Edmondson Park: Adventureland owner Garry O’Neill speaks out after grass fire damages old theme park

The owner of a beloved old amusement park was recovering from brain surgery at home when he discovered his family business had erupted in flames during a grass fire in Sydney’s southwest.

The old Adventureland amusement park on Camden Valley Way, which was damaged in a fire on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: Jane Dempster

The owner of a beloved old amusement park was recovering from brain surgery at home when he discovered his family business had erupted in flames during a grass fire in Sydney’s southwest.

Garry O’Neill, the owner of Adventureland in Edmondson Park, watched in horror from his home as video emerged of his beloved amusement rides and equipment burning as a grassfire ripped through Camden Valley Way at Horningsea Park.

Mr O’Neill, in his 70s, had only just undergone brain surgery two weeks ago after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, and was unable to see the fire damage in person.

“I would have liked to be there but I can’t leave the house for three months,” he said.

“I got a call from the neighbours and they phoned me straight away but there’s nothing I can do … there was so much fire and smoke.”

Station officer Jamie Towle and fellow firefighters at the charred old Adventureland theme park on Camden Valley Way. Picture: Jane Dempster

The NSW Rural Fire Service issued an emergency warning on Wednesday, initially telling people in the fire’s vicinity it was “too late to leave”.

The warning was later downgraded to “advice” level as firefighters began the process of “mopping up” the blaze, which was described as burning “fiercely”.

Firefighters survey the site on Thursday, following the previous day’s fire. Picture: Jane Dempster

The blaze erupted in unseasonably warm weather, more than a month before the expected start of the bushfire danger period.

A NSW Police spokesman said investigations were ongoing into the cause of the incident, and could not confirm whether the fire had been deliberately lit.

While Mr O’Neill expected the damage to cost “thousands”, he believed “someone is on my side because all the good rides were saved”.

“All I know is a lot of the big rides, like the slides, log rides and rollercoasters are good, only a couple of semi trailers and about four caravans are burnt,” he said.

Mr O’Neill bought the former amusement park in 1979 and renamed it O’Neill’s Great Adventure, before it became fondly known as Adventureland.

“When I bought it, it had been an amusement park since the 1960s,” he said.

In its prime, hundreds of visitors from across western Sydney would flock to Adventureland to ride the dodgem cars or scream on a rollercoaster.

“My dad owned carnival games and I always wanted my own circus or carnival,” he said.

Adventureland at Edmondson Park, when it was previously known as O'Neill's Great Adventure. Picture: Supplied

After closing the park in the 1990s, Mr O’Neill and his wife Robyn now rent the carnival equipment out to festivals across the country, including the Easter Show.

“We’re not open to the public every day anymore but we do something here nearly every year, especially during Christmas time,” he said.

A young Garry O'Neill at Adventureland in Edmondson Park. Picture: Supplied

Despite the fire, Mr O’Neill said he was still planning on renting out carnival equipment towards the end of the year.

Shaken Edmondson Park residents have also spoken out after their neighbourhood became blanketed by thick, black smoke.

Members of one family, whose home backs onto the now charred carnival site Adventureland, said they grabbed their “laptops and passports” and fled within half an hour of first noticing the smoke.

The home of local residents Tatjana Vipic, Olivera and Paul Dellis is opposite Adventureland on Camden Valley Way. Picture: Jane Dempster

Father of four Paul Dellis, was at home with his wife, Olivera, and stepdaughter, Tatjana Vipic, when he observed the fire surge “within 15 minutes”.

“It was pretty hectic and scary in how fast it spread,” Mr Dellis said.

“That’s how strong the wind was.

“We saw all these trees just bent, being blown sideways with just plumes and plumes of black smoke.”

Ms Vipic, 21, said when they were driving out, they “couldn’t even see the end of the street”.

“That’s how thick the smoke was,” she said.

Local resident Malek Baize, 22, was home opposite the old Adventureland during the fire. Picture: Jane Dempster

Nearby on Jardine Ave, Malek Bizah, 22 was driving home to his pregnant wife when he saw the sky “go dark for a few hours”, just streets away from his home.

“The smell of smoke was really bad, it reminded me of the bushfires back in 2019, I can still smell it now, it was very very very strong,” he said.

The unseasonal heat is set to return to Sydney on Friday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

“Similar to yesterday where we had that really warm weather and wind, we’re expecting the heat to come back tomorrow (Friday),” BoM forecaster Jonathan Hall said on Thursday.

Garry O’Neill, with Sharmila Brakash, in 2015. Picture: Damian Shaw

“Across Sydney we’ll see temperatures of high 20s, hitting 30, but the wind will make it feel a little bit cooler than it is.

“However, we are expecting the same high fire rating tomorrow.”

Mr Hall said a severe weather warning had also been issued for damaging winds for the Illawarra and parts of Greater Sydney.

The prediction follows gusts of more than 100km/h wreaking havoc across parts of NSW on Wednesday.

“There’s still quite a bit of damage with fallen branches and debris lying around from (Wednesday)’s wind,” Mr Hall said.

“We could see a few more trees fall (on Friday), so be careful with where you park your car and where you’re walking.

“With the heat, keep plenty of water and follow all advice from SES and Fire and Rescue.”

Mr Hall said Sydney would see cooler winds over the weekend before heading back to higher temperatures next week.