2003-04: 91,000 Theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Mother's Consumer Guide to Australia's Wonderland, New South Wales State Superannuation Board, 'A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure', "The lights go out at Wonderland, where millions got their thrills", "Australia's loneliest camel gets a new home", "Wonderland History: Demolition Timeline", "Theme Parks, Australian Theme Parks | Parkz Theme Parks", 'Australia's Wonderland Sydney Space Probe', 'Australia's Wonderland Sydney Blinky Bill Show', "Sydney's Wonderland to be a superpark on par with Gold Coast's theme park strip", "Sydney's Wonderland theme park set to make its home in the west", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonderland_Sydney&oldid=1137703503, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Greatest Fun You'll Ever Have" (19851986), "Too Much Fun To Have In One Day" (19871988), "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world was Wonderland (19881995), "No Wonder They Call It Wonderland" (19951998), 'The Beastie' opened 19852002. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Why did wonderland shut down? However, it is still believed to be sitting in pieces in a paddock at the Malaysian theme park. Tricoart Australia's theme parks: Dreamworld, Wonderland, Dazzeland, Luna Park 'Scooby's Silly Stix' opened in 1985. The Board of Directors wishes to inform the Exchange that International Theme Park Pty Ltd (a company incorporated in Australia), the operator of Wonderland Sydney in Australia will be closing its theme park operation latest by middle of this year. It is now a housing estate, with the only reference to it being a street called Leisureland Drive. Keep up with the latest daily buzz with the BuzzFeed Daily newsletter! Join the conversation, you are commenting as. Originally known as. Rides List | Wonderland History 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; The park opened in 1997 and operated for four years. 15/06/91 - Holiday fun with famous Wrestlers; 1992. Jamberoo bucks trend Desolation Alley - Sydney's closed amusement parks Granted, it's the first time it's been published (what are the sources of the articles, by the way? It remained open for almost nineteen years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life, but was closed in 2004 after becoming unprofitable, The last lot of stors close on the 5th of January 2009. he closed down the monasteries because they were over powering He said Merimbula's Magic Mountain attraction was also considering subdividing parts of its land for residential development. A spokeswoman from Wonderland declined to comment on the allegations that the park had been neglected. But finally, in 2004, persistent losses incurred and difficult market conditions saw the theme park shut its doors for the last time. Publication: Financial Review Ltd. the operator of wonderland is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Estonia Enterprises Ltd which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd. Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd is a 60% owned subsidiary of Sunway Lagoon Sdn Bhd which is a 51% owned subsidiary of Suncity.Both Estonia Enterprises Ltd and Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd are companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Australias Wonderland opened in December 1985 on a 219-hectare parcel of land in western Sydney. With whispers of a future Wonderland in Sydney, it begs the question whether some of these rides may one day find themselves coming back to Australia or counterparts built to pay homage to the original attractions that made Wonderland a historic piece of nostalgia. A. You can post now and register later. What we have available now is on such a different level.. The Bush Beast's wooden tracks were torn apart and carriages left to rust, and the. Atlantis Marine Park is an abandoned theme park in Two Rocks, Perth. After being installed at the Malaysian theme park in 2005 it was rebranded the Pirate's Revenge and remains one of the park's most popular attractions. The park was the largest theme park in the Southern Hemisphere. The professional gardener said the site is still filled with rotting material, with some parts of the land holding more debris than he expected. When the Wonderland closed down in 2004, the Space Probe remained on site for more than year and acted as a nostalgic beacon for anybody that drove past. The Demon is completly down but still on site. Little Monsters Flying School was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. Why did they decide to close down Wonderland in Sydney. Sydneys Wonderland revamp gets $1 billion funding. 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. Featured as the world's tallest and fastest free-fall ride at the time, Space Probe quickly became a crowd favourite with guests often queueing up for almost an hour to ride the attraction that lasted only 3.8 seconds as it dropped guests at 120km/h. Florida-based manager David Bakas has researched some of the top theme parks across the world while developing the master plan that includes all the attractions, resort hotels, shopping precinct and water park. DECEMBER 18 2004The Wonderland Sign above the front gate was taken down and sold for $1,000 to a Junkyard in Londonderry. 3.8 . Your previous content has been restored. Wonderland opened with three separate themed areas within the park: 'Goldrush', 'Medieval Faire' (later renamed Old Botany Bay), and 'Hanna-Barbera Land' (later renamed 'Little Wonders Land' in 20012002) which featured rides and attractions based on characters from Hanna-Barbera animation shows such as Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones. 'Skyway' opened 1997. 'Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas' opened 1985. It had several attractions including the popular Gee-Wizz ride, flying boats, merry-go-rounds, shooting and archery galleries. Galleon's Graveyard was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. This goes against everything the CEO said and what Sunway would like the general public to believe. "There is always something fascinating about abandoned places," Watts said. Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. The 100ha site in western Sydney was worth about $100million, and its owners could make more money from subdividing the site than they could from a theme park, he said. Date: 18/02/2004 Before Werribee Zoo, visitors to Ashtons Bacchus Marsh drove through a safari park where lions would latch their paws onto their cars. 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. [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. Go here for more 90s and 00s nostalgia. It is kind of like having a foot but you dont know the exact shoe size., SYDNEY WALK-THRU JUNKYARD THAT HAS EVERYTHING. The park would later add rides such as the 'Demon' (1992) and 'Space Probe 7' (1995; sponsored by the Seven Network, who bought naming rights to the ride. January 2005ING now own the park outright, all the rides should have been removed and demoliton well under way but everything is still delayed. Warner Village have been a bit slow on the uptake (and some badly timed attractions and aquisitions targeting international guests didn't help), but they're pretty well back. It takes another player out of the market." The park was the largest theme park in the Southern Hemisphere. The business had just invested $250,000 on a crocodile exhibit, he said. A look back at Australia's forgotten theme parks - The New Daily The park haddodgem cars, a roller-coaster, an arcade, mini-golf, bumper boats and gravity-defying ride called The Scat. The New Daily takes a look back at Australias most loved and forgotten theme parks. 2001-02: 165,400 This amusement park in Frankston, opened its doors in 1966 and operated for almost 10 years. Wonderland Sydney - Wikipedia [8] Two of the park's camels were adopted by a family in Goulburn. Both parks had at least twodeaths as well as injuries which contributed to their eventual closure. With the CN characters, they've just had the Powerpuff Girls, but . 1996. Unlike the rest of the park, which remained open year-round, The Beach was a seasonal attraction which closed during the winter months (JuneSeptember). Convincing the operator on the Tasmanian Devil to go backwards. There's not too many attractions you can add that will ultimately effect this demographic. Wonderland closed 10 years ago today : ( : r/australia The Western Sydney marvel deemed as "Wonderland" was a world of escape for families for almost 20 years. Its Rewind Week at BuzzFeed Oz! 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. People are not travelling overseas and Macquarie Leisure has been able to tap into this to bolster its domestic visits. Its main attraction was a figure-eight roller-coaster called Jazz Junction, with its track running overhead along the fifth level. Domestic tourism accounted for 96 per cent of the park's business, and 68 per cent of visitors were from Sydney. Problems around Wonderland Eurasia arose quickly: just two days after its opening, a train got stuck. Cartoon Network Characters To Debut at Wonderland Sydney BuzzFeed Staff, Australia. 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. I don't think anything will surprise you though, most of us were aware of what has been going on for some time. Australia's Wonderland's predecessor, Magic Kingdom Amusement Park opened in the 1970s and promised a massive day out for just $6. Forgotten memories: 8 long-lost theme parks in Australia Wonderland Sydney officially closed. down the monasteries! 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. Its headline feature was a jungle boat cruise which allowed visitors to pass large concrete dinosaurs, with speakers set into the grass. Some of the rides were moved, but others were scrapped. 'Tasmanian Devil' opened 1985. The heartbroken family of Matthew Eakin, who died on the K2 in Pakistan, has made a desperate plea for help to retrieve his body. While few can forget the thrill of their first roller-coaster ride or twirlingon a merry-go-round, the theme parks wherethese memories were forged are being increasingly forgotten. The Fox Studios Backlot in Moore Park was also a much-loved treasure among film buffs. Paste as plain text instead, When it shut its doors to the public in April 2004, he wasn't quite ready to let go of his childhood. We are all aware of Sea World, Dreamworld and Movieworld. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Jamberoo Recreation Park visitor numbers: And my friend wanted to take a drone, so we went out again this month.. The park included the Big Dipper roller-coaster,mini golf, ice cream kiosk and a miniature railway. on top of a roller coaster, and passengers had to get off on foot. Luna Park, Scarborough Beachopened in 1939 and closed after 33 years of operation. The Great Balloon Race was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. After a tourism boom, the park changed owners, and a Magic Castle was built in 1976 which saw attendance dramatically increase. Adventure Parc, Tamborine Mountain; Amazons Aquatic Adventureland, Jindalee - closed down in 2001, the site has since become Centenary Quays, a gated community [9], The entry way signage at the time of closure, featuring Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, was sold to a junkyard in Londonderry in Sydney's north west where it remains today.[10]. close its doors. Lost Sydney: Australia's Wonderland Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Well-known circus family, the Bullens, also had other lion parks in NSW, Queensland and South Australia. The park opened in 1991 and closed in 1998. Your link has been automatically embedded. The parks flagship ride was The Bush Beast which was the largest wooden roller coaster in Australia at the time. 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. 2002-03: 170,000 "I guess it felt like I had a certain amount of closure by being able to climb The Beastie this one final time, it being the first roller-coaster I ever went on as a child.". Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! March 12, 2005Ambulances were called to reports of a person fallen at the 'Space Probe'.On arrival ambulance officers found a male in his early 30s trapped on a platform inside the tower approximately 30 metres above the ground. Yes it does seem like an eternity, but remember you heard it hear, at Weekend . Australia's oldest running coal-fired power station is about to close. A look back at Australias forgotten theme parks. SCAT paramedics and a doctor from Careflight arrived on scene to assist in treating the patient.He was released two and a half hours later and taken to Westmead hospital with a back injury in a stable condition. Was Canada'S Wonderland Sold? - Ontario Bakery The space probe, demon and the snowy river rampage where reported to be seen operating from outside the park. 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. Cox says Wonderland also suffered because of its Eastern Creek location. Join the conversation with your fellow The New Daily readers and see their replies. November 30, 2004They started removing The Demon Station. Several rides were closed in 2002 due to the reduction in operational area of the park. Publication: Illawarra Mercury Built in 1985 in Sydney's west, it was a good enough local substitute for . Western Sydney resident Chris Watts spent 19 years living a short drive from amusement park Wonderland. parks have managed topersist for decades, but most have sadly shut their doors. The new project to resurrect Wonderland Sydney has been earmarked for completion by 2021 with a new location in Western Sydney still to be finalised. "It was a strange feeling to see a place I had loved so much reduced to such a decrepit level of decay and destruction.". Wonderland Sydney , was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. Sydney's Wonderland theme park is dead and buried but some of its most popular rides live on after finding new homes at theme parks across the globe. The park opened December 7 1985 with just three themed areas - Hanna Babera Land, Medieval Fair and Goldrush. Kennedy had visited the park once, as a Senator, four years earlier in October 1959. . The park appears to have been abandoned since 2015. Mr Bakas is closely monitoring a new $5.5 billion theme park in China called Shanghai Disney Resort which opened last month. 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. The Demon, or Boomerang as it classified by manufacturers Vekoma, originally operated at the shorty lived World Expo in Brisbane in 1988 under the name Titan. 01/01/92 - Bursting At The Themes; . The Bush Beast Roller Coaster . June 17th 2004Wonderland became a danger-land training environment for soldiers of 5 Bdes Reserve Response Force (RRF) during the conduct of Exercise Ferris Wheel.The space probe, demon and the snowy river rampage where reported to be seen operating from outside the park. For almost two decades . Wobbies World in Melbourne's east opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. A large wheel-shaped machine which laid on one of its faces, with several rocking rider cars attached around the circumference. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. Sydney's Wonderland theme park at Eastern Creek is to close. The park had a satisfactory couple of months, but for all their rides and investment they couldn't make very much of a profit. Serendipity Fun Park in Devonport opened in 1988, but closed only 16 months later, after facing financialproblems. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park Sydney, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. The park shut its doors in 2005 citing financial woes. Friday August 26, 2005The Beastie was demolished. Wonderland Sydney | Theme Park (Sydney, Australia) "At lower elevations, where it did not snow Snowy River Rampage On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Australia's Wonderland also claimed that it was the largest wooden rollercoaster in the Southern Hemisphere. The ride was sold in 2005 to Fly Coaster, a small. 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'. It was where everyone went; it was just awesome. log in. 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. 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. Lost Sydney: Australia's Wonderland The Real Reasons for Wonderland's Closure, Dreamworld announces Wave Swinger, Dreamland (DreamWorks retheme) and new coasters. "It was devastating to see Wonderland close down because of how much fun it brought people over the years. Far fewer know their real story. "I think most people in Western Sydney formed an attachment with the place," Watts told BuzzFeed. In September 2015 the proposal received financial backing with a $1 billion cash injection from a consortium of investors via the multinational, Fox Petroleum Limited.[28]. "Everyone is not doing as well as they were because the fall in international tourists has dented theme park revenues," forensic valuer Brian Cox says. He cited events including September 11, the Ansett and HIH collapses, bushfires and SARS. Bullens African Lion Safari in Rockbank also operated during this time and, much like Ashtons. The master plan for the Western Sydney area is an entertainment precinct with attractions, resort . New logo look for Wonderland Sydney - 2002, A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure, 2003 Retail Plaza Marvel Make-over Completed. Wonderland Sydney was a theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 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". Removed in 2000. A new 'veloway' is welcome news for Melbourne's cyclists. "We had a lot more rides coming in than going out and some of the smaller ones were moved to other sections when we got new additions like Space Probe," he said. 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. Wonderland's chief executive Stephen Galbraith said the park would close its gates because of a number of challenges faced by the tourism and leisure industry in recent years. Many of Australia's Wonderland's rides correlate to the rides at the former Paramount Parks still in operation today. Ltd. the operator of Wonderland Sydney would close its theme park operation by middle of 2004 as part of the Group's overall rationalization exercise to exit from non-performing business units. 'The Beastie', a smaller version of The Bush Beast which catered to younger riders, was also one of the original rides. Since then, we have lifted the overall performance of the park, completely rebuilt its image and brand awareness but this had not been enough. Theme park analyst David Barbuto, of JPI Consulting, says Wonderland had lost its identity and did not offer a sufficient menu of attractions to lock people into a four- to six-hour stay. Marvel characters - Never produced Wonderpass and staff ID cards. Please try again. 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. 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). The park opened in 1970 and closed by 1980, it was run by the Ashton family, of Ashtons Circus fame. It was sad to look out and see there really was nothing left of it. 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.