Several rides were closed in 2002 due to the reduction in operational area of the park. The sublime Irish gin which stole Rustys heart, Parallel roads which are streets apart in temperature. 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. If there had been one thing I wish could have found when I was out at that boneyard it would have been a piece of the Bush Beast. Wonderland Sydney (originally known as Australia's Wonderland), was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. One of the pioneers of Wonderland and now chairman of Macquarie Leisure, Neil Balnaves, said the park's vendor, Sunway City Berhad, had not invested any money into the complex during its eight years of ownership. You can post now and register later. We are all aware of Sea World, Dreamworld and Movieworld. 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. In 1990 Wonderland opened the 'Australian Wildlife Park'. But other operators and analysts place the blame closer to home. The ride was sold in 2005 to Fly Coaster, a small. 3.8 . Date: 18/02/2004 Clear editor. 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. Ashley Jeffery 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. Mr Bakas is closely monitoring a new $5.5 billion theme park in China called Shanghai Disney Resort which opened last month. log in. The beauty of the SARS et al excuses is that they are actually quite true. Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. Its main attraction was a figure-eight roller-coaster called Jazz Junction, with its track running overhead along the fifth level. He said Merimbula's Magic Mountain attraction was also considering subdividing parts of its land for residential development. "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.". However, media lambasted the company for using those as scapegoats for poor management. Author: By DAVID CRAWSHAW 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. A small lake equipped with paddle boats. The space probe, demon and the snowy river rampage where reported to be seen operating from outside the park. Cartoon Network Characters To Debut at Wonderland Sydney 'Ned Kelly's Getaway' opened 1985. The business had just invested $250,000 on a crocodile exhibit, he said. The Real Reasons for Wonderland's Closure - Parkz By The content of this website is provided for information purposes only. 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. Cox says Wonderland also suffered because of its Eastern Creek location. When we took over eight years ago, the parks future was uncertain, Wonderlands then chief executive Stephen Galbraith said two months prior to the theme parks last day of trade. However, it is still believed to be sitting in pieces in a paddock at the Malaysian theme park. Strongline Engineering removed the attraction in September 2005 and. Marvel characters - Never produced Wonderpass and staff ID cards. Watts, 42, and friends have built an online community to celebrate Wonderland, with the Wonderland History website and a Facebook group. Join the conversation with your fellow The New Daily readers and see their replies. It was put into voluntary liquidation in 1934, with its rides dismantled and sent to Luna Park in Sydney. 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 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. Its Rewind Week at BuzzFeed Oz! 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. THE Illawarra's only theme park is proving more popular with visitors, despite Sydney's Wonderland closing its doors citing the impact of terrorism, SARS and Asian bird flu. Perhaps put more eloquently than Daniel, but yeah, there was really nothing there that is terribly new. 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. "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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Join the conversation, you are commenting as. The park included a steel roller-coaster, waterslides and log flume. Amidst record attendance set as a result of the announcement of the closure, Wonderland says goodbye. Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. List of defunct amusement parks - Wikipedia The park only operated for two years, with the reason given for its closure the loss in international tourism caused by 9/11. After this contract expired, the ride dropped the '7' from its name). In the mid 1990s he said Wonderland was consistently attracting 1 million visitors a year. DECEMBER 20, 2004The Demon was taken off site.DECEMBER 22, 2004Demolition and all other work on site is put on hold!The Canadian company came over to pull the Demon down did not have the relevant demolition licence so they subcontracted it out to some guy at the last minute. Wobbies World in Melbourne's east opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. Wonderland Online from IGG is officially shutting down on January 15, 2019 after running for more than 10 years (launched Dec, 2008). 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. 03/12/05 - Bush Beast's resting place revealed. Date: 21/02/2004 Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. 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. Leisureland Fair was in Langwarrin, in Melbournes south-east, and operated from 1984 to 1992. 01/01/92 - Bursting At The Themes; . 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'. Jamberoo Recreation Park visitor numbers: Retail Plaza Marvel Spider-Man dome Removal 2004, Wonderland Items at Valley View Park Horse Riding. The ride closed in 2002. Sydney is on track to reopen a wonderful memory in our West. Wonderland was designed in the late 1970s. The park had three separate themed areas, including Hanna-Barbera Land, which featured rides and attractions based on characters such as Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones. 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]. Australia's theme parks: Dreamworld, Wonderland, Dazzeland, Luna Park 12 February 2004ING Industrial Fund teamed up with The PacLib Group to buy wonderland.Hartford Lane Pty Ltd entered into a Put and Call Option Deed with Paclib Industrial Pty Ltd to dispose off Wonderland Sydney, the land measuring 58.87 hectares (Lot 11, Plan 1025320) and buildings, structures and theme park rides thereon for a total of $52.5 million AUD, excluding Goods and Services Tax, paying $10 million at exchange and the balance payable on settlement in January 2005.Hartford Lane Pty Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd.Hartford being the Trustee of Sunway Australia Unit Trust , the registered owner of the Property. Now, new images show how the theme park was left to rot. Bullens African Lion Safari in Rockbank also operated during this time and, much like Ashtons. At the time, the park hadthe largest water-slide setup in the southern hemisphere. Balnaves started working on feasibility studies for Wonderland in the early 1970s and opened the park in December 1984. September 2004Bush Beast and Beastie carriages where moved from the maintenance area, out to the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoirBush Beasts Yellow PTC Train, minus two cars, under the cover of the stables in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. Other proposals just never progressed beyond the drawing board, including the $485million Studio City proposal for Melbourne's Docklands and the canning of Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede planned for Surfers Paradise. Since then, we have lifted the overall performance of the park, completely rebuilt its image and brand awareness but this had not been enough. He describes its closure as a tragedy. 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 had several attractions including the popular Gee-Wizz ride, flying boats, merry-go-rounds, shooting and archery galleries. 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. Western Sydney resident Chris Watts spent 19 years living a short drive from amusement park Wonderland. "I think most people in Western Sydney formed an attachment with the place," Watts told BuzzFeed. Some of the rides were moved, whereas others were scrapped. Caspers World In Miniature in Stawell, in regional Victoria, was a large tourist fun park which opened in 1976. Domestic tourism accounted for 96 per cent of the park's business, and 68 per cent of visitors were from Sydney. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Grundys, on the Surfers Paradise beachfront, opened in 1981 and closed in 1993. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park Sydney, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. There was also signage from an old food stand, listing ice cream for sale. 2002-03: 170,000 Wonderland City - Wikipedia Are bills set to rise? Why did they decide to close down Wonderland in Sydney. Dreamworld did well to counter this with very well times thrill and family attractions. Upload or insert images from URL. This is how we got here and what needs to change, 'Please confirm what Muslim refers to': Why Ali's birthday payment for his nephew was flagged by his bank, Kade was a fit 31-year-old when he died from a heart attack, Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. A Magic Mountain spokesman said all options were being explored, but for now the centre was still trading as a theme park. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. 'Skyway' opened 1997. Jamberoo bucks trend Special-needs schools connected to Morgan's Wonderland to close He cited events including September 11, the Ansett and HIH collapses, bushfires and SARS. However, Taft only had a minority stake in Australia's Wonderland and sold their stake to other Australian investors. Pictured is the Big Dipper roller-coaster that was closed after only a year of operation in 1995 after noise complaints by . 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. 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". Unlike the rest of the park, which remained open year-round, The Beach was a seasonal attraction which closed during the winter months (JuneSeptember). Started Friday at 03:54 AM, By Wonderland was an Aussie theme park that created fond memories for many kids of the '80s and '90s. During that time he shot photos showing the remains of what was once a special part of many people's childhoods. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. 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. Wonderland's lack of branding also meant the park could not harness valuable merchandising sales. "It was basically a 'wear-out' process," he says. Some wouldn't survive. 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. Some of the rides were moved, but others were scrapped. 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. For many years, Wonderland's flagship ride was 'The Bush Beast' which was the largest wooden roller coaster in Australia. 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. 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. Wonderland is closed forever! [27] Wonderland Sydney: Video shows decaying remains of theme park - news Paclib Industrial Pty Ltd a special purpose vehicle with a paid-up share capital of A$2.00. 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?! US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Sydney's Last Real Theme Park - The History of Wonderland Sydney After 29 years, SkyRider's ride comes to an end | The Star A. "At lower elevations, where it did not snow Park Musical Supervisor for the 19851986 opening season was Derek Williams. However, the 67m high ride was never erected reportedly due to the unforeseen costs in servicing and maintaining the attraction. After a tourism boom, the park changed owners, and a Magic Castle was built in 1976 which saw attendance dramatically increase. Relocated from, This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 00:58. Wonderland Sydney, then known as Australia's Wonderland opened amid much media attention and publicity on 7 December 1985 with financial backing from the New South Wales State Superannuation Board, James Hardie, Leighton Holdings and Taft Broadcasting (through Kings Entertainment Company)[3] at Eastern Creek on the junction of Wallgrove Road and the M4 Motorway. Symbio Wildlife Gardens owner John Radnidge said international tourism had fallen in the past few years but domestic tourism was up. . A large inverting, 'Fred Flintstone's Splashdown' opened 1994. It was an institution for many, and a hotspot during school holidays. Western Sydney resident Chris Watts spent 19 . Your link has been automatically embedded. 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. Closed in 1990 to make way for the Australian Wildlife Park. Sonfina demolitions is contracted in and they start in Gold Rush near where HMS was and work they way down towards the Bush Beast.August 25, 2005The overgrown ground around the Space Probe and the Zodiac was cleared and a cyclone fence was put up around them.The back road was opened up at the end of the new wonderland drive and a path cleared to allow direct access from Probe & Zodiac to the back paddock. Owners say the threat of terrorism, coupled with skyrocketing insurance premiums, SARS and the Asian bird flu have all taken their toll on the number of visitors to the park. Sunway Group, who managed Wonderland, blamed a multitude of factors for its closure including the September 11 attacks and the collapse of Ansett Australia. After the Demon was down and out of the park the original Canadian company, who were contracted to pull it down, decided not to pay guy his exorbitant fee using the distance between the two countries as a safe haven. Henry VIII and were earning lots of money so they decided to close This all comes from marketing pretty much. The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area expanded to the west. [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. Magic Kingdom Amusement Park. You cannot paste images directly. [26] While Khan does not have a site for the Park he plans that it would occupy a site around 300 acres in and around Eastern Creek or towards Hoxton Park. A large wheel-shaped machine which laid on one of its faces, with several rocking rider cars attached around the circumference. 27/04/04 - Laughter turns to tears as sun sets on Wonderland, 23/07/04 - Family seeks theme park ticket refund. Lost Sydney: Australia's Wonderland close its doors. 'Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas' opened 1985. Rides List | Wonderland History 3.8 . 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. Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit, Aussie travel predictions will surprise you, Familys plea months after climbers death. Wonderland Project Surrounded by Controversy In addition to the major losses, Wonderland creators have been under scrutiny in recent times. The park opened in 1991 and closed in 1998. 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. Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. ``I don't understand (Wonderland) suggesting SARS is to blame. "It was devastating to see Wonderland close down because of how much fun it brought people over the years. Wonderland Abandoned: The Swift Fall of "Europe's Biggest Theme Park" Sydney's Wonderland is set to give our Queensland folk, a run for their money. The master plan for the Western Sydney area is an entertainment precinct with attractions, resort . 'Scooby's Silly Stix' opened in 1985. The Demon is completly down but still on site. parks have managed topersist for decades, but most have sadly shut their doors. 'Little Monsters Flying School' opened in 1985 as Dastardly's Flying Circus. DECEMBER 14, 2004The Demon lift was taken down. ``We had 91,000 visitors over December and January, compared to 81,500 last year and 79,600 the year before." Rebase Market Carnage: TIME Slips 61%, Wonderland Admin Allegedly Co The Demon lives on after Sydney Wonderland's untimely demise The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area expanded to the west. 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. Dazzeland, Adelaide Childhood shattered. 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. Selling fun just not the Wonderland it used to be August 22, 2005Demolition is allowed to continue only in Gold Rush, this is because Probe and Zodaic have not been removed. If you could have told me for sure that I had found even a small part of that ride I would have taken it home and hung it on the wall., To join the conversation, please Why did they decide to close down Wonderland in Sydney? Photo Wonderland Eurasia. Forgotten memories: 8 long-lost theme parks in Australia