What were the Mt Druitt Water Works, Im assuming it was some sort of a waterpark. Has anyone got any pics etc?

Found this:

1985 Mt. Druitt Waterworks opens.
1986 Australia's Wonderland (now Wonderland Sydney) opens.

From here.

And this quote:


From here.


"The Bus is now leaving for The Waterworks, Tasmania"

Yeah I remember those urban myths, I think they exist for every single water slide park tho I never went to Mt Druitt, but I went to Manly waterworks a few times when I was young. (btw, Manly waterworks is featured in the rad 80s movie BMX Bandits, starring Nicole Kidman)

Apparently Mt Druitt Water Works was right near the station, from what I can find is that they stored slides where the new Shop Smart Factory Outlet is... Will take a look when I am at Blacktown Library next.

Neil

You can still see part of the "old water works" from the train line.

It was converted into a pool shop after it closed..and now I believe abandon.

What about Magic Kingdom in Lansvale....totally overgrown with weeds.

Cheers
Sean

Did you read mikrowave's post?


"The Bus is now leaving for Gary Davidson BMX Track, Victoria"

I remember the good ole waterworks...
Spent many days out there when I was younge with my dad.
They used to have the best tube slide Im still yet to see beaten.
It was a serious of pools interconnected with slides that you progressed down through winding around the mountain (hill) that the slides were on.
It also had a heap of enclosed slides, a large pool and some other things like a speed slide that was never open and bumper boats.

Was one of those run down type places but was still fun.
Pitty it never really got improved and eventualy just closed. Would have loved to have seen it when it first opened, I'm sure it woudl have been quite good.

if anybody remembered, in lansvale they had luna park magic kingdom,
it was really dull, had animals, elephants giant slides, swinging chairs fair rides ect,
and the main feature were 2 water slides that go to a very small hill.
That was the main attraction, very boring.
But it was more of a picnin place, anybody remember?

Last time I was at Magic Kingdom, which was about 5 years ago they still had the slides and they had a bungee jump from a cherry picker thingy and that was about it. I was there for a company Christmas party so it was free food so it was all good.


"The Bus is now leaving for Black Magic Soak, Western Australia"

http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/motorsport/...rsportstory.asp

a little article about the non-famous Magic Kingdom...Im told the fence
is down around the site and it is totally overgrown with weeds..everything
had just been left to rot away..

A few years ago I visited a park in Sydney called 'Adventure Land - Carnival on the farm'. I'm a bit confused because it sounds exactly like this Magic Kingdom place. Is it possible that it is the same park and they changed their name at some stage?

Anyway, checking out Adventure Land turned out to be very interesting so I'll give you a little trip report...

It was like a park out of a horror movie. We drove into the parking lot which was deserted. There was this little canteen area where the whole family that runs the place were sitting. They stared at us as we approached in amazement. They told us if we wanted to go on any rides to let them know and they would turn them on. We were the only ones in the park. The park was actually quite large. An old rusted railway track circled the entire perimeter. There was a lake/river which obviously used to be some kind of boat ride but it was totally overgrown. The boats were covered in weeds and bushes. You could just picture the place in its heyday with the train chugging along the track and the boats cruising down the river. There were a few portable rides like a Ferris Wheel and Cha-Cha. There was also an in-ground waterslide winding down the hill. A massive yellow dry slide (similar to the ones you see at the Easter Show) was supposedly still in operation but upon closer inspection I noticed the base of the slide was covered with redback spiders. My guess is that you'd end up with a rather sore behind after riding that one.

From what I could tell the park had once been lots of fun, I'm guessing before Wonderland opened. I think the operators also ran a portable ride business which was probably their main income 'cause they certainly wouldn't have been making much cash from Adventure Land

Nope adventure land was/is on Camden Valley Way. I went there once many many years ago and remember it exactly as you describe.
We went out there once in the school hols and it was certainly up an running, just basically a bunch of carny rides dumped around the joint.

I was much more interested in the things you decribe when I was there too. The boat ride, slide, waterslides, train and who knows what else used to be there. I know that it was called Walley World when these things were running but don't know anything more about it :-( Does anyone?

To throw another one into this mix there was also another park just near Magic Kingdom called Dizzyland... all I ever saw of it was an old defunct sign outside what used to be the entrance many years after it closed and that was back when i was 12 or so.

Maybe I need to go for a drive out that way... the only time I ever went to Magic Kindom was after going out to WL one day with dad in the first week of the xmas hols. Some of you may recall WL never used to be open the first week but that had not been publicised, many people rocked up to admin unhappy that day, us included. We were offed free return passes, dad took me to MK to cheer me up :-p

Sydney?

Im guessing if so then it is probably ONeill's AdventureLand at Prestons (Camden Valley Way) that you're thinking about. No there's not much left. The slides are still there I think. I think the land was sold as recently as earlier this year. O'Neills were a carnie firm that have been around for yonkers. The land was mainly used to store the carnie rides.

ZordMaker.

Clint let me know if you're planning to go for a drive and check out some of these defunct parks as I would love to tag along. We can make it a field trip.

I didn't realise it was O'Neils that ran Adventureland. Considering they are a fairly reputable company I'm surprised they let it get into such bad shape. Remind me not to go on any of their travelling rides.

It would make sense for them to sell the land as the area is probably worth more now. Same with Magic Kingdom. Maybe these poor guys will finally make the profit they've been waiting soo long for

I dont know if any of you remember African Lion Safari in Sydney?...
Next door to it was this really crappy park that I have been told never
opened it looks like it was totally home built ..chicken wire and paper mache
it was called FunLand or something..and its still all there rusting away..

Can anybody help me on this one?
I remember a theme park in the 80's in Sydney it had a very large castle with a bridge,
an oversized shoe the size of say a house...paddle boats, swimming areas..I do have old photos its just nobody can remember anything about it.......

Cheers
Sean

Sean - I'm guessing from what people have already been discussing in this forum that the park is Magic Kingdom in Lansvale. Do you have a scanner? I'd love to see those photos

GoBoi, Its not Magic Kingdom im taking about its an older park that vanished in the
80's...the shoe was like the one at Magic Kingdom but like the size of a large two
level house!...Ill grab the photos this weekend and scan away...someone told me that
the site is now possibly a gold course?..

I had the idea in my head for a long time now to make a documentary
about the forgotten theme parks of Sydney..interviews with the original owners..
maybe try to track down old super 8 footage of the parks in
operation..has anyone done a film/doco like this before?

Cheers
Sean

Sean you're not talking about El Caballo Blanco are you?

AlexB, no although I do remember El Caballo Blanco..!

Cheers
Sean

El Caballo Blanco didn't have anything that sean has mentioned.

Im told it was somewhere near Windsor or Richmond..??

Cheers
Sean

Negative Sean. It was/is on the Camden Valley Way at Catherine Field which is basically in the middle of Leppington, Oran Park and Harrington Park.

It 'mysteriously' caught fire last year after closing in 1998... :eek:

Daniel, Nope its not that one...this place basically closed in the 80's.
I know because my uncle remembers it closing and the land being
developed into a Golf Course..

Daniel, did this park have a Large "Robin Hood" Style Castle and a Mega
sized shoe?

Cheers
Sean

Does anyone know about that park in Melborne named Wobbies World? we went past it in the car once and all it was was just an empty block with a run down sign, i also remember reading of it in an old kids attraction guide book, but there were no photos.

Gazza,

http://www.thebladder.com.au/content/news/...ID=2125&EID=205

sounds like fun!

Cheers
Sean

Shornee,

Were you referring to El Caballo Blanco or did I just misunderstand what you were saying.

Danieeel,

Maybe I didn't explain myself well enough sorry I'll try again, I remember as a young
child going to a park in the early 80's a fair few times, a few years later it was closed and a gold course was built on, so I am told...I have no idea when it opened or exactly
where it was.

It featured as I can remember = large castle with bridge, a large shoe, paddle boats
and this large concrete reptile you walk inside that was empty..which was really bad!

I'll scan some pics on the weekend maybe that might help.

Cheers
Sean

In about 1996 my Dad took me to eastern creek raceway to see the truck races, i must have been 11 or something. I destinctively remember on the way home we drove past what looked like an old defunct themepark. It had a big paper mache gorilla out the front of it, but even then this park looked abandoned and crappy. Still, i begged dad for us to go have a look, he said it didnt look like anyone was even there and it was probably dangerous (ahah) Is this one of the parks you guys are talking about?

Well that narrows it down doesn't it? Which direction were you travelling? Where did you live so we have so idea what area it might be.


"The Bus is now leaving for Where Is It Bore, South Australia"

The truck races would have been at Oran Park I expect.

Oh yeh, oran park. yeh it was definately oran park. I was driving back towrds the northern beaches if that helps

Well that just about makes it possible to be anywhere in Sydney. Oran Park being in the south and the northern beaches being, well on the northside.


"The Bus is now leaving for Covering Beach, Queensland"

Does anyone remember the old fun pier at Manly? Remember going there as a kid in the 80's. Even then it was run down. Does anyone remember when it closed? Also can anyone verify the rumor of the octopuss ride collapsing and floating into the water and still running? Or was that one of those urban legends just like the water works razor blades story?

Where have the Ashfield water slides gone to? My brother heard that all 3 slides were brittle and falling apart, so they had to tear them down.

Mel.

Hey Mel,

Welcome to the forum. I can remember a place called 'Tilt', if that's what you're referring to.

I remember Tilt, but wasn't that at druitt? It was a timezone sort of place.

I think I recall the fun pier that Mel is talking about (by the way, welcome!). I was very young at the time of it's existance, however I do remember a Ring of Fire ride. The only ride that I would go on (I think I was 4 at the time) was a little kiddie motorbike ride. Do these rides seem familiar, mel?

Very good English I don't think Flea, you dolt.

I'm pretty sure Tilt was the name of the company and there was more than one. Therefore, it's quite likely there was one at MD also.

Tilt was an indoor amuesment centre. This place was located at the end of the food-court of Westfeild Miranda

Pauly,

It's AMUSEMENT and WESTFIELD.

So we've established there was a Tilt and Manly, Mt Druitt and at Miranda.

OLOLOL!! I li3k sp3lt wr0ng!111!!!SHIFT11!!

Thanks Dan

Its i before e except after c.
Hey Daniel, the guy in your avatar has collagen lips.

Yes Daniel is spot on (which is surprising considering Manly is a northern suburb and Daniel is a hardcore westy). The amusements at Manly Wharf were definitely called 'Tilt'. As you guys have figured out Tilt was a chain of amusement centres similar to Timezone. The Manly Wharf Tilt consisted of both the downstairs games arcade and also a couple of rides which were located upstairs on the pier. There was a largish ferris wheel, a carousel and not too much else. The ferris wheel was quite good because it was right on the end of the pier over the water. For that reason and also considering the fact it was not in a great state (fairly rusty) in it's last few years, it was a scary/fun ride.

The whole Manly Wharf complex was basically a shopping centre adjoining the pier with a few touristy shops, a McDonalds and the games arcade downstairs. It was designed to be like a mini Harbourside (Darling Harbour shopping centre) but never quite worked. It was all very 80's. Most of the 2 levels of shops were never fully leased out. It stayed like that for years and was all a bit sad really.

Just recently (a few years ago) they took away all the rides and refurbished the entire complex. The pier which was once home to the rides is now home to a trendy outdoor bar. The adjoining shopping centre building was almost completely rebuilt and now houses a couple of upmarket restaurants, a large Bay Swiss and various food outlets on the ferry side. It is now just 1 level... I think the downstairs area including the games arcade might have been turned into a car park but I'm not totally sure

The Ring of Fire ride at Manly fun pier could quite well have been there, Flea. What I remember of the place was a mixture of kiddies & adults rides as well as arcade games. It was located right next to the ferry terminal. The last time I was there was in 88 with my family & we were the only ones there!
Tilt was put in after they closed the fun pier & renovated the wharf, I think sometime in the early 90s. All that was left was the ferris wheel, carousel & a games arcade.

I know what your talking about now.
The place on the manly wharf after the terminal. I think i only saw it running once in it's lifetime and I never went there.

Sorry for the confusion, but i was also establishing that there was a place called TILT at WESTFEILD Miranda. (I also didn't know that this place in Manly was called TILT)

Sorry.

Yeah I remember the rides at the Wharf, before it turned into Tilt. I went there when I was a kid in the 80s. There weren't a whole lot of rides really, & it was quite run-down. I think they may have had a fire there once?? Or I might be confusing it with somewhere else....

Pauly Boy... you've just blown my dictionary up old son.

'I know what you're talking about know'???? Come on brother...

As for everything else, well... I've got no red ink left in my pen.

TILT was/is a chain of amusement arcades like Timezone. I remember going to Manly on the ferry and seeing the rides on the jetty and they did run, this was in the early to mid '90's and TILT was operating at the same time. The only ride that I remember was the Ferris wheel, but do recall other rides.


"The Bus is now leaving for Tilted Chasm, Tasmania"

Hey everyone & hello Mel1978 . I recently found a small article about the Manly Fun Pier. When I saw the picture in the article, I freaked out because it looked so familiar even though i would have been 7 years old the last time I was there before it was torn down right Mel?

http://www.oceanworld.com.au/images/press/...ck%201970's.jpg

Sorry Daniel.

I was in a very big rush and before i left wanted to get it off my chest.
It's all fixed now.

Sorry for the Inconvenience.

I remember the old run down Manly Fun Pier. The Octopus was very scary looking. Not sure about it collapsing. From memory there was also an indoor Sizzler/Cha Cha. Very run down as well. Remember going to O'Neils Great Adventure Land many a time too. Back then O'Neils always had big crowds, even with their carny rides. Have some old photos from O'Neils. Ah the memories. It is a real shame that so many of the theme parks in Sydney have closed.