The space probe and the demon were operating and the guysers on the snowy river rampage where going off. ``We compete pretty hard with them so we expect to pick up (group bookings) Christmas parties, school excursions. Balnaves dismisses claims that international events including September 11 and SARS drove Wonderland to the wall as "excuses". 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. Bullens African Lion Safari in Rockbank also operated during this time and, much like Ashtons,it had had lions, tigers, bears, elephants and giraffes. After the Demon was down and out of the park the original Canadian company, who were contracted to pull it down, decided not to pay guy his exorbitant fee using the distance between the two countries as a safe haven. Australia's Wonderland Sydney - TV Commercial 1987 Watch on Children's author and good friend Andrew Levins has spent some time in lockdown researching the history of Wonderland, 35 years after it first opened, and shared some of his stories on Hope Breakfast. Galleon's Graveyard was dismantled and taken off site by its new owner. Ashley Jeffery 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]. down the monasteries! Are bills set to rise? The park only operated for two years, with the reason given for its closure the loss in international tourism caused by 9/11. Id only been to Wonderland once before as a kid and I can barely remember it, he told news.com.au. January 2005ING now own the park outright, all the rides should have been removed and demoliton well under way but everything is still delayed. A former employee made a list of what happened to some of the rides. During that time he shot photos showing the remains of what was once a special part of many people's childhoods. log in. mini golf, ice cream kiosk and a miniature railway. Here Are 21 Photos of Wonderland After The Theme Park Closed Its Doors To The Public. Problems around Wonderland Eurasia arose quickly: just two days after its opening, a train got stuck. The ride closed in 2002. 2003-04: 91,000 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. International guests aren't attracted to Australian theme parks by big thrill rides, they are attracted by uniqueness, diversity and in particular wildlife. Snowy River Rampage "I think most people in Western Sydney formed an attachment with the place," Watts told BuzzFeed. June 16 2004The yellow Bush Beast train was sitting at the top of the lift hill.Dragons Flight, Merry-Go-Round and Baby Bumpers were put in shipping containers and sent to 'Sunway Lagoon' Malaysia.Dragons Flight in the shipping container. "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. A. Wonderland Eurasia, billed as "Europe's biggest theme park," opened in Ankara, Turkey, in March 2019. 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). By Publication: Illawarra Mercury If there had been one thing I wish could have found when I was out at that boneyard it would have been a piece of the Bush Beast. "We had a lot more rides coming in than going out and some of the smaller ones were moved to other sections when we got new additions like Space Probe," he said. Now, new images show how the theme park was left to rot. Unlike the Demon, Space Probe's future wasn't as fruitful. Serendipity Fun Park in Devonport opened in 1988, but closed only 16 months later, after facing financialproblems. August 2005Site access is granted after 5 months of delays. The park had a satisfactory couple of months, but for all their rides and investment they couldn't make very much of a profit. 3.8 . Theme park analyst David Barbuto, of JPI Consulting, says Wonderland had lost its identity and did not offer a sufficient menu of attractions to lock people into a four- to six-hour stay. THE Illawarra's only theme park is proving more popular with visitors, despite Sydney's Wonderland closing its doors citing the impact of terrorism, SARS and Asian bird flu. The park, aimed primarily at younger children, featured a static Bell helicopter plus a chopper-themed Whirliebird monorail, golf course, trampolines and several food and drink kiosks. "Many of our Boomerangs have been relocated over the years. BuzzFeed Staff, Australia. Despite the ride being 23 years old, it was sold again in 2011 to Wonderla in India where it took on its fourth name, Recoil and is still operational to this day. 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. Owners say the threat of terrorism, coupled with skyrocketing insurance premiums, SARS and the Asian bird flu have all taken their toll . Author: Kathy Mac Dermott This all comes from marketing pretty much. Retail Plaza Marvel Spider-Man dome Removal 2004, Wonderland Items at Valley View Park Horse Riding. The going got slow, and the getting practically stopped. 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. Sunway Group, who managed Wonderland, blamed a multitude of factors for its closure including the September 11 attacks and the collapse of Ansett Australia. Upload or insert images from URL. 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 . A look back at Australias forgotten theme parks. Leisureland Fair was in Langwarrin, in Melbournes south-east, and operated from 1984 to 1992. They may have made a verbal agreement to get things moving but verbal agreements can have a nasty habit of changing or disappearing. Wobbies World in Melbourne's east opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. 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. [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]. Its main attraction was a figure-eight roller-coaster called Jazz Junction, with its track running overhead along the fifth level. While few can forget the thrill of their first roller-coaster ride or twirlingon a merry-go-round, the theme parks wherethese memories were forged are being increasingly forgotten. September 2004Bush Beast and Beastie carriages where moved from the maintenance area, out to the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoirBush Beasts Yellow PTC Train, minus two cars, under the cover of the stables in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. Obsessed with travel? This decision was taken in view of persistent losses incurred and difficult market conditions. Paste as plain text instead, Plans for the park include a water park, a wildlife park and the return of the Wonderland. See also How Much Self-Employed Income Do You Have To Report Canada? Wonderland's demise follows that of the disastrous Fox Studios Backlot theme park, which Lend Lease and News Corp were forced to shut down after less than two years of operation, and the closure of Old Sydney Town. Summer holiday (Dec - Jan) figures: Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. 16 February 2004The Sunway company announced that International Theme Park Pty. This in turn damaed the negotiations for Visionland to buy the Bush Beast and Beastie coaster cars. April 28, 2004"Wonderland IS CLOSED" sgin in the carpark. 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. Firstly I'd like to say that this is my first post here at themeparkinsider, and that I too am an employee at Wonderland Sydney. themagician The Bush Beast's wooden tracks were torn apart and carriages left to rust, and the. Many of the attractions were demolished after the parks closure. [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. June 2004A Heritage Order for the Bush Beast was submitted to Blacktown Council. But other operators and analysts place the blame closer to home. In 1995 Wonderland installed what was to become its new flagship attraction, the Space Probe a Giant Drop developed by Intamin that cost almost $10 million. Waterslides, astro spin, dry slides . According to Khan, the construction of the Park would take three years. DECEMBER 18 2004The Wonderland Sign above the front gate was taken down and sold for $1,000 to a Junkyard in Londonderry. More than often new trains and improvements to keep the ride up-to-date are recommended," a spokeswoman said. Wonderland Project Surrounded by Controversy In addition to the major losses, Wonderland creators have been under scrutiny in recent times. At the time, the park hadthe largest water-slide setup in the southern hemisphere. November 2004The Lake was drained, there was heaps of stuff under there that had fallen out of people'e pockets over the years while on Bountys Revenge. The site is now mostly occupied by Riverside Oaks golf. A Vekoma spokeswoman told nine.com.au that due to the Boomerangs' "thrill factor and a small footprint" it was snapped up by Alabama Splash Adventure in the US where it operated as the Zoomerang for seven years. Wonderland Sydney (Closed) Sydney, Australia I've done Wonderland Sydney. Wonderland relied on I believe about 25% of its attendance from international guests. Dreamworld did well to counter this with very well times thrill and family attractions. WORLDS of Wonder is destined to propel Western Sydney to the nation's top theme park destination, knocking off the Gold Coast. At its peak the amusement park featured 24 rides across five themed sections. No claim is made as to the accuracy or currency of the content on this site at any time. Music by Jonny Higgins - http://www.jonnyhiggins.com/contact/For a lot of Australian's Wonderland Sydney is ingrained in their childhood, but internationally. 14. 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. Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. February 17, 2004Wonderland's chief executive Stephen Galbraith said the park would close its gates because of a number of challenges faced by the tourism and leisure industry in recent years. 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. Australia's forgotten theme parks hold unforgettable memories for visitors. He cited events including September 11, the Ansett and HIH collapses, bushfires and SARS. The park shut its doors in 2005 citing financial woes. "If nothing else, travelling down the M4 and seeing The Bush Beast, Demon and Space Probe every time they drove by, it was part of the landscape.". Wonderland Sydney officially closed. Your Rating. ``We had 91,000 visitors over December and January, compared to 81,500 last year and 79,600 the year before." Any unauthorised use of Parkz content is expressly prohibited. Childhood shattered. When it opened in 1985, SkyRider was the first standup roller-coaster in Canada . He cited events including September 11, the Ansett and HIH collapses, bushfires and SARS. I saw things I remember clearly as a child, pieces of rides I used to love that were still just sitting there, fading.. 'HMS Endeavour' opened 1985. It is now the site of the Forest Hill police station. Warner Village have been a bit slow on the uptake (and some badly timed attractions and aquisitions targeting international guests didn't help), but they're pretty well back. The hit did come from SARS and whatnot, but only because of the lack of investment to make the difference with domestic guests as was appropriately done on the Gold Coast. The park opened in 1999 and featured a $26 million Titanic walk-through attraction based on James Camerons film. Speaking to Nine News at the time, Mr Naylor said visiting the site brought back memories he had as a child. Please try again. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! He said some of the rides will stem from the now defunct Wonderland Sydney, such as the Bush Beast, but will harness cutting edge technology as well as setting new boundaries. When the aforementioned "excuses" hit, this portion of the attendance did take a huge hit. [27] 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. 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. Theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Mother's Consumer Guide to Australia's Wonderland, New South Wales State Superannuation Board, 'A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure', "The lights go out at Wonderland, where millions got their thrills", "Australia's loneliest camel gets a new home", "Wonderland History: Demolition Timeline", "Theme Parks, Australian Theme Parks | Parkz Theme Parks", 'Australia's Wonderland Sydney Space Probe', 'Australia's Wonderland Sydney Blinky Bill Show', "Sydney's Wonderland to be a superpark on par with Gold Coast's theme park strip", "Sydney's Wonderland theme park set to make its home in the west", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonderland_Sydney&oldid=1137703503, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Greatest Fun You'll Ever Have" (19851986), "Too Much Fun To Have In One Day" (19871988), "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world was Wonderland (19881995), "No Wonder They Call It Wonderland" (19951998), 'The Beastie' opened 19852002. The Real Reasons for Wonderland's Closure, Dreamworld announces Wave Swinger, Dreamland (DreamWorks retheme) and new coasters. New logo look for Wonderland Sydney - 2002, A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure, 2003 Retail Plaza Marvel Make-over Completed. "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. Don't have an account? March 10, 2004 in Theme Park Discussion, I have found a couple of articles which give a far more accurate account of why Wonderland is closing and the deceptiveness behind it. Travel and Tourism (Lifestyle and Leisure), Inside the family succession drama threatening to change the K-pop industry forever. 2001-02: 165,400 Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. The park opened December 7 1985 with just three themed areas - Hanna Babera Land, Medieval Fair and Goldrush. The business had just invested $250,000 on a crocodile exhibit, he said. The site itself has since been turned into Interchange Park, an industrial estate, where remnants of the park remain in the surrounding bushland. Beasties two blue PTC Trains under the cover of the stables in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. Since then, we have lifted the overall performance of the park, completely rebuilt its image and brand awareness but this had not been enough. Bush Beasts Red PTC Train and two Yellow PTC carrages in the back paddock behind Minchinbury reservoir. This also impacted on Visionland who purchased the ride and they were also chased for payment even though it was outside their contract with the Canadian "experts". Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. The park opened in 1970 and closed by 1980, it was run by the Ashton family, of Ashtons Circus fame. There's not too many attractions you can add that will ultimately effect this demographic. Watts' obsession with the derelict site shows the impact Wonderland had on his formative years when it was alive and functioning. 3.8 . But a small handful didn't suffer the same unceremonious fate and were packed up and shipped off to other amusement parks all around the world. The park was demolished to make way for what is now the Luna Shopping Centre. By Richard Wilson 26 April 2004 1 Shares. Among the rides to find new homes was The Demon, which served as Wonderland's unofficial flagship attraction for more than a decade. Theme parks need a capital injection of between $3million and $4million each year to survive. The park was set to be an alternate option to Luna Park, and included rides that featured Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones. Date: 21/02/2004 SUNWAY CLOSURE OF WONDERLAND SYDNEY; The Final Day; The Last Day; A visit to Wonderland 12/10/2004 after closure; Demolition Time Line; Wonderland Galleries; Wonderland History; Wonderland Wedding; You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Pictured is the Big Dipper roller-coaster that was closed after only a year of operation in 1995 after noise complaints by . But I am glad that some of the rides have managed to survive," Ammar Khan, who operated rides at the park for nine years told nine.com.au. 19/09/86 - Why Wonderland is riding the J-Curve; 1991. Wonderland Sydney, then known as Australia's Wonderland opened amid much media attention and publicity on 7 December 1985 with financial backing from the New South Wales State Superannuation Board, James Hardie, Leighton Holdings and Taft Broadcasting (through Kings Entertainment Company)[3] at Eastern Creek on the junction of Wallgrove Road and the M4 Motorway. Successive inconveniences and high costs caused Wonderland Eurasia to . Wonderland's demise follows the closure of Old Sydney Town on the Central Coast and the Kinkuna Country Fun and Fauna Park at Lakes Entrance, Victoria. The developers sought to provide an alternative to the troubled Luna Park Sydney, which had opened and closed multiple times in its recent history. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Disneyland closed its gates for a national day of mourning on November 23, 1963, marking the first unplanned closure unrelated to weather in its history. Saturday August 27 6am, 2005The Bushbeast was demolished.One of the steal cables from the Sky Rider was taken down and wrapped around the bushbeast and then connected to two D9 bulldozers which tried to pull the bush beast over, the bulldozers moved towards the Snowy River Rampage pushing everything in there path into the Snowy River Rampage with the cable around the Bush Beast and a dozer on each end of the cable they tried to pull the Bush Beast over, The Bush Beast did not go down without a fight, the SkyRider cable snapped several times and in the end they just drove the dozers through the supports with the structure coming down behind them.. Monday August 29, 2005 They started seperating Bush Beasts sleel track from the wood and demolished the station. Magic Mountain at Gold Coasts Nobbys Beach was built in 1962 and closed in 1991. "I climbed up to the top of the lift hill [an upward sloping section of track] of The Beastie to take some photos and get a better idea of the devastation of the park," Watts said. Domestic tourism accounted for 96 per cent of the park's business, and 68 per cent of visitors were from Sydney. IS THIS LAST DRINKS FOR THE 1:30AM LOCKOUT? A 'Parachute Tower' built by Vekoma, the Skyhawk consisted of four cars; two for sitting passengers, two for standing. Date: 18/02/2004 Henry VIII and were earning lots of money so they decided to close Wonderland Sydney / Via Twitter: @Wonderland_Syd Your parents wouldn't leave the park without one. Yes it does seem like an eternity, but remember you heard it hear, at Weekend . 2001-02: 79,600. Wonderland Sydney, which was in Eastern Creek, opened in December 1985 with the aim of providing an alternative to Luna Park. The Demon is completly down but still on site. Most of the rides were sold to other amusement parks, while 'The Bush Beast', 'The Beastie' and 'The Snowy River Rampage' were demolished. 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. Shooting an 18-minute video this time around for his YouTube channel Abandoned Oz, Mr Van Gerwen was able to see more detail than what he captured last time. [4] Today, the five Paramount Parks continue successful operation, purchased in 2006 by amusement park operator Cedar Fair. Sydney electrician Dave Naylor made a similar visit, Aussie travel predictions will surprise you, Familys plea months after climbers death. After a tourism boom, the park changed owners, and a Magic Castle was built in 1976 which saw attendance dramatically increase. Before Werribee Zoo, visitors to Ashtons Bacchus Marsh drove through a safari park where lions would latch their paws onto their cars. 1:07pm Feb 2, 2017. He was there to witness his childhood favourites being torn to the ground. We are thinking ahead of time, he said. 'Magilla Gorilla's Flotillas' opened 1985. 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. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. OTHER NEWS: IS THIS LAST DRINKS FOR THE 1:30AM LOCKOUT? Some amusementparks have managed topersist for decades, but most have sadly shut their doors. The land value has put the viability of the site for development way ahead of it being used as a theme park." It was an institution for many, and a hotspot during school holidays. The Bush Beast Roller Coaster . But instead of being cleared away, the bones of the theme park still haunt the grounds in which they were dumped as rubbish all those years ago. Several rides were closed in 2002 due to the reduction in operational area of the park. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. The park opened in 1997 and operated for four years. The closure of several rides in 2002 was due to the reduction in operational area of the park. Wonderland City was an amusement park located at Tamarama, on Wonderland Avenue near the point at which it joins Fletcher Street, in Sydney, Australia. Paclib Industrial Pty Ltd a special purpose vehicle with a paid-up share capital of A$2.00. Wonderland's lack of branding also meant the park could not harness valuable merchandising sales. The Fox Studios Backlot in Moore Park was also a much-loved treasure among film buffs. Far fewer know their real story. on top of a roller coaster, and passengers had to get off on foot. Well-known circus family, the Bullens, also had other lion parks in NSW, Queensland and South Australia. When the Wonderland closed down in 2004, the Space Probe remained on site for more than year and acted as a nostalgic beacon for anybody that drove past. 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. However, it is still believed to be sitting in pieces in a paddock at the Malaysian theme park. Followed categories will be added to My News. Ltd. the operator of wonderland is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Estonia Enterprises Ltd which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd. Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd is a 60% owned subsidiary of Sunway Lagoon Sdn Bhd which is a 51% owned subsidiary of Suncity.Both Estonia Enterprises Ltd and Eastern Glory Enterprises Ltd are companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. 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. The park was the largest theme park in the Southern Hemisphere. Ninety per cent of what I want (for the master plan) I already have, Mr Bakas, operations manager of Orlandos Walt Disney World, said. Amidst record attendance set as a result of the announcement of the closure, Wonderland says goodbye. August 2004All 14 Bush Beast and 10 beastie carriages where moved out to the maintenance area by one of the wonderland maintenance crew still working at wonderland after is closure.Who would've thought that they would ever see all 4 trains together?! The professional gardener said the site is still filled with rotting material, with some parts of the land holding more debris than he expected. 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. 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. Publication: Financial Review 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. Closed in 1990 to make way for the Australian Wildlife Park. 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. Mr Eddy said he believed development pressures, rather than hard times, had prompted Wonderland's closure. Sydneys Wonderland revamp gets $1 billion funding. You can post now and register later. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. This is how we got here and what needs to change, 'Please confirm what Muslim refers to': Why Ali's birthday payment for his nephew was flagged by his bank, Kade was a fit 31-year-old when he died from a heart attack, Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. This guy thought he could charge what he wanted ($500 an hour to be precise) because there was such urgency to get the Demon down and out. We couldnt get the smiles off our faces, he said of the visit. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. While Intamin's Giant Drop failed to live on after Wonderland, its Bounty ride which operating in Wonderland as the Bounty's Revenge was also shipped to Sunway Lagoon. This goes against everything the CEO said and what Sunway would like the general public to believe. 03/12/05 - Bush Beast's resting place revealed. 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. Your link has been automatically embedded. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. Why this 'quiet' 1970s farmhouse has been added to the NSW heritage list, Barb has been boating around her outback station for months but she's not complaining, Driver of ute charged with manslaughter after teen dirt bike rider dies in hit-and-run accident, Alex De Minaur into Acapulco final after tough win over Holger Rune, Racing around Scotland from a garage in regional Queensland. Crowd pleasers dodgem cars, a roller-coaster, an arcade, mini-golf, bumper boats and gravity-defying ride called The Scat. 01/01/92 - Bursting At The Themes; . Strongline Engineering removed the attraction in September 2005 and. Caspers World In Miniature in Stawell, in regional Victoria, was a large tourist fun park which opened in 1976. A Magic Mountain spokesman said all options were being explored, but for now the centre was still trading as a theme park. 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.