14. The park opened in 1999 and featured a $26 million Titanic walk-through attraction based on James Camerons film. Henry VIII and were earning lots of money so they decided to close The fact of the matter is that the place NEVER made a profit, even going back into the 80's and 90's. 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. A. close its doors. Since then, we have lifted the overall performance of the park, completely rebuilt its image and brand awareness but this had not been enough. The professional gardener said the site is still filled with rotting material, with some parts of the land holding more debris than he expected. 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. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. That changed over the years to include Botany . Tweet. Many of the attractions were demolished after the parks closure. Built in 1985 in Sydney's west, it was a good enough local substitute for . Id only been to Wonderland once before as a kid and I can barely remember it, he told news.com.au. After this contract expired, the ride dropped the '7' from its name). Badgerys Creek is ideal but the sites are still under investigation, he said. One of the streets through the site retains the name "Wonderland Drive". News 4; More attractions at Wonderland Sydney Top rated experiences at Wonderland Sydney. Also interesting to read about Jamberoo and Magic Mountain - a great example of the difference between capital and no capital expenditure. A spokeswoman from Wonderland declined to comment on the allegations that the park had been neglected. He describes its closure as a tragedy. 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. Why did wonderland shut down? All times AEDT (GMT +11). Author: Kathy Mac Dermott DECEMBER 14, 2004The Demon lift was taken down. Australia's oldest running coal-fired power station is about to close. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/wonderland-to-close/136728, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, These engineers break their silenceafterdecade of criticism over2011 Queensland flood handling, Tens of thousands of pigs and buffalo pegged for mass culls in Kakadu, in bid to curb feral animals, With Russian forces closing, Svyat rolled the dice in the last days before Bakhmut fell, Anna called police to report an assault, but it backfired and she lost her home, Home ownership remains in fantasy territory for many. Mr Eddy expects Wonderland's closure to benefit his business, although he admits he is sad to see the icon go. A large inverting, 'Fred Flintstone's Splashdown' opened 1994. 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. 'Scooby's Silly Stix' opened in 1985. Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. Wonderland Sydney was a theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Watts also chanced upon piles of documentation that explained how some rides operated. "It was devastating to see Wonderland close down because of how much fun it brought people over the years. August 22, 2005Demolition is allowed to continue only in Gold Rush, this is because Probe and Zodaic have not been removed. 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. Some of the rides were moved, but others were scrapped. The land value has put the viability of the site for development way ahead of it being used as a theme park." 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 Wonderland Sydney is set to be operating within 3 to 5 years time. 'Galleon's Graveyard' opened 1987 as "Captain Caveman's Clippers." It was where everyone went; it was just awesome. The Demon is completly down but still on site. 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. . 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. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. The sublime Irish gin which stole Rustys heart, Parallel roads which are streets apart in temperature. These two parallel streets are only 100m apart but an astonishing 20 degrees apart in temperature because one is tree-lined and the other is not. The park opened in 1991 and closed in 1998. ``We compete pretty hard with them so we expect to pick up (group bookings) Christmas parties, school excursions. 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. This in turn damaed the negotiations for Visionland to buy the Bush Beast and Beastie coaster cars. Summer holiday (Dec - Jan) figures: DECEMBER 2004The Electricity to the park was turned off in the main high voltage switch room.Demolition of the park starts.DECEMBER 2, 2004They started removing The Demon Track. Wonderland was an Aussie theme park that created fond memories for many kids of the '80s and '90s. The articles may make some of you even more angry but they are well worth a read. 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. Strongline Engineering removed the attraction in September 2005 and. 'Skyhawk' opened 1991. It really was gone, he said. You cannot paste images directly. Go here for more 90s and 00s nostalgia. It was put into voluntary liquidation in 1934, with its rides dismantled and sent to Luna Park in Sydney. Paclib Industrial Pty Ltd a special purpose vehicle with a paid-up share capital of A$2.00. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Your previous content has been restored. Join the conversation with your fellow The New Daily readers and see their replies. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Yes it does seem like an eternity, but remember you heard it hear, at Weekend . it had had lions, tigers, bears, elephants and giraffes. Display as a link instead, Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit, Aussie travel predictions will surprise you, Familys plea months after climbers death. 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 is kind of like having a foot but you dont know the exact shoe size., SYDNEY WALK-THRU JUNKYARD THAT HAS EVERYTHING. August 2005Site access is granted after 5 months of delays. Amidst record attendance set as a result of the announcement of the closure, Wonderland says goodbye. When it opened in 1985, SkyRider was the first standup roller-coaster in Canada . 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. Wonderland relied on I believe about 25% of its attendance from international guests. 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. Sonfena demolitions was given the go ahead to finish and complete a non recoverable demolition on the intire park as quickly as possibal, the only areas they where instructed not to touch was the fenced off area around the Zodiac, Space Probe. 2001-02: 79,600. Bullens African Lion Safari in Rockbank also operated during this time and, much like Ashtons. 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. It was an institution for many, and a hotspot during school holidays. I honestly think I would have gone to Wonderland every second day in the school holidays. Ninety per cent of what I want (for the master plan) I already have, Mr Bakas, operations manager of Orlandos Walt Disney World, said. "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.". To join the conversation, please 2002-03: 170,000 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. [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]. Wonderland Sydney (originally known as Australia's Wonderland), was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. In 1990 Wonderland opened the 'Australian Wildlife Park'. Your Rating. 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. ``I'm saddened by (the closure) because I don't like it to be happening to the industry," he said. Little Monsters Flying School was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. While few probably still play this game or even heard of it, it was one of the few turn based MMORPGs out there. The country's remaining theme parks of Dreamworld, Movie World and Sea World work because of their clustering on the Gold Coast. We couldnt get the smiles off our faces, he said of the visit. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. 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. 'Tasmanian Devil' opened 1985. Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. For almost two decades, Wonderland operated more than 20 rides in Sydneys Eastern Creek. Retail Plaza Marvel Spider-Man dome Removal 2004, Wonderland Items at Valley View Park Horse Riding. Author: By DAVID CRAWSHAW Given the current name after being relocated to Transylvania, following the closure of Little Wonders Land/Hanna-Barbera Land. "Many of our Boomerangs have been relocated over the years. Visitors were told that the rides were being relocated to the remaining sections, so that they would be closer (as the rides were spaced apart). March 31 2005A cyclone fence went up around the Bush Beast while the Heritage Order for the Bush Beast was being reviewed by Blacktown Council. Sydney is on track to reopen a wonderful memory in our West. Please try again. But other operators and analysts place the blame closer to home. Two years earlier, the Skyway had closed as construction began on the three massive E-Ticket attractions - The Matterhorn Bobsleds, The Submarine Voyage, and the Disneyland Monorail - that would herald the park's famed "second opening day." When that day came in '59, the Skyway had been rerouted also that it travelled THROUGH the . Unlike the rest of the park, which remained open year-round, The Beach was a seasonal attraction which closed during the winter months (JuneSeptember). 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. November 30, 2004They started removing The Demon Station. Technology has changed so drastically between decades, he said. [17][18], Property developer, and former employee of Wonderland Sydney, Ammar Khan, announced plans to develop a new amusement, entertainment and retail attraction to be named Sydneys Wonderland in Western Sydney and has been seeking financial backing for the relaunch since 2009. Any unauthorised use of Parkz content is expressly prohibited. Problems around Wonderland Eurasia arose quickly: just two days after its opening, a train got stuck. Dazzeland, Adelaide "It's a real disappointment to see an asset of Sydney go like that because of a zoning change out of nowhere," he says. Now, new images show how the theme park was left to rot. Sega World, which was on Sydneys Darling Harbour, was a nod to the Sega gaming franchise, primarily Sonic the Hedgehog. 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. 'HMS Endeavour' opened 1985. He found these particularly fascinating, and has even applied some of the technological principles to his own tech business. They may have made a verbal agreement to get things moving but verbal agreements can have a nasty habit of changing or disappearing. With China's rise and democracy's decline, what will the global order look like in 2050? Caspers World In Miniature in Stawell, in regional Victoria, was a large tourist fun park which opened in 1976. "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. An "extravagant" project. DECEMBER 18 2004The Wonderland Sign above the front gate was taken down and sold for $1,000 to a Junkyard in Londonderry. Wonderland Project Surrounded by Controversy In addition to the major losses, Wonderland creators have been under scrutiny in recent times. 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 "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. All content copyright 2002-2023 Parkz and its respective copyright holder. Richard - the source, author and date for each article are written underneath each of the bold headlines. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Pictured is the Big Dipper roller-coaster that was closed after only a year of operation in 1995 after noise complaints by . Wonderland Sydney , was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. 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. Wonderlands 400 employees would get their full entitlements and help to find new jobs.. 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. Several rides were closed in 2002 due to the reduction in operational area of the park. Wonderland (TIME) has lost 96.4% of its value since tapping a $10,063 ATH three months ago. Water park Magic Mountain in Glenelg opened opened in 1982 and closed its doors in 2004. ``We had 91,000 visitors over December and January, compared to 81,500 last year and 79,600 the year before." "Overall the theme park industry is in great shape," he says. An electric track used to propel scaled-down, 'Bounty's Revenge' opened 1985. 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 former employee made a list of what happened to some of the rides. They started the diesel motor on Zodiac and manually operated the lift cylinders as per evac when no power is available, lowering the western arm ready for the gondolas to be removed. It had several attractions including the popular Gee-Wizz ride, flying boats, merry-go-rounds, shooting and archery galleries. 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. He was there to witness his childhood favourites being torn to the ground. Australias Wonderland opened in December 1985 on a 219-hectare parcel of land in western Sydney. New logo look for Wonderland Sydney - 2002, A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure, 2003 Retail Plaza Marvel Make-over Completed. The park, aimed primarily at younger children, featured a static Bell helicopter plus a chopper-themedWhirliebird monorail, golf course, trampolines and several food and drink kiosks. 'Funnel Web' opened in 1985, and removed in 1990. 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. Sydney's Luna Park has closed and re-opened numerous times. 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. Perhaps put more eloquently than Daniel, but yeah, there was really nothing there that is terribly new. 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]. Wonderland was designed in the late 1970s. Wonderland City was an amusement park located at Tamarama, on Wonderland Avenue near the point at which it joins Fletcher Street, in Sydney, Australia. Jamberoo bucks trend The first thing we saw was the paddleboats and a few old signs to do with ice cream and The Flintstones. Wobbies World in Melbourne's east opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. The park shut its doors in 2005 citing financial woes. [1] It opened on Saturday, 1 December 1906 and closed in 1911. Atlantis Marine Park is an abandoned theme park in Two Rocks, Perth. Charlene. 'Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas' opened 1985. Wonderland Sydney / Via Twitter: @Wonderland_Syd Your parents wouldn't leave the park without one. OTHER NEWS: IS THIS LAST DRINKS FOR THE 1:30AM LOCKOUT? 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. 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. [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 opened in 1997 and operated for four years. Watts, 42, and friends have built an online community to celebrate Wonderland, with the Wonderland History website and a Facebook group. ), but I don't think it's something that can be seen as. The business had just invested $250,000 on a crocodile exhibit, he said. 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. It has a Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle of the Sunken Treasure attraction specifically based on the Hollywood blockbuster series which uses trackless technology allowing the ship to freely move. 09/03/04 - What do you think of Australia's Wonderland closing down? This decision was taken in view of persistent losses incurred and difficult market conditions. Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. The park featured alarge lake with an island, steam train, go-karts and merry-go-round. With the CN characters, they've just had the Powerpuff Girls, but . Produced by Kings Entertainment Company. You can post now and register later. 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 owners of'HMS Endeavor' (beleved to be Sunway) where given access to the site and started started dismantling the ride.HMS Endeavor was then moved out to the back paddock. The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area expanded to the west. Magic Kingdom Amusement Park. The budget supermarket chain has done it again, sparking a frenzy over its latest Special Buys just in time for the holidays. Closed in 1990 to make way for the Australian Wildlife Park. A Magic Mountain spokesman said all options were being explored, but for now the centre was still trading as a theme park. He said Merimbula's Magic Mountain attraction was also considering subdividing parts of its land for residential development. Cox says Wonderland also suffered because of its Eastern Creek location. Originally known as. Speaking to Nine News at the time, Mr Naylor said visiting the site brought back memories he had as a child.