POP QUIZ: Can you remember these 9 iconic 90s places?
We’ve counted down the nine iconic, much-loved memories of Mackay from the 1990s.
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Sometimes it's fun to reminiscence over icons of decades gone by.
And so, we thought we'd take the opportunity to look back to the iconic and much-loved destinations of Mackay throughout the 1990s.
How many of these places can you remember?
#9 CANELAND SOUNDSHELL
Before there was a Bluewater Lagoon, there was the Soundshell that was home to the annual Rock Pop Mime competition.
And next to it were established trees and a playground.
It was also the location of The Living End concert in 2005 when Channel V also came to town.
The Soundshell was removed in 2010 and replaced by the Meadowlands Ampitheatre at the Botanic Gardens across town.
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#8 FRANKLINS
Franklins was a popular supermarket at Caneland.
Its No Frills range actually led Woolworths to develop its own Homebrand but the Franklins brand took a dive after the chain was bought out in 2011.
#7 VIDEO STORES
If video killed the radio stars, then Netflix killed the video stores.
Top Cat, Civic Video, Blockbuster and Dynasty Video were all go-to destinations for Mackay families at the weekends.
The kids would scour the shelves to watch Home Alone or The Parent Trap for the umpteenth time while the adults headed to the newly-released section; back in the days when movies took about 12 months to hit the shelves after their cinema screenings, instead of mere weeks.
The closure of the Blockbuster Fourways store on Nebo Rd shocked Mackay residents when it suddenly closed in 2011.
But all of Mackay's video stores would eventually follow in its shadow.
#6 ILLAWONG FAUNA SANCTUARY
Housing crocodiles, kangaroos, koalas emus and more, the Illawong Fauna Sanctuary closed in January, 2007.
Husband and wife Warren and Christel Hart closed the zoo for good after a sale fell through and Mr Warren said he was too tired to continue looking after the animals.
The reptiles moved on to other crocodile farms, the koalas to the Gold Coast and some of the birds to local homes.
The remaining animals came under the care of the Village Roadshow Group which operates Sea World.
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#5 TUNZAFUN FUN WATER PARK
The Whitsunday Waterslide, as it was originally named, was opened in the 1990s at the site of the old Bayersville Zoo on Harbour Rd.
The highlight was of course the popular water slide.
In a call-out to Daily Mercury readers in 2014, Cara Gray said she loved the Tunzafun Water Park as it was later named.
"I vividly remember how my eyes burned and (were) red like fire after a full day out there," Ms Gray said.
"The water had so much chlorine in it."
The park also had a mini golf course, a go-kart track, cane toad races and barbecues with live music on weekends.
The slide was dismantled in 2002 to make way for the sports centre.
#4 PIZZA HUT RESTAURANT
What '90s kid didn't look forward to the all-you-can-eat buffet at the Pizza Hut restaurant at Caneland Central?
Pizza, pasta and ice-cream at your whim; oh, and salad if that was your thing.
Unfortunately, it disappeared during a refurbishment that brought ANZ to that part of the centre.
#3 TUMBLE TOWN, ZONE 3
Tumble Town was basically a playground with giant slides and a ball pit where parents could let their kids run wild until they either tired themselves out or had to be dragged out screaming.
Then next-door at the Fourways-based Nebo Rd site was Zone 3 - a laser obstacle course game with rad dance and action music.
Zone 3 later relocated to a North Mackay site before closing down for good.
#2 MULHERIN PARK (THE ORIGINAL)
Okay, so this is a biased inclusion on our behalf, but we're sure many Mackay locals would agree.
The Mulherin Park at the harbour pre-2009 redevelopments was hands-down the best playground in Mackay.
The many established palms, giant Fred Flintstone, Mother Hubbard's shoe, Snoopy and crocodile plus the multiple playgrounds made for a great family destination.
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#1 DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATRES
Mackay had two drive-in movie theatres operated by Birch, Carroll and Coyle - the Westline Drive-In at 75 Horse and Jockey Rd at Racecourse and The Grove along Andergrove Rd in Andergrove.
Families could turn up kitted out in matching pyjamas with their blankets and pillows stashed in the boot.
But sadly for those who remember watching Toy Story outside on the big screen, the Grove theatre closed in 1987 with Westline following in 1996.
Perhaps named in tribute, at the site of the latter theatre is now The Grove, formerly the Andergrove Tavern.
Did you remember all of these places? Or do you think we missed something from our countdown?
Email your stories to heidi.petith@news.com.au
Originally published as POP QUIZ: Can you remember these 9 iconic 90s places?
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