August 2004All 14 Bush Beast and 10 beastie carriages where moved out to the maintenance area by one of the wonderland maintenance crew still working at wonderland after is closure.Who would've thought that they would ever see all 4 trains together?! Some of the rides were moved, but others were scrapped. 3.8 . ``I'm saddened by (the closure) because I don't like it to be happening to the industry," he said. The most depressing thing was realising we were standing on the exact same spot where the actual Beastie used to be, he said, referring to the parks smaller wooden rollercoaster. Henry VIII and were earning lots of money so they decided to close What we have available now is on such a different level.. Wonderland's demise follows that of the disastrous Fox Studios Backlot theme park, which Lend Lease and News Corp were forced to shut down after less than two years of operation, and the closure of Old Sydney Town. Park Musical Supervisor for the 19851986 opening season was Derek Williams. 2002-03: 170,000 Five-centuries-old saffron and ginger found preserved in shipwreck off Sweden, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. For almost two decades, Wonderland operated more than 20 rides in Sydneys Eastern Creek. "At a time when international tourists want to do Cape York to Melbourne in one day, Wonderland was too far out of Sydney," he says. The high velocity ride which sling-shotted passengers at more than 70km/h forwards and then backwards operated in Wonderland's Transylvania Land until its closure in 2004. This week, the 27-year-old decided to go back for a second visit to Wonderlands graveyard complete with a drone to see what he may have missed during his first visit two years ago. in 2020 , leaving a strong feeling . Of all the rides on the 540 acre site, he has always been most fond of Wonderland's two wooden roller coasters, The Beastie and The Bush Beast. There's not too many attractions you can add that will ultimately effect this demographic. WORLDS of Wonder is destined to propel Western Sydney to the nations top theme park destination, knocking off the Gold Coast. It remained open for over 18 years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life until its closure in 2004. By Many of the attractions were demolished after the parks closure. In 1995 Wonderland installed what was to become its new flagship attraction, the Space Probe a Giant Drop developed by Intamin that cost almost $10 million. The content of this website is provided for information purposes only. It was where everyone went; it was just awesome. Political turmoil, uneven ride quality, and a lack of attendance caused the massive park to. An electric track used to propel scaled-down, 'Bounty's Revenge' opened 1985. June 2004A Heritage Order for the Bush Beast was submitted to Blacktown Council. Produced by Kings Entertainment Company. Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe was so impressed with the honesty of a liquor he tasted while working in Dublin he bought shares in the company. Snowy River Rampage Amidst record attendance set as a result of the announcement of the closure, Wonderland says goodbye. Once the largest amusement park in the southern hemisphere where there was magic on every corner, the Wonderland management company, Sunway Group, blamed a multitude of factors for its closure including the September 11 attacks and the collapse of Ansett. Magic Mountain at Gold Coasts Nobbys Beach was built in 1962 and closed in 1991. log in. "There is always something fascinating about abandoned places," Watts said. Dimly lit, hard-to-watch Disney trailer is further proof Hollywood has embraced the dark side, From Aussie politics to catering funerals: Here are 10 new books to check out in March, Introducing the worlds smartest suitcases. After a tourism boom, the park changed owners, and a Magic Castle was built in 1976 which saw attendance dramatically increase. Leisureland Fair Lots of money, Jewellery and Mobile phones.Most of the rides still on site where removed. The sublime Irish gin which stole Rustys heart, Parallel roads which are streets apart in temperature. Canada's Wonderland will retire its standup roller-coaster SkyRider on Sept. 1 to make way for a new attraction. I saw things I remember clearly as a child, pieces of rides I used to love that were still just sitting there, fading.. 1.0 3.0 5.0. Successive inconveniences and high costs caused Wonderland Eurasia to . I think he is spot on. Western Sydney resident Chris Watts spent 19 . Ten years following its closure, property developer and former Wonderland employee Ammar Khan announced his plan to resurrect the amusement park. Before Werribee Zoo, visitors to Ashtons Bacchus Marsh drove through a safari park where lions would latch their paws onto their cars. There was a miniature golf course called Top Cat's Putt Putt Park; prior to the installation of Fred Flintstone's Splashdown there was a putting course known as Old McScrappy's Golfing Farm. A parachute would then allow riders to slowly descend to the ground. The Broken Hill Mill Games Arcade in Gold Rush was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. Several rides were closed in 2002 due to the reduction in operational area of the park. parks have managed topersist for decades, but most have sadly shut their doors. The articles may make some of you even more angry but they are well worth a read. Technology has changed so drastically between decades, he said. Visitors were told that the rides were being relocated to the remaining section, so that they would be closer (as the rides were spaced apart). Sydney's Wonderland theme park at Eastern Creek is to close. By Richard Wilson 26 April 2004 1 Shares. 01/01/92 - Bursting At The Themes; . For almost two decades . [1] Officially opened in December 1985 by the Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran,[2] the park was the largest in the southern hemisphere. I honestly think I would have gone to Wonderland every second day in the school holidays. Join the conversation with your fellow The New Daily readers and see their replies. People are not travelling overseas and Macquarie Leisure has been able to tap into this to bolster its domestic visits. July 3 2004The Demon was completing several cycles.Snowy river rampage geysers where operating.Aug 7 2004The space probe and the demon were operating and the guysers on the snowy river rampage where going off. In 2017, amateur filmmaker Phil Van Gerwen decided to take a trip down memory lane, and venture to the site where rides have been dumped following the parks demise. The park was sold in 1997 to the Kuala Lumpur, based Sunway Group. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Tricoart It really was gone, he said. November 2004The Lake was drained, there was heaps of stuff under there that had fallen out of people'e pockets over the years while on Bountys Revenge. In 1990 Wonderland opened the 'Australian Wildlife Park'. This also impacted on Visionland who purchased the ride and they were also chased for payment even though it was outside their contract with the Canadian "experts". Are bills set to rise? Strongline Engineering removed the attraction in September 2005 and. One of the streets through the site retains the name "Wonderland Drive". [4] Today, the five Paramount Parks continue successful operation, purchased in 2006 by amusement park operator Cedar Fair. But it was so popular I really wanted to explore it. When the aforementioned "excuses" hit, this portion of the attendance did take a huge hit. Some amusementparks have managed topersist for decades, but most have sadly shut their doors. In its recently released interim results, Macquarie Leisure reported a 29 per cent improvement in Dreamworld's profit at a time when its international patronage was at an historic low. He said Merimbula's Magic Mountain attraction was also considering subdividing parts of its land for residential development. The going got slow, and the getting practically stopped. However, Taft only had a minority stake in Australia's Wonderland and sold their stake to other Australian investors. The business had just invested $250,000 on a crocodile exhibit, he said. Some of the rides were moved, but others were scrapped. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park Sydney, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. See also How Much Self-Employed Income Do You Have To Report Canada? At its peak the amusement park featured 24 rides across five themed sections. But other operators and analysts place the blame closer to home. Problems around Wonderland Eurasia arose quickly: just two days after its opening, a train got stuck. While some of Wonderland's rides disappeared long before the park's closure, former employee Mr Khan said many were relocated to make way for bigger and better attractions. Wonderland Project Surrounded by Controversy In addition to the major losses, Wonderland creators have been under scrutiny in recent times. Only one ride, Skyrider which was the former cable car at the Sydney Showgrounds, was added between the 1997 takeover and the park's closure. It hadfamous waterslides that twisted across each other, and other rides such as dodgem cars, mini golf, a carousel, an alligator-themed roller- coaster and a video game arcade. You cannot paste images directly. That changed over the years to include Botany . Quite an interesting couple of articles, on many fronts and confrims what many of us have been saying about the theme park industry being overall, quite strong. "It's a real disappointment to see an asset of Sydney go like that because of a zoning change out of nowhere," he says. When we took over eight years ago, the park's future was uncertain, Since then, we have lifted the overall performance of the park, completely rebuilt its image and brand awareness but this had not been enough. "It was devastating to see Wonderland close down because of how much fun it brought people over the years. Pictured is the Big Dipper roller-coaster that was closed after only a year of operation in 1995 after noise complaints by . close its doors. Sydney is on track to reopen a wonderful memory in our West. But instead of being cleared away, the bones of the theme park still haunt the grounds in which they were dumped as rubbish all those years ago. A Vekoma spokeswoman told nine.com.au that due to the Boomerangs' "thrill factor and a small footprint" it was snapped up by Alabama Splash Adventure in the US where it operated as the Zoomerang for seven years. Removed in 2000. Retail Plaza Marvel Spider-Man dome Removal 2004, Wonderland Items at Valley View Park Horse Riding. After Wonderland shut Watts roamed the abandoned lot and took the liberty of entering sections of the park that were off-limits to visitors when it was open, including climbing to the top of The Beastie roller coaster structure. While Intamin's Giant Drop failed to live on after Wonderland, its Bounty ride which operating in Wonderland as the Bounty's Revenge was also shipped to Sunway Lagoon. New logo look for Wonderland Sydney - 2002, A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure, 2003 Retail Plaza Marvel Make-over Completed. Sega World, which was on Sydneys Darling Harbour, was a nod to the Sega gaming franchise, primarily Sonic the Hedgehog. International guests aren't attracted to Australian theme parks by big thrill rides, they are attracted by uniqueness, diversity and in particular wildlife. Wonderland Sydney (originally known as Australia's Wonderland), was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. [5][6], The gates shut for the last time on 26 April 2004,[7] the day after the Anzac Day public holiday, and a complete demolition of the park was undertaken in September 2005. The park, aimed primarily at younger children, featured a static Bell helicopter plus a chopper-themed Whirliebird monorail, golf course, trampolines and several food and drink kiosks. 1996. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Australia's Wonderland Sydney - TV Commercial 1987 Watch on Children's author and good friend Andrew Levins has spent some time in lockdown researching the history of Wonderland, 35 years after it first opened, and shared some of his stories on Hope Breakfast. Marvel characters - Never produced Wonderpass and staff ID cards. A look back at Australias forgotten theme parks. Keep track of all the parks and rides you've experienced, Rate and review your favourite attractions, Join the discussion in our forums to find out what new rides/attractions are on their way. [8] Two of the park's camels were adopted by a family in Goulburn. No claim is made as to the accuracy or currency of the content on this site at any time. Theme parks need a capital injection of between $3million and $4million each year to survive. Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. From foraging for food to prepping for an apocalypse, holidaying in the metaverse and bondage retreats: Youll never believe the holidays Aussies are most excited for in 2023. 03/12/05 - Bush Beast's resting place revealed. 'Funnel Web' opened in 1985, and removed in 1990. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Jamberoo bucks trend down the monasteries! . Drowning, 08/05/85 - The frame goes up for new coaster, 26/04/85 - Whoosh - and up she goes (Bush Beast), 16/07/85 - Wonderland Rises up from Suburbia, 15/08/85 - Hair-raising Beastie is ready to roll, 28/08/86 - It's as exciting as Disneyland, 19/09/86 - Why Wonderland is riding the J-Curve, 15/06/91 - Holiday fun with famous Wrestlers, 11/09/92 - Life's Ups And Downs Can Send You Loopy, 28/03/97 - Australia's Wonderland sold for $50m, 01/07/97 - Kelair keeps the rides running, 24/07/97 - Wonderland hosts feast of country music, 31/01/98 - Scooby's life not all happy snaps, 08/04/99 - Tie ends `Whirl till you Hurl'. During that time he shot photos showing the remains of what was once a special part of many people's childhoods. This amusement park in Frankston, opened its doors in 1966 and operated for almost 10 years. Date: 18/02/2004 GoGoBoy, 16 February 2004The Sunway company announced that International Theme Park Pty. The park opened in 1997 and operated for four years. Copyright 2023 The New Daily. ``We had 91,000 visitors over December and January, compared to 81,500 last year and 79,600 the year before." August 2005Site access is granted after 5 months of delays. CEO Stephen Galbraith stated the September 11 attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings, the collapse of HIH Insurance, the SARS virus, the bird flu virus, consistent losses on the Asian financial crisis, the collapse of Ansett Australia, the Iraq War and the 2003 bushfires all contributed to the park's closure. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. This all comes from marketing pretty much. Most of the rides were sold to other amusement parks, while 'The Bush Beast', 'The Beastie' and 'The Snowy River Rampage' were demolished. Mr Eddy said the park was on track to exceeding 200,000 visitors this financial year - up from 170,000 in 2002-03 and 165,400 in 2001-02. mini golf, ice cream kiosk and a miniature railway. Owners say the threat of terrorism, coupled with skyrocketing insurance premiums, SARS and the Asian bird flu have all taken their toll . SUNWAY CLOSURE OF WONDERLAND SYDNEY; The Final Day; The Last Day; A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure; Demolition Time Line; Wonderland Galleries; Wonderland History; Wonderland Wedding; Started Thursday at 09:35 PM. Just 14 years ago, Sydneys Wonderland was filled with the screeching of roller-coasters, the scent of dagwood dogs and the laughter and excitement of schoolkids spending their pocket money at Australias most loved theme park. Beasties two blue PTC Trains under the cover of the stables in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. It takes another player out of the market." It is now the site of the Forest Hill police station. Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit, Aussie travel predictions will surprise you, Familys plea months after climbers death. This decision was taken in view of persistent losses incurred and difficult market conditions. Your Rating. Water park Magic Mountain in Glenelg opened opened in 1982 and closed its doors in 2004. Kennedy had visited the park once, as a Senator, four years earlier in October 1959. . Australia's Wonderland expanded, and rebranded as Wonderland Sydney it featured an all-new water park known as 'The Beach', which first opened in 1988. Relocated from, This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 00:58. He was a regular visitor. Wonderland is closed forever! Magic Kingdom Amusement Park. it had had lions, tigers, bears, elephants and giraffes. Firstly I'd like to say that this is my first post here at themeparkinsider, and that I too am an employee at Wonderland Sydney. Plans for the park include a water park, a wildlife park and the return of the Wonderland. Unlike the Demon, Space Probe's future wasn't as fruitful. Wonderland was designed in the late 1970s. Wonderland will shut its doors on April 26. But a small handful didn't suffer the same unceremonious fate and were packed up and shipped off to other amusement parks all around the world. 'Skyway' opened 1997. WORLDS of Wonder is destined to propel Western Sydney to the nation's top theme park destination, knocking off the Gold Coast. Wonderland's demise follows the closure of Old Sydney Town on the Central Coast and the Kinkuna Country Fun and Fauna Park at Lakes Entrance, Victoria. Im really surprised with how much stuff is still there, he said. March 10, 2004 in Theme Park Discussion, I have found a couple of articles which give a far more accurate account of why Wonderland is closing and the deceptiveness behind it. 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