Abandoned Theme Parks – Australia

Abandoned Theme Parks – Australia

Australia has a fascination with the Gold Coast in Queensland and the theme parks it offers, but did you know the rest of Australia has also had a share of theme parks, but sadly, most have shut their doors and since made way for redevelopments and urban renewal.

Today I am going to present a small list of some of the abandoned, closed, redeveloped, or “newly” reopened theme parks around this great country of ours.

Some may also be haunted......

Canberra

Canberry Fair – Now a Housing Development

New South Wales

African Lion world - Warragamba - Bullen Animal Park: are essentially the same place, run by the same man, an Ex-Circus owner who died in 2001, both places now appear to be closed to the public

El Caballo Blanco – Destroyed by fire, the site is now used for equestrian events

Fantasy Glades, Port Macquarie – reopened and operating http://www.fantasyglades.com/events/

Leyland Brothers World, Karuah: Operates now as “The Great Aussie Bushcamp” http://www.bushcamp.com.au/

"Uluru" Leyland Bros. World main building

Magic Kingdom, Lansvale NSW - There are attached stories of haunting to the location, which has been abandoned for some time this link shows an aerial view of the location, note the large yellow slide, still intact!

Magic Kingdom Aerial view

Some of the rides were sourced from Luna Park after it closed in 1979 following the Ghost Train tragedy (which is an interesting read as it has occult, mafia and supernatural ties!)
Quote from a ghost thread - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/316058-haunted-places-sydney/

"I went to another place one time with some mates one random night, Its at Liverpool or Lansvale, its called magic city or magic kingdom. It used to be a theme park like wonderland but got shut down because some of the rides killed people and pretty freaky going there at night, Hearing shit and seeing shit I never want to go there again I get freaked out easily with ghost and stuff like that hahaha "

Newspaper article: http://www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/bring-back-the-kingdoms-magic-in-lansvale/1555667.aspx

Quote from replies:

"Well apparently the place is haunted. There are many witness accounts to the mystery. My cousin and his friends also went there once and my friend was with them. She told me she saw a white ghost figure opposite the big slide. Off course they all then ran away. They also mentioned an old lady who lives in a house just outside the park and that she's a bit scary too."

Posted by Haunted, 2/07/2009 3:39:56 PM

"Sorry to say this, but the place's haunted. As it said that the Ghost Train caught on fire in 1979 and 7 people die. Some of my friends told me that if you visit the kingdom at day or night, you might hear strange noises or you might see a white figure near the big slide. I guess the 7 people died in the Ghost train are still there. So, I won't support the idea of restructuring or opening the kingdom. Mind you, what could happen if we do open it again?."

Manly Fun Pier – redeveloped, no longer there.

Old Sydney Town:

- http://www.oldsydneytown.com.au/ - Now used for movie shoots, this location has considerable historic buildings and rumours of hauntings

http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/with-denice-barnes6/

O’Neill's Adventure Land:

Currently used as a backdrop for the TV show “Double the fist” and in the movie's “Babe” and ”Ghost Rider”

http://www.adventurelandsydney.com.au/AboutUs.htm

Paradise Gardens – Cattai: Now a Golf Course

Sega world - Sydney – Building Demolished

Sega World

Wonderland – Sydney: complete demolition of the park was undertaken in September 2005

Queensland:

Marine Land - “The Spit” Gold Coast”: demolished in 1995, now the site of Sheridan Hotel

Marineland on "The Spit" - Gold Coast,

Amazons Water Park – Jindalee: Now a Housing Development

Grundy's Entertainment Centre: Now a “Timezone” or “Funtasia” games centre

Magic Mountain: Nobby Beach: demolished, the site is now resort-style apartments

Mirage Grand Prix – Oxley: all that is left of the former park is a rusted slide between the WOW, Harvey Norman and McDonald's (I have visited this site as I lived close by at one point and used to shop at "WOW: Sight and Sound" rather often, there was very little left standing at the time.)

Nostalgia Town, Pacific Paradise: Vacant lot ready for subdivision

Olympia Theme Park, Alexandra Head: now a “tourist park” (caravan/camping park)

Adventure Parc: Mt Tamborine: not really a theme park, more to do with “flying fox” style rides, and adventure climbing

South Australia

Luna Park: Glenelg – Luna Park became “Magic Mountain”, which was demolished and become “The Beach House” which is still in operation. 

Dazzeland, Myer Centre, Adelaide:

Ghost Stories...well, maybe? Dazzleland ghosts?

“The boy who fell off with his school bag was sitting on the hand-rail of the escalator (which is fairly low). That's why he overbalanced and went backwards over the edge - he was on the moving object (escalator) and he had this heavy bag on his back hanging over the side.

I heard the story about this person on Wednesday on the radio, then I didn't know what happened to him until I found this thread - I understand why they do it (prevent copycats, prevent dramatisation etc) but it's odd the way they have a media blackout in relation to suicides.
Sometimes you are late on a train one morning and wonder what happened and never know...I was there in 1994 ish prior to the sales being there when a guy fell/jumped...he landed down the bottom in that food section area. sorry, it's been a few years since I've been to Myer in Rundle Mall.

But it was horrible. I remember standing on one of the higher levels looking down and he was laying all 'crumpled' on the ground. Not actually sure what happened to him after that. But I think that's what prompted Centre Management to erect those white sails.”


http://www.threadsofgold.info/index.php/threadsofgold/pages/remember_the_myer_center_suicides/


The chapter called 'Suicide, Smoking and the Unsticky Cigarette' was particularly interesting. Do you Adelaideans remember the Myer Center suicides in 1996? First, there was an incident, a teenager fell off an escalator. There was confusion about whether it was an accident or suicide. And then, a few days later, there was a suicide. Both were reported widely in the media. Soon the Myer centre had an epidemic of suicides. There were between 12 and 15 suicides (and one or two attempted suicides) in all, I don't remember exactly. I was working there at the time, and it was chaos. At one stage there was a suicide (or attempt) every week for two months. After a woman (who actually survived) landed one table away from some people sitting and eating on the basement level, a net went up briefly as an emergency measure and was then removed in favour of the sails. Shoulder high perspex sheets went up around the higher levels to stop people climbing over the rails. The media stopped reporting the suicides very early on, and at the time I thought that was wrong, but now I realise it was entirely the right thing to do.

Victoria:


African Lion Safari: (Rockbank) – Now a garden nursery


Dinosaur World, Creswick: all that is left is a couple of old sheds


Dreamland, St Kilda: this attraction would have sat roughly where “Luna Park” sits today

Dreamland circa 1908

Hi Lite Park – Geelong: demolished to make way for foreshore redevelopment


Leisureland Fair, Langwarrin - now a housing estate


Rosebud fun and Picnic Park: Golf Course


The Swagmans Hat Amusement Park: Corinella – Unknown if the site is occupied


Wirths Olympic Circus: now the site of the Melbourne Arts Centre


Wobbies World: 

A plant nursery now resides on the Springvale Road site as well as the Saxon Wood townhouse estate, with the concrete castle, bridges, a train station, the Birthday Room and the miniature golf course still remaining (within the nursery) from the former amusement park.

Western Australia
Action Park, Mirrabooka: Was located at the back of the ice rink next to where ‘World 4 Kids’ toyshop used to be, now just a vacant sandy block.

Atlantis Marine Park, Two Rocks :http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/will-atlantis-rise-again-online-push-to-restore-perths-classic-marine-park-20110711-1hafx.html
http://www.6000times.com/2009/06/perths-abandoned-buildings-campus-of.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-03-22/the-once-and-future-king/374976

Since its closure in 1990, the park has been abandoned and vandalised.
The site is currently owned by property developers, the Fini Group. A plan has been put forward to the City of Wanneroo to develop the area into a mix of retail, commercial and entertainment land uses. In the plan, key features of the Marine Park such as King Neptune would be retained.
This website is by far the most descriptive of the sites current conditions – looks like an excellent place to investigate – but needs more research at this point: http://escobar.id.au/articles/atlantis.php


Dizzylamb Park, Carabooda: Now a laser skirmish park: http://www.yellowpages.com.au/wa/carabooda/castle-invasion-11961193-listing.html

Elizabethan Village, Armadale :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pAFm__3KUY&feature=colike
Pub is still in use as is much of the village

Luna Park, Scarborough Beach: demolished in 1971 – now shops and apartments

Pioneer World/Village, Armadale: Still in operation! http://www.weekendnotes.com/pioneer-world/

White City/Ugly Land/Cooee City, Perth: long-gone http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/swan_river/living_with_the_land/white_city

Castle Fun Park: http://mandurah.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Call-for-castle-fun-park-to-reopen/7596805/

Tasmania


Serendipity Park, Davenport: Now a mini-golf park

© 2012 Allen Tiller