North Sydney Council to spend $500k restoring Luna Park’s famous welcome archway

A LANDMARK neon sign that once welcomed visitors to Sydney’s Luna Park is set to return - a mere 12 years after it was taken down for “urgent repairs”.

• Famous sign in ‘urgent repairs’ since 2004
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Milsons Point residents can look forward to the return of Luna Park’s landmark sign — at a cost of about $500,000.

The Alfred St Archway, also known as the Welcome to North Sydney sign, spanned across the road on the way to Luna Park.

The original neon structure was taken down more than a decade ago because it was in danger of collapsing, but North Sydney Council has decided to rejuvenate it despite grumbles from several councillors at a recent meeting.

The only thing that remains of the sign today are its brightly coloured posts.

“I really don’t approve of spending this money,” said Cr Veronique Marchandeau. “I think it’s a waste of money.

“It’s a replacement of an outdated private signage to a parking lot many years ago.”

Cllrs Jeff Morris and Stephen Barbour also disagreed with the plan and didn’t vote for it.

However, it had the support of most councillors including Mayor Jilly Gibson.

The sign was removed in 2004 but the promised ‘urgent repairs’ have still be to undertaken.

“The archway is very important to the residents of Kirribilli and Milsons Point,” said Cr Gibson.

“It’s a real slice of our history that should be preserved.”

At the time of its removal one side of the sign said Welcome to North Sydney and the other listed the area’s major attractions: Luna Park, Olympic Pool and Bradfield Park.

Two poles from the sign still stand at the site.

North Sydney Council said the cost for the new sign, including removal of the old sign, is in the vicinity of $500,000.

The sign acted as a gateway to Sydney’s famous Luna Park.

The exact figure cannot be given as its commercial in confidence.

Works on the sign will commence at the end of March and will take approximately three months to complete.

Council allowed Luna Park to build the sign in 1935 and it originally directed people to the carpark, but it had fallen into disrepair by the 1980s and the council took it over.