Remembering Sydney’s long-lost theme parks
FROM bloody historic re-enactments to early forays into virtual reality, there was a time in Sydney when you could hit the theme parks every other weekend.
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FROM bloody historic re-enactments to early forays into virtual reality, there was a time in Sydney when you could visit an amusement park almost every other weekend.
But while once they were scattered from east to west, today most of the city’s theme parks have now turned to dust, so in the name of nostalgia, we take a look at 10 of the best.
1. AFRICAN LION SAFARI PARK
“It’s the African Lion safari … it’s scary but nobody cares!”
The TV jingle wasn’t off the mark. This drive-through exotic animal park on the outskirts of Sydney was at times a harrowing stop for holiday-makers. It wasn’t uncommon for the resident tigers and lions to paw windows, climb on cars and even take a bite out of a tyre.
Circus owner Stafford Bullen opened the Warragamba park in 1968 and about 200,000 people a year poured through its gates during its heyday. But sprawling suburbia, stringent animal regulations and costly upgrades caught up with the park in 1991 and it closed for good.
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Animals remained on the site for several years until 1995, when several lionesses escaped from the park, terrorised the nearby towns of Warragamba and Silverdale and killed a dog. Since the closure there’s been numerous reports of panther sightings in the area.
2. OLD SYDNEY TOWN
A regular stop on the school excursion circuit in the 1970s and 80s, many adults will hold vivid memories of the bloody convict floggings staged at Old Sydney Town.
The blood splattered punishment dished out to naughty convicts was part of a packed program of historic re-enactments that enthralled and horrified young visitors at the Somersby park.
Opening in 1975, the site was a recreation of Sydney based on an 1803 map and its streets were alive with actors inhabiting the role of early colonial settlers.
In between happy snaps in stockades and face fulls of old-fashioned lollies, visitors were entertained by realistic convict rebellions, soldiers’ parades and thundering cannons. Sadly, a stroll through history was no match for computer games and other hi-tech thrills, and the park closed in 2003. Put up for sale earlier this year, the park, part of a 120 ha land parcel, has been sold for between $15 and $20 million. It is understood that the Chinese investors have no plans to develop the site for tourism.
3. EL CABALLO BLANCO
Spanish dancing horses were the stars of the El Caballo Blanco theme park at Camden Way, which opened in 1972.
With its 2000-seat outdoor arena, the park was famous for its spectacular horse show based on similar ones in Seville, Jerez de la Frontera and other Spanish cities.
The Andalusian dancing stallions remained a premier attraction for many years, and owner Ray Williams went on to establish an El Caballo Blanco park at Disneyland in the US.
Non-equestrian activities such as waterslides, train rides and a mini zoo gave the park longevity but after Williams’ death, operations gradually wound down and ceased in 2003.
4. MAGIC KINGDOM
OH, ho, ho — it was magic. Waterslides, the astro spin, a ferris wheel, mini golf and more for just $6 bucks, the Lansvale amusement park known as The Magic Kingdom was once the go-to destination for fun lovers and families in Sydney’s west from the 1970s until Australia’s Wonderland ruined the party.
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Fun park fare like radio-controlled cars and petrol-powered mini-boats paled in comparison to blockbuster attractions like Wonderland’s Bush Beast and the Kingdom’s magic days came to an end in the 1990s.
After being closed down, the sprawling 150,000sq m site on Hollywood Drive was cut up into six separate lots which have been gradually sold down over a number of years.
5. SEGA WORLD
Sega World lived fast and died young, with the indoor hi-tech amusement park operating for just four years before biting the dust.
The flagship tenant of tourist attraction Darling Harbour, Sega World was pretty awesome for its time.
Opening in 1997, it brought forth the Rail Chase indoor roller coaster, a shoot em up Ghost Hunter train, the 3D motion simulator Aqua Nova plus a 4D cinema, coin-up video arcades and the Mad Bazooka tank simulator.
Sega World, however, wasn’t to last, and after continual losses, closed its doors in 2000
6. MT DRUITT & MANLY WATERWORKS
Run jointly with Manly Waterworks, the Mt Druitt waterworks featured waterslides, a beach pool, bumper boats, whitewater rapids and even a “sky dive” slippery dip.
Western suburbs kids would have lived at the park during the summers of the eighties until, allegedly, rumours of razor blades on the waterslide brought everything to an end.
The razor blade tale was just an urban myth, however, and the Waterworks’ profits simply went the way of other theme parks. Down the gurgler.
Manly Waterworks meanwhile was the place to be in summer in the 80s, with the Insane Earthworm slide a rite of passage for many local children. The Manly Cove tourist attraction opened in 1981 and has since reopened as Manly Surf n Slide after a $100,000 tidy-up.
7. AUSTRALIA’S WONDERLAND
The Bush Beast, Space Probe and Hanna Barbera Land bring back warm memories for countless Sydneysiders and nostalgia still rides high for the blockbuster theme park.
When it opened in 1985, it really seemed like a wonderland although for some parents, it would prove “too much fun to have in one day”, especially after the Bounty’s Revenge exacted a nauseating toll on its young riders.
A downturn in profits, however, saw the park close its gates for the last time in 2004 and the park was demolished the following year. The park still has a dedicated fan page on Facebook. In recent years, there’s been a new project touted to resurrect Wonderland Sydney has been earmarked for completion by 2021 with a new location in Western Sydney still to be finalised.
8. WHITE CITY AMUSEMENT PARK
White City hosted three summers of fantasy rides, highwire acts and other marvels before a lightning strike and fire shut it down.
Built by film entrepreneur Cozens Spencer in 1913, the open-air amusement park in Rushcutters Bay was a fantastic affair. A scenic railway around an artificial mountain took centre stage in this miniature world of lakes, canals and pleasure palaces. Brass bands, side shows, fairgrounds, a Japanese village and a giant carousel brought thousands of visitors through the gates until the park’s fiery end.
9. COOGEE PIER
Stretching 180m out to sea, Coogee Pier was built in 1928 to emulate the boardwalks of England’s coastal towns.
With its restaurants, shops, penny arcades, swimming net, 1400-seat theatre and 600 capacity ballroom, it was a magnificent destination that helped enhance Coogee’s position as a resort town. But thrashing surf would eventually take its toll, damaging the pier until it was demolished in 1934.
10. THE ORIGINAL: WONDERLAND CITY
More than 20,000 people travelled to Tamarama for the opening of the “fairy city” that was Wonderland on December 1, 1906. William Anderson’s 8ha amusement park was buzzing with novel attractions and rides. There was an artificial lake, a double decker merry-go-round, a labyrinth, boxing tent, seal pond, circus ring, movie house, penny parlours even a Japanese tearoom. A floating airship extended over the sea but it was an elephant called Alice that stole Sydney’s heart. While 2000 people visited every summer weekend, interest eventually waned and by 1911, Wonderland was no more.