I live in Victor Harbor now but used to visit from the Riverland all the time as a kid. Greenhills was a fantastic lil park and it was heartbreaking to see it close. I have many fond memories of the park.
I loved Australias Wonderland~!! Was there almost every weekend as a teenager, thanks to our annual Wonderpass!!! Loved the Demon, and Bush Beast ,to name a few...Thank God for the photos that were taken on these rides!!!
I came to comment about the same thing! It was left abandoned for AGES! There was (might still be) a wildlife park next door to it and you could see the dilapidated and decaying park through the fence. I loved Puzzle Park.
There was a Marine Land in Adelaide. It opened in 1969 and slowly deteriorated during the 1980s until it closed in 1988. See also Dazzeland, an indoor theme park in Rundle Mall. Opened 1991 closed 1998.
There was that place down on Main South Road at Hackham that had that dangerous metal slide that went down the hillside and there was something else there but don’t remember what.
I remember going to green hill adventure park as a kid. I wish it didn’t get demolished surely they could have organised something cause it was like the only adventure park in south Australia.
The one I always remember growing up was The Swagman's Hat at Korumburra Victoria, it was a huge place, had a lake with power boats and pedal cats, a mini golf course, a go kart track, dodgem cars, and a really large hiking area. I broke my leg there when I was 10 (Crashed a go kart and wedged it under the armco barrier)
I used to work at The African Lion Safari on weekends as a teenager. Most teens from the area would try to get jobs there in the 1980's. It was owned by the Bullen family, and was an offshoot of Bullens Animal World. The lions escaped one night, and they shot a pregnant female as it was in my friends yard and killed their dog. The lions were so noisy at night - especially during mating season!
My parents took me to Paradise Gardens several times when I was a kid. The Dinosaur sculptures were really top-notch. Anatomically correct for what was understood at the time, and really life like. It was like my beloved dinosaur books had sprung to life! They had Tyrannosaurus (as shown in the video), a baby Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Styrackosaurus, Scolosaurus, Stegosaurus, and a mastodon that was drowning in the river with a sabre toothed tiger on its back. Lamentably, there was no Tracodon or Brontosaurus on the banks of the river. Top notch 80’s theme park adventure! Also,..Remember when all the kids at school would have souvenir rulers they got from these places with pictures of the attractions? I was the proud owner of a “Paradise Gardens” ruler.
Had every birthday party at creswick dinosaur park when i was a kid, made my poor parents drive out there every year in early 80s. Loved it. He was jazzing it up with some very decent flying foxes at my last two visits. Amazing and delighted I stayed open so long!
My family drove from Brisbane to Geelong for the Xmas holidays a number of times in the 70s and 80s, sometimes to Adelaide and we’d stop at places like those along the way. Some of those parks are vaguely familiar. There is also Brisbane’s Luna Park, built by the guy behind Melbourne’s, a park that never quite was. He completed the magnificent ballroom, later renamed Cloudland, and a funicular railway to its perch with its commanding view of Brisbane. When my family woke to news the National Party government had secretly demolished Cloudland in the dead of night, we all started crying. We all had fond memories of dances, book fairs, concerts and exams held in that unparalleled tastefully gaudy yet beautiful building. It still makes me sad.
Some other West Aussie parks to investigate. Action Park in Mirrabooka (I never went but my older brother did) - they had rides, a small coaster (I think) and water slides. Bullen's Lion Park -drive through park with free roaming lions. El Caballo Blanco - performing Andalusian horses, chairlift and toboggan. Castle Fun Park Mandurah - miniature buildings and a pool shaped like Australia. The Great Escape Hillarys - Water slides, can't believe they closed this. Dizzy Lamb Park - 7 year old me of course interpreted that as "Disney Land Park". Luna Park in Scarborough - I know nothing about this one except it's location. Pioneer World Armadale - I remember it being pretty darn boring actually. It's A Small World - more a museum than theme park, consisting of various miniature displays and animatronics.
One that I visited several times as a child was 'Once Upon a Time Land' near Orange, in NSW. A small theme park featuring figures and buildings from fairy tales and nursery rhymes.
Magic Kingdom was cool :) Only went once after Australia's wonderland though & it felt crappy after being to wonderland, prior to that though it was awesome. I don't remember ever going on the water slides though, I think they were always closed for repairs or closed down years before everything else or something? I can't remember now, just don't remember them as part of my visits there & in my head, I remember seeing them on the ads & wanting to go on them, but it not being possible for some reason, I mean it might have been as simple as being too cold whenever I went there, not sure
There was two different lion parks in Melbourne Western suburbs in the 70s and 80s, one in Rockbank and the other near baccus marsh, pretty sure lions escaped from one of them or both, there is or was a building still located at rhe rockbank one not long ago and some of the fencing
In the 1980's I was a high school student living in Penrith. There was a rumour about the Mount Druitt waterworks that certain people would place razor blades into the tubes of the water slides. No doubt an urban myth spawned by the negative attitude towards anything to do with Mount Druitt.
I remember those rumours! I also grew up in the area. ( Silverdale). I remember when it shut down and became a nursery for a while. You could still see where the slides were from the train.
You could also look into Monash Playground which was made by a local engineer and was closed down because of idiots and its location across the road from the local pub. It was a fantastic place to go and was free to all, being kept alive by donations but due to public liability and drunk idiots suing when they got hurt the park closed and now there is a crappy as hell ‘adventure park’ on the land.
There was another "Uglieland" in Fremantle around the same period as Perth's White City. Run by the same Ugly Man's charity org, it was on the corner of Market & Phillimore Street in Fremantle - that piece of public land is now known as Pioneer Park. The money generated by these amusement venues went to war widows, homeless & other needy people, so it's ironic that the womens' & church groups' disdain at seeing aborigines frequenting the Uglielands is what put pressure on the Authorities to first ban the aboriginals, and later shut down the venues. Without the income from the venues, the Ugly Man's charity eventually closed down.
the best park i remember was a place called "ton o Fun" mid north coast nsw!!! it changed names i think a few times but as a kid that place was awesome !!!
Yeah i remember Magic kingdom like yesterday im 61 year's old 2024 & adventure land Africa lion safaris my girlfriend had her cousin killed in the 1979 Luna Park fire! His name was Richard Carroll !!😢😢 rip to the victims!
That last one seemed not to be overly concerned about DC comics licensing. That definitely would not have continued with Warner Brothers Movie World on the Gold Coast existing
I do. My parents took me all the way out there to see it one time. It’s the furthest West I’ve been in the state. I remember the big brown dinosaur at the gate and I think they had a flintstone car,.. but I can’t remember anything else that was there.
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4:10 It’s not “catai”. It’s “cat-eye”.
OK 🤷♂️ thanks for passing through just to say that
@@MaloneysCoasters it’s not cresick it’s cres-wick like John wick
I live in Victor Harbor now but used to visit from the Riverland all the time as a kid.
Greenhills was a fantastic lil park and it was heartbreaking to see it close.
I have many fond memories of the park.
I loved Australias Wonderland~!! Was there almost every weekend as a teenager, thanks to our annual Wonderpass!!! Loved the Demon, and Bush Beast ,to name a few...Thank God for the photos that were taken on these rides!!!
Puzzle Park in Murray Bridge South Australia was a another theme park that closed down but unfortunately I don't remember what year it closed.
I actually visited the abandoned remains of Puzzle Park for another video! It's definitely a sorely-missed park
I came to comment about the same thing! It was left abandoned for AGES! There was (might still be) a wildlife park next door to it and you could see the dilapidated and decaying park through the fence. I loved Puzzle Park.
There was a Marine Land in Adelaide. It opened in 1969 and slowly deteriorated during the 1980s until it closed in 1988. See also Dazzeland, an indoor theme park in Rundle Mall. Opened 1991 closed 1998.
In Marino!
Now we can just go whale watching up near Victor 😩 There’s still Granite Island 🤷♀️
There was that place down on Main South Road at Hackham that had that dangerous metal slide that went down the hillside and there was something else there but don’t remember what.
I remember going to green hill adventure park as a kid. I wish it didn’t get demolished surely they could have organised something cause it was like the only adventure park in south Australia.
The one I always remember growing up was The Swagman's Hat at Korumburra Victoria, it was a huge place, had a lake with power boats and pedal cats, a mini golf course, a go kart track, dodgem cars, and a really large hiking area. I broke my leg there when I was 10 (Crashed a go kart and wedged it under the armco barrier)
In Sydney there was Manly Marineland, O'Neill's Adventureland, African Lion Safari, and Bullen's Animal World.
I used to work at The African Lion Safari on weekends as a teenager. Most teens from the area would try to get jobs there in the 1980's.
It was owned by the Bullen family, and was an offshoot of Bullens Animal World.
The lions escaped one night, and they shot a pregnant female as it was in my friends yard and killed their dog.
The lions were so noisy at night - especially during mating season!
My parents took me to Paradise Gardens several times when I was a kid. The Dinosaur sculptures were really top-notch. Anatomically correct for what was understood at the time, and really life like. It was like my beloved dinosaur books had sprung to life!
They had Tyrannosaurus (as shown in the video), a baby Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Styrackosaurus, Scolosaurus, Stegosaurus, and a mastodon that was drowning in the river with a sabre toothed tiger on its back.
Lamentably, there was no Tracodon or Brontosaurus on the banks of the river. Top notch 80’s theme park adventure!
Also,..Remember when all the kids at school would have souvenir rulers they got from these places with pictures of the attractions? I was the proud owner of a “Paradise Gardens” ruler.
Worked at Paradise Gardens doing maintenance mainly, also drove the tractor train, the boat and sometimes the mini train ride 😅
Peppermint Park in port Macquarie is another good one, also the expo 88 theme park in Brisbane.
Had every birthday party at creswick dinosaur park when i was a kid, made my poor parents drive out there every year in early 80s. Loved it. He was jazzing it up with some very decent flying foxes at my last two visits. Amazing and delighted I stayed open so long!
My family drove from Brisbane to Geelong for the Xmas holidays a number of times in the 70s and 80s, sometimes to Adelaide and we’d stop at places like those along the way. Some of those parks are vaguely familiar.
There is also Brisbane’s Luna Park, built by the guy behind Melbourne’s, a park that never quite was.
He completed the magnificent ballroom, later renamed Cloudland, and a funicular railway to its perch with its commanding view of Brisbane.
When my family woke to news the National Party government had secretly demolished Cloudland in the dead of night, we all started crying. We all had fond memories of dances, book fairs, concerts and exams held in that unparalleled tastefully gaudy yet beautiful building.
It still makes me sad.
Keep an eye out, Cloudland is featuring in a video very soon!
Thanks for sharing your memories 😄
Some other West Aussie parks to investigate. Action Park in Mirrabooka (I never went but my older brother did) - they had rides, a small coaster (I think) and water slides. Bullen's Lion Park -drive through park with free roaming lions. El Caballo Blanco - performing Andalusian horses, chairlift and toboggan. Castle Fun Park Mandurah - miniature buildings and a pool shaped like Australia. The Great Escape Hillarys - Water slides, can't believe they closed this. Dizzy Lamb Park - 7 year old me of course interpreted that as "Disney Land Park". Luna Park in Scarborough - I know nothing about this one except it's location. Pioneer World Armadale - I remember it being pretty darn boring actually. It's A Small World - more a museum than theme park, consisting of various miniature displays and animatronics.
And Ascot place
I have pictures of me at Dinosaur World/Park in Ballarat back when I was like 4 or 5… I used to love that place!
One that I visited several times as a child was 'Once Upon a Time Land' near Orange, in NSW. A small theme park featuring figures and buildings from fairy tales and nursery rhymes.
Very interesting history, I wish more amusement parks had dance contests
Magic Kingdom was cool :) Only went once after Australia's wonderland though & it felt crappy after being to wonderland, prior to that though it was awesome. I don't remember ever going on the water slides though, I think they were always closed for repairs or closed down years before everything else or something? I can't remember now, just don't remember them as part of my visits there & in my head, I remember seeing them on the ads & wanting to go on them, but it not being possible for some reason, I mean it might have been as simple as being too cold whenever I went there, not sure
i love the idea of an ugly competition
There was two different lion parks in Melbourne Western suburbs in the 70s and 80s, one in Rockbank and the other near baccus marsh, pretty sure lions escaped from one of them or both, there is or was a building still located at rhe rockbank one not long ago and some of the fencing
As a former staff member and gravitron driver of canberry fair the park is worth a mention
Mount Druitt NSW had waterworks
A water slide theme park
In the 1980's I was a high school student living in Penrith. There was a rumour about the Mount Druitt waterworks that certain people would place razor blades into the tubes of the water slides. No doubt an urban myth spawned by the negative attitude towards anything to do with Mount Druitt.
I remember those rumours! I also grew up in the area. ( Silverdale).
I remember when it shut down and became a nursery for a while. You could still see where the slides were from the train.
I had that Australias wonderland a stone's throw away growing up
You could also look into Monash Playground which was made by a local engineer and was closed down because of idiots and its location across the road from the local pub.
It was a fantastic place to go and was free to all, being kept alive by donations but due to public liability and drunk idiots suing when they got hurt the park closed and now there is a crappy as hell ‘adventure park’ on the land.
I went to Greenhills once on a school camp. Can't say it appealed, but maybe I was just too old to enjoy it properly.
I dammed dinosaur world in Creswick. Was kinda right into dinosaurs as a young kid
What about Tarpeena's Fairy Tale Park in South Australia?
Don't remember that one but I do remember Fairyland Village in Lobethal. It's a shame the state that's in now.
Leyland brothers theme park
The scale model of Uluru was very classy 😅
The old man took us there as kids on a road trip , was pretty kool.
There was another "Uglieland" in Fremantle around the same period as Perth's White City. Run by the same Ugly Man's charity org, it was on the corner of Market & Phillimore Street in Fremantle - that piece of public land is now known as Pioneer Park.
The money generated by these amusement venues went to war widows, homeless & other needy people, so it's ironic that the womens' & church groups' disdain at seeing aborigines frequenting the Uglielands is what put pressure on the Authorities to first ban the aboriginals, and later shut down the venues. Without the income from the venues, the Ugly Man's charity eventually closed down.
Can't imagine a place called White City, run by ugly men in Perth, would ever seek to cater for local Nunga people.
the best park i remember was a place called "ton o Fun" mid north coast nsw!!! it changed names i think a few times but as a kid that place was awesome !!!
Yeah i remember Magic kingdom like yesterday im 61 year's old 2024 & adventure land Africa lion safaris my girlfriend had her cousin killed in the 1979 Luna Park fire! His name was Richard Carroll !!😢😢 rip to the victims!
Cattai is pronounced "cat-eye". Not cat-tie. The words roll together more.
That last one seemed not to be overly concerned about DC comics licensing. That definitely would not have continued with Warner Brothers Movie World on the Gold Coast existing
Yeah I’m pretty sure that’s one of the contributing factors to this park closure
Butterfly farm on the Hawkesbury river at Wilberforce
Anyone remember Miniland Coonabarabran NSW
I do. My parents took me all the way out there to see it one time. It’s the furthest West I’ve been in the state. I remember the big brown dinosaur at the gate and I think they had a flintstone car,.. but I can’t remember anything else that was there.