Old Sydney Town sale has community worried it will be lost forever
MARKETING of the Old Sydney Town site has begun in earnest with a slick video and descriptions of the site as the most iconic investment opportunity in NSW. It’s got locals worried it’s the beginning of the end.
Central Coast
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- Old Sydney Town theme park sale announced
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- Drone footage reveals Old Sydney Town state of decay
MARKETING of the Old Sydney Town site has begun in earnest with a slick video and descriptions of the site as the most iconic investment opportunity in NSW.
The property is being sold through Sydney based commercial real estate specialists CBRE who describe the 1.2 million sqm site as being just 30 minutes from Sydney and consisting of three distinct sections including Old Sydney Town, The Australian Reptile Park and surrounding farmland.
The video says the area is “home to a range of natural attractions, tourist destinations and industrial productivity and now an unprecedented opportunity”
It goes on to talk up the growing region and it’s potential.
CBRE selling agent Peter Vines said the marekting campaign had only just beugn but there was already strong interest in the property.
“Its a beautiful site that ticks a lot of boxes for investors - close to Sydney and with a strong tenant in the Reptile Park already in place,” Mr Vines said.
“It’s impossible to say how much could be paid for it because it all depends who wants it and for what,” he said.
The property is expected to sell for tens of millions of dollars
The real estate agents might be talking it up, but not everyone shares their enthusiasm for the future of the site.
Community Group Save Old Sydney Town has been fighting to see the return of the much-loved Australian colonial era theme park since it closed and says there is a real danger that opportunity could be lost forever.
Group spokesman and community activist Jake Cassar said he didn’t know whether to be excited or horrified that the site was up for sale.
“Our fear is that it will be lost forever — there is an opportunity to maintain our cultural history and develop something that will benefit the whole Central Coast,” he said.
Mr Cassar said there was widespread community support for the concept of rebuilding and improving the theme park — including an 11,000 handwritten signature petition.
Mr Cassar said no local politician had been willing to table the petition in parliament to get the issue on political agenda.
Mr Cassar said the group understood that the reopening Old Sydney Town was a huge undertaking that could not be fuelled by nostalgia alone but insisted there was a good business case to restore and revamp the park.
“Politicians always talk about jobs for the coast and they talk about exploring all the options — and that’s all we are asking government to do — explore this option,” Mr Cassar said.
“We call on both on politicians on all sides to agree to table our petition,” he said.
“We hope our locally elected leaders will lobby their own parties to support the petition and look at ways that this could work.
“We want them to consider the hundreds of jobs that could be created and the flow on to other local businesses would be of great economic, social and cultural benefit to our region.”
DRONE FOOTAGE OF OLD SYDNEY TOWN
