Australian Outback Spectacular opens to the public

After years in planning and numerous setbacks, Warner Village Theme Parks' latest attraction, the $23 million Australian Outback Spectacular, opens tomorrow at the Gold Coast. Roller-Coaster.com.au brings you a sneak-preview review of the new attraction.

In planning since the mid-1990s, the Australian Outback Spectacular is set to become a must-see attraction amongst the Gold Coast's many theme parks and other tourist attractions. Situated between Wet'n'Wild Water World and Warner Bros. Movie World on WVTP's Oxenford property, the show is a 1.5 hour all-inclusive extravaganza, culminating in the best in horse riding, story telling, song and dance and of course outback tucker. 

It wasn't easy to get to this point. Originally conceived over nine years ago by John Menzies, CEO of WVTP, it was planned to be a show adjacent to Sea World. Native title claims meant this initial plan fell through, but it resurfaced years later at the more appropriate Oxenford site, where after years of planning and months of rehearsal it has finally opened.

Guests enter the huge outback barn style building into a traditional Australian bar. Here you can grab a drink and take a look at the Outback artwork that lines the wooden walls. There's tributes to Slim Dusty and R.M. Williams and photographs of many of Australia's great country pubs and bars.

Before too long you are directed through two doors into the 1,000 seat stadium. This is where the fun starts. The guests have been separated into two opposing homesteads, who have met for the annual muster to prove once and for all which is better at all things Aussie. Of course to complete things, every guests is given a team hat, included in the ticket price.

The entree is already on the table waiting when you reach your seat, and waiters aren't too far away to give you your drink of choice. Before too long the action begins and the scene is set with an artfully created narrated montage of Australia's heritage and culture.

Percy "Johnno" Johnson is the host for the evening, steering the guests through the next ninety minutes of excitement and comedy.

The main course and desserts are distributed as the show continues, blending nicely in with the action as Bluey tries to light the barbie to get things going.

What follows is an assortment of examples of life on a farm, from mustering of sheep and cattle, to a wide variety of races, including camels, horses, motorbikes, chickens and even boats.

Yep, eight members of the audience are selected to re-enact the famous Alice Springs Regatta. Like the real-life event, the participants hop in their beer-can built vessels as they race to prove once and for all which is better - VB or Fosters. Of course in real-life neither deserve to win, but it is, after all, only a show.

As the score is neck-in-neck, the final decider for the evening is a hat race. Six hats are sent from one end of each team to the other. The first to pass all six hats all the way comes off at the night's winner.

A patriotic horse finale completes the show, leaving viewers satisfied and certainly well-fed. At $79 for adults and $49 for children, the Australian Outback Spectacular is surprisingly good value. Over the course of the evening, guests are treated to a restaurant-quality meal and leave with their straw hat as a fitting souvenir.