Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. Summer holiday (Dec - Jan) figures: Most of the rides were sold to other amusement parks, while 'The Bush Beast', 'The Beastie' and 'The Snowy River Rampage' were demolished. Political turmoil, uneven ride quality, and a lack of attendance caused the massive park to. Another attraction named 'The Outback Woolshed' was added in 1995, along with an -la-carte-style restaurant. All content copyright 2002-2023 Parkz and its respective copyright holder. Wonderland Sydney officially closed. Wonderland Sydney , was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. Australias Wonderland opened in December 1985 on a 219-hectare parcel of land in western Sydney. A look back at Australias forgotten theme parks. The space probe and the demon were operating and the guysers on the snowy river rampage where going off. 'Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas' opened 1985. Started Thursday at 09:35 PM. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. Wonderland City was an amusement park located at Tamarama, on Wonderland Avenue near the point at which it joins Fletcher Street, in Sydney, Australia. Snowy River Rampage 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. Plans for the park include a water park, a wildlife park and the return of the Wonderland. ``We had 91,000 visitors over December and January, compared to 81,500 last year and 79,600 the year before." You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. [8] Two of the park's camels were adopted by a family in Goulburn. mini golf, ice cream kiosk and a miniature railway. 16 February 2004The Sunway company announced that International Theme Park Pty. Magic Mountain at Gold Coasts Nobbys Beach was built in 1962 and closed in 1991. Built in 1985 in Sydney's west, it was a good enough local substitute for . The park only operated for two years, with the reason given for its closure the loss in international tourism caused by 9/11. During main operation of the ride, the ride spins so fast that the rider cars rise in the air, so the rider is horizontally parallel to the ground. To improve your experience. Date: 21/02/2004 Pictured is the Big Dipper roller-coaster that was closed after only a year of operation in 1995 after noise complaints by . They may have made a verbal agreement to get things moving but verbal agreements can have a nasty habit of changing or disappearing. Travel and Tourism (Lifestyle and Leisure), Inside the family succession drama threatening to change the K-pop industry forever. Richard - the source, author and date for each article are written underneath each of the bold headlines. However, it is still believed to be sitting in pieces in a paddock at the Malaysian theme park. Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. 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. Your Rating. It was an institution for many, and a hotspot during school holidays. 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. 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. 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. 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. Granted, it's the first time it's been published (what are the sources of the articles, by the way? So What The Heck Happened to Wonderland Eurasia? Wonderland Sydney | Theme Park (Sydney, Australia) A spokeswoman for Intamin told nine.com.au the amusement company lost track of the Giant Drop after it was removed from Wonderland. Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit, Aussie travel predictions will surprise you, Familys plea months after climbers death. In the mid 1990s he said Wonderland was consistently attracting 1 million visitors a year. But will it be safer for women? I know there is not really any new info as such in the articles (as I said I was not expecting any of you to be surprised) but as you said Richard it is the first time this angle has been published, unfortunately. However, media lambasted the company for using those as, 'Celebration of unity': Thousands create history during WorldPride march, Reports indicating Stalin was murdered hidden for decades, WorldPride grand finale: Incredible show of unity for history-making march. Wonderland Online from IGG is officially shutting down on January 15, 2019 after running for more than 10 years (launched Dec, 2008). By Richard Wilson 26 April 2004 1 Shares. Sunway Group, who managed Wonderland, blamed a multitude of factors for its closure including the September 11 attacks and the collapse of Ansett Australia. The park included a steel roller-coaster, waterslides and log flume. Sydney's Wonderland theme park at Eastern Creek is to close. News 4; More attractions at Wonderland Sydney Top rated experiences at Wonderland Sydney. He said Merimbula's Magic Mountain attraction was also considering subdividing parts of its land for residential development. Sydney's Luna Park has closed and re-opened numerous times. Wobbies World in Melbournes east opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. The 19-year-old thrill venue is being bulldozed for a traditional industrial estate, leaving Sydney without a major theme park attraction and Wonderland's Malaysian vendor with a hefty profit from the land sale. This guy thought he could charge what he wanted ($500 an hour to be precise) because there was such urgency to get the Demon down and out. close its doors. The site itself has since been turned into Interchange Park, an industrial estate, where remnants of the park remain in the surrounding bushland. It wouldn't be so bad if we got something neat to replace it, such as Luna Park Sydney doing the heavy lifting once Wonderland Sydney closed, but even Luna Park is a bit skint in the attractions compared to how it was in the nineties before noise complaints killed the Big Dipper. 'The Beastie', a smaller version of The Bush Beast which catered to younger riders, was also one of the original rides. The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area expanded to the west. 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. It is critical to snare visitors for two meals because significant margins are sourced from food and beverage sales, he explains. 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 Demolition Time Line | Wonderland History Dazzeland was a two-storey, indoor amusement park occupying the top floor of the Myer Centre in Rundle Mall, Adelaide. The Bush Beast was identical in layout to the Wild Beast at Canada's Wonderland and Grizzly at Kings Dominion. 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. Wonderland Sydney Proposal - Sydney - WeekendNotes The going got slow, and the getting practically stopped. However, media lambasted the company for using those as scapegoats for poor management. 01/01/92 - Bursting At The Themes; . Author: Kathy Mac Dermott "There was a kind of strange air of serenity after years and years of screams and shouts and the noise of all the rides and the music, the place was tranquil and relatively peaceful in the fading afternoon light. Ninety per cent of what I want (for the master plan) I already have, Mr Bakas, operations manager of Orlandos Walt Disney World, said. Jim Eddy, who runs Jamberoo Recreation Park, does not buy Wonderland's argument and says business could not be better. June 2004A Heritage Order for the Bush Beast was submitted to Blacktown Council. With the CN characters, they've just had the Powerpuff Girls, but . Wonderland's lack of branding also meant the park could not harness valuable merchandising sales. February 17, 2004Wonderland'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. Beasties two blue PTC Trains under the cover of the stables in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. January 2005ING now own the park outright, all the rides should have been removed and demoliton well under way but everything is still delayed. By The main attraction was its four water slides, particularly during the hot Adelaide summers. Also thought it was interesting to hear from Neil Balnaves and it pleases me that he is obviously well aware of the need for capital investment in a park. 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. [4] Today, the five Paramount Parks continue successful operation, purchased in 2006 by amusement park operator Cedar Fair. The official shutdown schedule is as follows: Upload or insert images from URL. Paclib Industrial Pty Ltd a special purpose vehicle with a paid-up share capital of A$2.00. The park appears to have been abandoned since 2015. 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. down the monasteries! Also interesting to read about Jamberoo and Magic Mountain - a great example of the difference between capital and no capital expenditure. By He said some of the rides will stem from the now defunct Wonderland Sydney, such as the Bush Beast, but will harness cutting edge technology as well as setting new boundaries. List of defunct amusement parks - Wikipedia "I climbed up to the top of the lift hill [an upward sloping section of track] of The Beastie to take some photos and get a better idea of the devastation of the park," Watts said. The professional gardener said the site is still filled with rotting material, with some parts of the land holding more debris than he expected. Wonderland relied on I believe about 25% of its attendance from international guests. 'Ned Kelly's Getaway' opened 1985. Both parks had at least twodeaths as well as injuries which contributed to their eventual closure. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! This amusement park in Frankston, opened its doors in 1966 and operated for almost 10 years. Wonderland Sydney to reopen as Worlds of Wonder theme park | Daily 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. 'Scooby's Silly Stix' opened in 1985. Charlene. After 29 years, SkyRider's ride comes to an end | The Star Henry VIII and were earning lots of money so they decided to close Grundys, on the Surfers Paradise beachfront, opened in 1981 and closed in 1993. dodgem cars, a roller-coaster, an arcade, mini-golf, bumper boats and gravity-defying ride called The Scat. Wonderland to close - ABC News Balnaves dismisses claims that international events including September 11 and SARS drove Wonderland to the wall as "excuses". Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. 15/06/91 - Holiday fun with famous Wrestlers; 1992. International Theme Park Pty. Sydney's Last Real Theme Park - The History of Wonderland Sydney Wonderland Sydney - Wikiwand It was famed for its pyramid which displayed sculptures made of human teeth. 2001-02: 79,600. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Wonderland Sydney / Via Twitter: @Wonderland_Syd Your parents wouldn't leave the park without one. A look back at Australia's forgotten theme parks - The New Daily Unlike the Demon, Space Probe's future wasn't as fruitful. Speaking to Nine News at the time, Mr Naylor said visiting the site brought back memories he had as a child. New logo look for Wonderland Sydney - 2002, A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure, 2003 Retail Plaza Marvel Make-over Completed. 'Galleon's Graveyard' opened 1987 as "Captain Caveman's Clippers." Many of the attractions were demolished after the parks closure. The site is now mostly occupied by Riverside Oaks golf. All this mess with lawsuits to play out helped cause the lateness of the approvals to demo rest of the park which then caused heat for a certain ex-Wonderland CEO. 1:07pm Feb 2, 2017. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. Mr Eddy expects Wonderland's closure to benefit his business, although he admits he is sad to see the icon go. The parks flagship ride was The Bush Beast which was the largest wooden roller coaster in Australia at the time. Wonderland Sydney, which was in Eastern Creek, opened in December 1985 with the aim of providing an alternative to Luna Park. 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. Bounty's Revenge was dismantled and sent to Sunway Lagoon. Photo Wonderland Eurasia. Join the conversation, you are commenting as. The park was modeled heavily around Canada's Wonderland, a theme park located north of Toronto, with both parks being constructed by Taft Broadcasting, a company which also owned Hanna-Barbera. Im really surprised with how much stuff is still there, he said. 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. August 2005Site access is granted after 5 months of delays. Sydneys Wonderland revamp gets $1 billion funding. Display as a link instead, log in. TBoy Owners say the threat of terrorism, coupled with skyrocketing insurance premiums, SARS and the Asian bird flu have all taken their toll . Park Musical Supervisor for the 19851986 opening season was Derek Williams. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. 29 / 37. Half the size and height of, 'Antique Autos' opened 1985. The park shut its doors in 2005 citing financial woes. Was Canada'S Wonderland Sold? - Ontario Bakery Western Sydney resident Chris Watts spent 19 years living a short drive from amusement park Wonderland. 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. The closure of several rides in 2002 was due to the reduction in operational area of the park. The park featured dolphin shows, similar to Sea World at the time, and closed due to financial issues. Sydneys Wonderland was the largest amusement park in the southern hemisphere. The park haddodgem cars, a roller-coaster, an arcade, mini-golf, bumper boats and gravity-defying ride called The Scat. In 2016, Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit to the site with friends, describing the area as a boneyard of fond childhood memories. Sunway Group, who managed Wonderland, blamed a multitude of factors for its closure including the September 11 attacks and the collapse of Ansett Australia. Wonderland was designed in the late 1970s. The fact of the matter is that the place NEVER made a profit, even going back into the 80's and 90's. 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. He was a regular visitor. 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 Wonderland Sydney (Closed) Sydney, Australia I've done Wonderland Sydney. Paste as plain text instead, 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. Friday August 26, 2005The Beastie was demolished. The park included the Big Dipper roller-coaster,mini golf, ice cream kiosk and a miniature railway. Tricoart In 1990 Wonderland opened the 'Australian Wildlife Park'. 27/04/04 - Laughter turns to tears as sun sets on Wonderland, 23/07/04 - Family seeks theme park ticket refund. Before Jurassic Park, Paradise Gardens operated during the 1970s alongside the Hawkesbury River at Cattai. We couldnt get the smiles off our faces, he said of the visit. Saturday August 27 6am, 2005The Bushbeast was demolished.One of the steal cables from the Sky Rider was taken down and wrapped around the bushbeast and then connected to two D9 bulldozers which tried to pull the bush beast over, the bulldozers moved towards the Snowy River Rampage pushing everything in there path into the Snowy River Rampage with the cable around the Bush Beast and a dozer on each end of the cable they tried to pull the Bush Beast over, The Bush Beast did not go down without a fight, the SkyRider cable snapped several times and in the end they just drove the dozers through the supports with the structure coming down behind them.. Monday August 29, 2005 They started seperating Bush Beasts sleel track from the wood and demolished the station. Closed in 1990 to make way for the Australian Wildlife Park. What we have available now is on such a different level.. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. 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). Ten years following its closure, property developer and former Wonderland employee Ammar Khan announced his plan to resurrect the amusement park. 3.8 . WORLDS of Wonder is destined to propel Western Sydney to the nation's top theme park destination, knocking off the Gold Coast. 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.