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The sad end of  Magic Mountain theme park  
Words: Andrew PottsProducer: Bianca Mastroianni
Any child who visitedthe Gold Coast in the1980s will remember Magic Mountain.
One of the city’s most beloved icons, the park towered over Nobby Beach and Miami, a landmark for decades.
From thrill rides to the magic show by master illusionist Arthur Coghlan, there was something for everyone at the park.
But by 1991, the magic was gone, its rides silent and rotting as the park sat in ruins.
The story of Magic Mountain began 59 yeas ago when Page Newman opened the Nobby Beach chairlift. The attraction was a hit, carrying 40,000 people in its first year.
In 1976, the site was bought and redeveloped by George Carrett to include a small castle and later, a 500-seat theatre.
The park soon had everything from slides to carousels, ball pits and a parachute drop, all of which drew big crowds to the city.
The redevelopment of the site in the early 1980s into a major theme park cost more than $16m, a huge sum at the time.
But by 1985, owner ASC Property Trust, put it on the market as it wasn't making the returns expected of its investment.
It was tipped to sell for $10m, but never did, with offers hovering in the $4 to $6million range. Instead it was closed in 1987.
Despite efforts to redevelop the land into a resort, it sat in ruin, ravaged by vandals until it was subdivided and sold after 1993.
Today, the Gold Coast’s castle by the sea is gone, replaced by a variety of properties. The only signs of what once stood on the hill are some chairlift poles in the bushland.. 
																																								

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/web-stories/free/gold-coast-bulletin/what-happened-to-magic-mountain-theme-park-on-gold-coast