ride for 15 minutes.
Rocky Hollow Log Ride – closed 2020
Ideal for lovers of calmer rides, the Rocky Hollow Log Ride was a cruisy four-and-a-half minute log flume trip that took four riders at a time, going in and out of caves and riding past saw mills and crocodiles, before ending with a 57km/h drop, soaking patrons in the process.
One of the longest-running rides at the park, the log ride opened December 15, 1981 on Dreamworld’s opening day, neighbouring Gold Rush Country, Blue Lagoon and the Murrissippi River.
The Rocky Hollow Log Ride temporarily closed on April 17, 2018 after 19-year-old Samson Sherrin fell out of the flume and suffered hip and foot fractures, neck and head injuries and acute respiratory failure when he fell into the water where two carriages continued to roll over him.
The ride reopened two days later after being cleared by Independent and WorkSafe Queensland inspectors, but two years later, metal frames and perplex canopies were added to the logs to prevent guests from standing up or falling out.
One of the longest-running rides at the park, Rocky Hollow was officially decommissioned on February 8, 2020 after a 38-year operation to make way for new developments.
FlowRider – closed 2020
The first ride of its kind in Australia, Dreamworld’s FlowRider opened in June, 2006 as a pay-per-ride attraction where riders could participate in stand-up and bodyboarding sessions, similar to wakeboarding, surfing and skating.
Holding regular FlowRider competitions, sessions for the water ride started from just $5 for a 30-minute session, attracting adrenaline junkies from all over, including NSW State of Origin player Paul Gallen who famously face-planted on the ride in 2015.
Also holding night-time ‘NightRider’ sessions with special lighting effects and music, the FlowRider closed in August, 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
A variation of the FlowRider still exists today at Wet’n’Wild on the Gold Coast.
Big Red Car Ride – closed 2020
A family-friendly dark ride, the Big Red Car Ride was a trackless car attraction that took six guests at a time through a Wiggles-themed adventure.
The ride took patrons through the house of The Wiggles, touring various rooms while playing Wiggles classics such as ‘Hot Potato’, ‘Wake Up Jeff!’ and the ride’s namesake, ‘Big Red Car’.
Opened on September 17, 2005, the ride underwent several renovations and upgrades to reflect the changing cast members of the well-loved children’s band, including the introduction of a room dedicated to the fan-favourite Yellow Wiggle, Emma Watkins.
Lasting two-and-a-half minutes, the ride featured in Dreamworld’s kids area, formerly known as Wiggles World then later changed to ABC Kids World.
The Big Red Car Ride closed in August, 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic, with other Wiggles themed rides including the Big Red Boat Ride and Dorothy’s Rosy Tea Cup Ride still in operation at the park.
Tower of Terror – closed 2019
A $16 million venture, Dreamworld’s Tower of Terror was a fan-favourite at the park after it was first constructed in 1997.
Designed with a ‘rocket launch’ theme, the ride was recognised as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world when it opened, marketed as an experience where riders could “face gravity, face first”.
Connected to the 120-metre ‘Big Drop’ structure which still exists at the park, the reverse freefall coaster would send 15 riders at a time up the coaster in an escape pod, launching them at 160km/h in seven seconds, before plummeting them back down backwards.
Revamped in 2010 by flipping the main car backwards, adding in a new tunnel and renaming the ride ‘Tower of Terror II’, the well-loved shuttle roller coaster officially closed November 3, 2019 to make way for new rides in the park’s current $55m renovation.
Wipeout – closed 2019
Once advertised as “the wildest ride of your life”, the surf-themed Wipeout ride was one of the park’s most popular before it closed its doors in 2019 after 25 years of operation.
The super flip ride opened on December 26, 1993 as “the only ride of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere” which spun patrons in a 360 degree revolution.
The ride also sat 15 metres above a pool of water which housed an animatronic shark named Fluffy, but was later drained due to water restrictions.
Situated in the Ocean Parade section of the park near The Claw and the Tailspin, Wipeout was originally designed with a giant wave feature wall and two snapped surfboards which housed the ride that were later removed and repainted in a 2014 refurbishment.
Costing $6m to construct, Wipeout closed its doors on March 8, 2019 just two years after cutting down the ride’s capacity from 40 to 20 riders at a time.
It was later replaced by a chill-out and seating area called Kickback Cove in November, 2019.
Thunderbolt – closed 2003
Known by its iconic red and yellow loops, the Thunderbolt was one of the world’s longest steel double-looped coasters and Dreamworld’s first roller coaster when it opened in April, 1982.
Initially operated independently by Keith Lord furniture company with a separate fare, Thunderbolt was a hair-raising coaster that was Australia’s longest for decades, sitting at just over 1200 metres long, a record which wasn’t broken until the introduction of Movie World’s DC Rivals 1400-metre Hypercoaster in 2017.
Travelling at up to speeds of 87km/h, the thrill ride in the Country Fair section of the park was the fastest roller coaster in the country until its closure in 2003.
Enterprise/Reef Diver – closed 2014
Believed to be named after Star Trek’s USS Enterprise, the Enterprise was a spinning gondola ride similar to that of a horizontal ferris wheel, spinning patrons at 60km/h while rotating the structure from horizontal to vertical.
Opened in the Country Fair section of the park in 1983, the spinning ride had no seatbelts, relying on the force of gravity to keep patrons in their seats.
Located next to Wipeout and the Stingray (formerly Roulette) ride, the Enterprise was rebranded and renamed ‘Reef Diver’ in 2000 before it was decommissioned and demolished in 2014 to make way for the Tail Spin thrill ride.
A version of the Enterprise continues to operate at Luna Park in Melbourne.
Captain Sturt Paddle Wheeler – closed 2012
One of the park’s original features, the Captain Sturt Paddle Wheeler opened with Dreamworld back in 1981 in the park’s River Town section as a 250-passenger paddle wheeler circling an artificial river handcrafted by Dreamworld founder John Longhurst.
Offering patrons a slow boat ride accompanied by jazz music, a 1981 article from Women’s Weekly described the boat adventure as “an elegant cross between a Mississippi steamer and sturdy River Murray paddle wheeler”.
Voyaging on the ‘Murrissippi River’, the amusement ride toured the watercourse which featured an Australian setting on one side and a U.S. Wild West show on the other where riders could enjoy a live show consisting of a bushranger shoot out with prop guns and fire stunts.
A classic Dreamworld experience, the Captain Sturt retired from operation in 2012.
Thunder River Rapids Ride – closed 2016
One of Dreamworld’s most well-known ride closures, the Thunder River Rapids Ride was closed indefinitely on October 25, 2016 when a ride malfunction resulted in the tragic deaths of four people.
The four-minute water raft ride was one of the park’s most popular since it opened on December 11, 1986 as part of Dreamworld’s Gold Rush Country section, alongside the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride.
Canberra tourists Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke, his partner Roozbeh Araghi and a NSW woman Cindy Low died on the ride when their raft collided with another stationary raft at the bottom of a conveyor belt.
Two children managed to escape the raft that contained the four adults when it flipped over on top of itself, trapping them in the water.
Findings from a 300-page coronial inquest were handed down in February, 2020 which found that the cause of the tragedy was a failure of the ride’s south water pump, causing the water level to drop and the two rafts to collide with one another.
Queensland Coroner James McDougall said there had been a “systemic failure by Dreamworld to ensure all aspects of safety” with “no evidence Dreamworld ever conducted a proper risk assessment in the 30 years of operation of the ride”.
Dreamworld’s parent company, Ardent Leisure was convicted and fined $3.6m after pleading guilty to three workplace health and safety charges in September 2020.
In March 2021, Ardent Leisure filed a lawsuit against engineer Tom Polley and his company Danski Pty Ltd, seeking damages for negligence and breach of contract, after he had certified the Thunder River Rapids ride as safe, just one day before the fatal disaster.
Ardent Leisure dropped the lawsuit in June 2022, with court documents revealing that 15 Dreamworld employees had received payouts ranging from $110,000 and $700,000 each, totalling just over $5 million in compensation.
In March 2022, Dreamworld opened a memorial garden in memory of those affected by the Thunder River Rapids tragedy near the wildlife section of the park and in May, 2023, Steve Apthorp and paramedic John Clark received bravery awards for trying to save Ms Goodchild on the day of the incident.
Roulette/Stingray – closed 2012
Initially designed as a casino-themed ride equipped with playing cards and icons in the shape of spades, clovers, diamonds and hearts, Roulette was a flat ride similar to that of a spinning top, sending riders round and round in circles while moving on its axis.
Opened in 1983, the family-friendly ride featured in the Country Fair section of the park as a spinning ride that was a friendlier on the stomach compared to some of Dreamworld’s more stomach-turning thrill rides.
Renamed and rebranded in 1993, the ride became the ‘Stingray’ to fit in with the new Ocean Parade theme and was fitted out with a new blue design, and bright yellow eyes, replicating that of a stingray.
Situated opposite the more popular Enterprise ride, the Stingray retired from Ocean Parade in 2009 and was officially decommissioned and demolished in 2012.
Eureka Mountain Mine Ride – closed 2006
Opened alongside the Thunder River Rapids Ride as part of the new Gold Rush Country section of Dreamworld on December 11, 1986, the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was a scream-worthy wild mouse coaster located inside the Eureka Mountain, just left of the park’s Central Plaza.
Transporting riders in four-seater mine carts, the coaster featured an animatronic miner whose stick of dynamite sends patrons on a runaway mine cart journey with quick dips and turns that required smaller riders to sit on the left hand side of the cart for safety purposes.
Closed for maintenance in 2006, the ride remained inactive for 11 years until it was demolished in December 2017.
The majority of the land used for Gold Rush Country is now being used as the site of the $32 million Steel Taipan triple launch coaster which opened on December 15, 2021.
Gravitron/Vortex – closed 2009
Nicknamed ‘The Vomitron’ for making its riders green in the face, the Gravitron was a spaceship themed fully-enclosed ride that used to spin at a speed of 24 revolutions per minute, pinning patrons up against the ride’s angled walls via gravitational pull.
Introduced to the park in the late 80s, the spinning amusement ride underwent several makeovers during the later end of the 20th century, including the addition of an external structure where people could watch the action from an overhead viewing platform.
Originally painted white with red, yellow and green lights, the Gravitron was rebranded and repainted in 2002 to become the ocean-themed ‘Vortex’ to fit more in line with the Ocean Parade section of the park.
Vortex was decommissioned and demolished in 2009 to make way for the new AVPX: Alien Vs Predator laser skirmish arena, which was later replaced by the Zombie ‘Evil’ution scare maze.
Gum Tree Gully – closed 2005
Opened in 1982, Gum Tree Gully was a section of the park that neighboured River Town and was most well known for its family-friendly show, Koala Country Jamboree.
Also called the Australian Country Jamboree, the Down Under themed production was one of Australia’s first animatronic shows and featured a cast of native wildlife characters including M.C. Koala, Blue Gum Bill Koala and Honkey Tonk Kangaroo.
Originally sponsored by Qantas, the Australian-themed musical show was held in the Gum Tree Gully Hall and featured renditions of classic tunes, such as ‘I Still Call Australia Home’, ‘Itsy Teeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ and ‘Tie Me Kangaroo Down’.
After each performance, which held around 360 audience members at a time, patrons could buy themselves a foot-long hotdog at the nearby Mile Long Bar or buy Australiana souvenirs at a ‘fair dinkum’ General Store.
Gum Tree Gully was transformed into Wiggles World in 2005.
Kodak Skylink Chairlift – closed 2005
Transporting patrons from Gold Rush Country to Koala Country, Dreamworld’s Kodak Skylink Chairlift was introduced in the late 1980s after the park acquired the chairlift from amusement park Magic Mountain in Nobby Beach after its closure in 1987.
Strapped into a chairlift with only a single bar, the lift took park visitors over the Murrissippi River, past the Tower of Terror and over Rocky Hollow, offering views of the whole park and neighbouring bushland.
The chairlift was retired from service in 2005, but much of the infrastructure remained in place until 2019.
What other Dreamworld rides do you want to see brought back? Let us know in the comments.
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