Wonderland Sydney
Encyclopedia
Wonderland Sydney was a theme park in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. The park was the largest one in the southern hemisphere. It remained open for almost nineteen years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life, but it closed in 2004. Its final day of trading was the 26th April 2004.
s Industries, Leighton Holdings and TAFT Broadcasting at Eastern Creek NSW, on the junction of Wallgrove Road and the M4 Motorway
. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park
, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway
in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area
expanded to the west.
Wonderland opened with three separate themed areas within the park: Goldrush, Medieval Faire (later re-named Old Botany Bay), and Hanna-Barbera Land (later renamed 'Little Wonders Land' in 2001-2002) which featured rides and attractions based on characters from Hanna-Barbera shows such as Yogi Bear
, Scooby-Doo
and The Flintstones
. The park was modeled heavily around Canada's Wonderland located north of Toronto
, not surprising since both parks were constructed by Taft Broadcasting
, a company which also owned Hanna-Barbera.
For many years, Wonderland's flagship ride was The Bush Beast which was the largest wooden roller coaster
in Australia. Australia's Wonderland also claimed that it was the largest wooden rollercoaster in the Southern Hemisphere. The Beastie, a smaller version of The Bush Beast which catered to younger riders, was also one of the original rides. 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. After this contract expired, the ride dropped the '7' from its name).
Wonderland also had a water park known as The Beach, which first opened in 1988. Unlike the rest of the park, which remained open year-round, The Beach was a seasonal attraction which closed during the "cold" months (April–September). In 1990 Wonderland opened the Australian Wildlife Park. The Outback Woolshed was added in 1995, along with an a-la-carte restaurant.
Eventually, in 1992, all of the Taft Broadcasting Parks were sold to Viacom
and re-branded as Paramount Parks
.However, Taft only had a minority stake in Australia's Wonderland and sold their stake to other Australian investors. Today, the five Paramount Parks continue successful operation, purchased in 2006 by amusement park operator Cedar Fair.
Interestingly, many of Australia's Wonderland's rides correlate to the rides at the former Paramount Parks still in operation today.
Edit: The one from Kings Island is exactly the same ride. The Zodiac was dismantled in 1987 after the park closed for the season. It was still being dismantled by the time the park opened for Winterfest during Christmas 1987. It was shipped to Australia and reassembled at Wonderland. It retained the same name, but received a paint job including large white stars, which better fit with its new Australian home.
The park was sold in 1997 to the Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia-based Sunway Group
. 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.
, 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 parks closure. The Sydney Morning Herald
stated : "[Sunway Group] blames Wonderland's demise on everything except poor management".
The gates shut for the last time on 26 April 2004, the day after the Anzac Day
public holiday, and a complete demolition of the park was undertaken in September 2005. Most of the rides were sold to other amusement parks, while "The Bush Beast", "The Beastie" and "The Snowy River Rampage" were simply demolished. Visit Wonderland History to see demolition pictures. A former employee did make a list of what happened to some of the rides.http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/07new01/newspaper/westernweekender.pdf Two of the park's camels were adopted by a family in Goulburn, New South Wales
.
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.
The closure of several rides in 2002 was due to the reduction in operational area of the park. 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). The rides were never moved and never reopened.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The park was the largest one in the southern hemisphere. It remained open for almost nineteen years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life, but it closed in 2004. Its final day of trading was the 26th April 2004.
History
Originally known as Australia's Wonderland, it opened on 7 December 1985 with financial backing from the New South Wales State Superannuation Board, James HardieJames Hardie
James Hardie Industries Ltd. is an industrial building materials company headquartered in Ireland and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange which specialises in fibre cement products. James Hardie manufactures and develops technologies, materials and processes for the production of building...
s Industries, Leighton Holdings and TAFT Broadcasting at Eastern Creek NSW, on the junction of Wallgrove Road and the M4 Motorway
M4 Western Motorway
The M4 Western Motorway,, is a motorway in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park
Luna Park Sydney
Luna Park Sydney is an amusement park, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. The area would also see the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway
Eastern Creek Raceway
Eastern Creek International Raceway is a motorsports circuit located on Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek , New South Wales, Australia, adjacent to the Western Sydney International Dragway. It was built and is owned by the New South Wales Government and is operated by the...
in 1990 as the Sydney metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
expanded to the west.
Wonderland opened with three separate themed areas within the park: Goldrush, Medieval Faire (later re-named Old Botany Bay), and Hanna-Barbera Land (later renamed 'Little Wonders Land' in 2001-2002) which featured rides and attractions based on characters from Hanna-Barbera shows such as Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
and The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
. The park was modeled heavily around Canada's Wonderland located north of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, not surprising since both parks were constructed by Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
, a company which also owned Hanna-Barbera.
For many years, Wonderland's flagship ride was The Bush Beast which was the largest wooden roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
in Australia. Australia's Wonderland also claimed that it was the largest wooden rollercoaster in the Southern Hemisphere. The Beastie, a smaller version of The Bush Beast which catered to younger riders, was also one of the original rides. The park would later add rides such as the Demon (1992) and Space Probe 7 (1995; sponsored by the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, who bought naming rights to the ride. After this contract expired, the ride dropped the '7' from its name).
Wonderland also had a water park known as The Beach, which first opened in 1988. Unlike the rest of the park, which remained open year-round, The Beach was a seasonal attraction which closed during the "cold" months (April–September). In 1990 Wonderland opened the Australian Wildlife Park. The Outback Woolshed was added in 1995, along with an a-la-carte restaurant.
Eventually, in 1992, all of the Taft Broadcasting Parks were sold to Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
and re-branded as Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks was an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attracted about 13 million patrons. Viacom had assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994....
.However, Taft only had a minority stake in Australia's Wonderland and sold their stake to other Australian investors. Today, the five Paramount Parks continue successful operation, purchased in 2006 by amusement park operator Cedar Fair.
Interestingly, many of Australia's Wonderland's rides correlate to the rides at the former Paramount Parks still in operation today.
- Paramount's Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
operates The Beast and a "family" version of the ride, The Beastie (renamed as part of a 2006 overhaul of the kids area). - Demon is a name shared with the existing roller coasterDemon (California's Great America)Demon is a multi-looping roller coaster at California's Great America with an identical twin at Six Flags Great America. Both coasters opened in 1976 as Turn of the Century and were remodeled to Demon in 1980.-Turn of the Century:...
at Paramount's Great America, and the defunct Demon at Kings Island - Paramount's Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
operated an identical "Zodiac" double ferris wheel.
Edit: The one from Kings Island is exactly the same ride. The Zodiac was dismantled in 1987 after the park closed for the season. It was still being dismantled by the time the park opened for Winterfest during Christmas 1987. It was shipped to Australia and reassembled at Wonderland. It retained the same name, but received a paint job including large white stars, which better fit with its new Australian home.
- The Bush Beast was identical to wooden roller coasters at Canada's Wonderland, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds
The park was sold in 1997 to the Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia-based Sunway Group
Sunway Group
Sunway Group also known as Sunway Holdings Incorporated Berhad commenced operations in 1986, mainly to develop the Bandar Sunway township in Petaling Jaya...
. 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.
Closure
Sunway Group stated the 11 September attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings, the collapse of HIH InsuranceHIH Insurance
HIH Insurance was Australia's second largest insurance company. It was placed into provisional liquidation on 15 March 2001. The demise of HIH is considered to be the largest corporate collapse in Australia's history, with liquidators estimating that HIH's losses totalled up to $5.3 billion...
, the SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
virus, the bird flu virus, "consistent losses" on the Asian financial crisis, the collapse of Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
, the Iraq war and the 2003 bushfires all contributed to the parks closure. The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
stated : "[Sunway Group] blames Wonderland's demise on everything except poor management".
The gates shut for the last time on 26 April 2004, the day after the Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
public holiday, and a complete demolition of the park was undertaken in September 2005. Most of the rides were sold to other amusement parks, while "The Bush Beast", "The Beastie" and "The Snowy River Rampage" were simply demolished. Visit Wonderland History to see demolition pictures. A former employee did make a list of what happened to some of the rides.http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/07new01/newspaper/westernweekender.pdf Two of the park's camels were adopted by a family in Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
.
Roller coasters
- The Beastie - Opened 1985-2002. Half the size and height of The Bush Beast, The Beastie was a wooden roller coaster designed for younger riders. The ride was 460 metres in length, and ran with two 20-rider trains. The Beastie was located in Little Wonders Land/Hanna-Barbera Land, and was originally to be named the Scooby-DooScooby-DooScooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
Coaster. In 2002, the Little Wonders Land area of the park was permanently closed, as the overall park was too big with rides spaced too far apart. - The Bush BeastThe Bush BeastThe Bush Beast was a wooden roller coaster located at Wonderland Sydney in Australia. The ride opened with the park on 7 December 1985 and closed with the park on 26 April 2004...
- Opened 1985. A 975 metre long wooden roller coasterWooden roller coasterA wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
designed by Philadelphia Toboggan CompanyPhiladelphia Toboggan CompanyThe Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
. The roller coaster possessed two trainTrain (roller coaster)A roller coaster train or car describes the vehicle which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized joint. It is called a "train" because the cars follow one...
s, each capable of carrying 28 people. It was the tallest wooden roller coaster in the southern hemisphere, until its demolition in 2005. - The DemonThe Demon (Wonderland Sydney)The Demon was a Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster that operated at Wonderland Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It originally opened in 1988 as Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane, Australia, before reopening in Wonderland Sydney in 1992...
- Opened 1992. A VekomaVekomaVekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
BoomerangBoomerang (roller coaster)Boomerang is a model of roller coaster built by Vekoma, and named after the hunting implement based on the traditions of the Indigenous Australians...
steel roller coaster. The Demon was installed in 1992, after having previously operated at Expo '88Expo '88World Expo 88, also known as Expo '88, was a World's Fair held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988...
(under the name Titan). http://www.parkz.com.au/photo/general/2004/05/0506-1_Titan_001.jpg After Wonderland officially closed, it was dismantled and sold to Alabama Adventure where it has operated since (2005) as the ZoomerangZoomerang (Alabama Adventure)Zoomerang is a Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster that operates at Alabama Adventure in Bessemer, Alabama. It originally opened in 1988 as Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane, Australia. It closed after only one season before opening as Demon in 1992 at Wonderland in Sydney...
.
Amusement rides
- Antique Autos - Opened 1985. An electric track used to propel scaled-down Ford Model TFord Model TThe Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
cars through themed scenery. - Bounty's Revenge - Opened 1985. A large inverting pirate shipPirate ship (ride)A pirate ship is a type of amusement ride, consisting of an open, seated gondola which swings back and forth, subjecting the rider to various levels of angular momentum....
. Bounty's Revenge could carry 50 riders at a time, in ten rows of five seats. At the time of its opening it was only the second of its kind in the world. - Dragon's Flight - Opened 1985. A large Wave Swinger (similar to the Chair-O-PlanesChair-O-PlanesThe Chair-O-Planes is a fairground ride that is a variation on the carousel in which the chairs are suspended on chains from the rotating top of the carousel...
ride). - Fred Flintstone's Splashdown - Opened 1994. A log flumeLog flume (attraction)Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
ride. - Galleon's Graveyard - Opened 1987 as "Captain Caveman's Clippers." Given the current name after being relocated to Transylvania, following the closure of Little Wonders Land/Hanna-Barbera Land. Similar to a scaled-down Chair-O-Planes, riders were instead seated in two-seater 'flying boats'.
- Great Balloon Race
- HMS Endeavour - Opened 1985. Originally known as Sea Demon, HMS Endeavour received its later name when the ride was moved in 1990 to the old location of the Funnel Web.
- Jousting Ring - Opened 1985. A dodgem hall.
- Little Monsters Flying School - Opened in 1985 as Dastardly's Flying Circus.
- Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas - Opened 1985. A small lake equipped with paddle boats. Closed in 1990 to make way for the Australian Wildlife Park.
- Ned Kelly's Getaway - Opened 1985. A steep sled slide, finishing in water. Closed in 1998.
- Funnel Web - Opened in 1985, and removed in 1990.
- Scooby's Silly Stix - Opened in 1985. Removed in 2000.
- Skyhawk - Opened 1991. A 'Parachute Tower' built by Vekoma, the Skyhawk consisted of four cars; two for sitting passengers, two for standing. The four cars would be pulled to the top of a 30 metre tower, then released. A parachute would then allow riders to slowly descend to the ground. The ride was sold in 2005 to Fly Coaster, a small Gold CoastGold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
park - Skyway - Opened 1999. The only ride installed after the Sunway Group acquisition of the park, the Skyway was the old cable car from the old Sydney Showgrounds stretching from Goldrush to Hanna-Barbera Land. The ride closed in 2002, three years after it opened.
- Snowy River RampageSnowy River RampageThe Snowy River Rampage was a family rafting ride invented by Intamin and installed at Wonderland Sydney in 1985. Six riders would sit in a boat that resembled a giant tyre and wind their way down a river with artificial rapids in it....
- Opened 1985. A 960-metre River Rapid designed by Intamin AGIntamin AGIntamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
. Riders would sit in a 6-person raft resembling a large tire and float down a wide winding river with occasional water canons which fired straight up in the air when the raft approached. The frequency of water canon fire could be adjusted at the rider's request before they embarked down the river. - Space ProbeSpace Probe (Wonderland Sydney)Space Probe was a Giant Drop ride located at Wonderland Sydney in Australia. It was manufactured by Intamin AG and opened as the world's tallest and fastest free-fall ride.The ride opened in November 1995 and closed on 26 April 2004.- Ride experience :...
- Opened 1995. Originally known as Space Probe 7 (due to sponsorship from the Seven NetworkSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
). The Intamin AGIntamin AGIntamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
Giant Drop was installed in 1995 and was similar to the Giant Drop at DreamworldDreamworldDreamworld is a large theme park situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is currently Australia's largest theme park with over 27 rides including 4 roller coasters. The park is made up of several themed lands: Ocean Parade, Kid's World, Wiggles World, Gold Rush Country, Rocky Hollow, Tiger...
on the Gold Coast. As it's passengers are raised to the top of the tower, the car would enter a fully enclosed area (unique to this type of ride) within, TV screens would display a countdown. The riders were dropped at random - a few seconds before the countdown reached zero, or held till after the countdown had finished. http://wonderlandhistory.net/wb/WB_SpaceProbe02-ridersdome.jpg - Tasmanian Devil - Opened 1985. A large wheel-shaped machine which laid on one of its faces, with several rocking rider cars attached around the circumference. 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.
- Wizard's Fury - Opened 1985. A Bayern Kurve ride. A long train is propelled around a small circular track. The track passes over a steeply ascending and descending section housed within a themed building. A single ride consisted of twenty to thirty revolutions around the circular track. Removed 2002.
- The Zodiac - Opened 1987. A double Ferris wheelFerris wheelA Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
designed by Intamin AGIntamin AGIntamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
, The Zodiac consisted of 24 gondolas mounted on either end of a large hydraulic arm. The Zodiac would be operated so that while one wheel was rotating at 58 metres in height, the 12 cars of the opposing arm would all be on the ground and taking on riders simultaneously. When loaded, the hydraulic arm would be moved, lowering those who had been in the air back to the ground.
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.
The closure of several rides in 2002 was due to the reduction in operational area of the park. 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). The rides were never moved and never reopened.