As reported in the GCB, John Longhurst has passed away, aged 90. Most folks will remember John as the founder (and builder) of Dreamworld, responsible for literally carving out the rivers and buildings that exist today.

John was a visionary and will be missed. If you'd like to learn more about his legacy, I interviewed him a few years back and turned our chats into a three-part series which is, as far as I can find, still the best source online about how he built Dreamworld.

 

I have no words for this. He was an amazing man. 

Thanks for the vision and memories John that so many have enjoyed.  You were a truelly fascinating Aussie character worthy of more fame.

 

@Slick I only came across your article a few weeks ago, and it was such a great read.  I was going to reach out to you to ask whether we could petition John for a Biography or something.  Alas, too late.

It sounded as if there were many more interesting stories to John himself, let alone his creation of Dreamworld, that could fill a book.  His fascination with Walt Disney, which I only came to know through your article, struck a similar chord in myself.  I found your article after searching for some info on John other than the small details on Wikipedia.  I was sparked by learning that my step father installed the original conveyer belts on the Log Ride, and had a few good stories about working there.  Thanks for that interview mate, and I hope if you have any further details or insight that you'd make an update to the article!

Edited January 14, 20223 yr by Welshy

That really sucks. I know he's had his health worries for a while now but doesn't make it suck any less.

 

I've been thinking a lot about DW's history lately, and one thing that has occurred to me is how rough calling his DW a 'Disney knock off' is. I'm sure I've even been guilty of making that point somewhere in the past. It's true that the influence is there to see, from building designs to the Paddle Steamer to the Matterhorn with a ride in it, to the animatronic animal show to so much else. It's there and it's not a secret. He wasn't alone in it; there are a lot Disney knock offs out there

 

The thing about John though, is he studied it understood why it worked, and took that understanding to make his own totally different and unique thing. Look at all those Disney knock offs that have sprung up in Asia (or even the entire Chinese amusement industry as a whole) and tell me the people behind them understand what makes a park good. John not only understood why Disney worked, but was able to craft it into something else entirely, an Australiana version, that was really charming and amazingly good. That's an effort, I don't think there's any one else that could have done it.

 

There are a million other things he did, but that will always be the one that made the most impact on my life, RIP mate, see if you can book a chat with Walt while you're up there.

 

Come on DW.....time now for a statue of John at the entry please 👍

No words at all. Heartbreaking loss of someone who has done so much for us theme park fans. RIP

3 hours ago, RobMac said:

Come on DW.....time now for a statue of John at the entry please 👍

You know how I said that John didn't just do what Disney did, he understood why? Adding a statue is literally just doing something Disney do without really understanding why.

Given John's public statements of what he thinks of the park nowadays, I don't think them adding a statue is quite the grand gesture you think it is.

Put simply, he was a childhood hero. What he did with Dreamworld is clearly something only a very special person could achieve. 

To build a park that - adjusted for inflation - cost around $52 million in today’s money, is literally crazy when you think about it. With no real guarantee that it would even be popular. Granted, he had financial help from Keith Lord, but John was the driving force.

Australia’s Number 1 Tourist Attraction in 1987 cemented his legacy. Yet people discount what he did, which is unfair. 

The John Longhurst Dreamworld truly was a magical place full of character and warmth. It is a place that will always be dear to me. Thank you John. 

 

6 hours ago, joz said:

You know how I said that John didn't just do what Disney did, he understood why? Adding a statue is literally just doing something Disney do without really understanding why.

Given John's public statements of what he thinks of the park nowadays, I don't think them adding a statue is quite the grand gesture you think it is.

👎

17 hours ago, joz said:

You know how I said that John didn't just do what Disney did, he understood why? Adding a statue is literally just doing something Disney do without really understanding why.

Given John's public statements of what he thinks of the park nowadays, I don't think them adding a statue is quite the grand gesture you think it is.

After John sold Dreamworld, he went back less than a few times - a few weeks after the sale and a few years ago. On his last visit, he remarked to me personally that he hadn't slept for days after witnessing the state of the park, noting that while Main Street (pre Sky Voyager) looked nice enough, everything beyond there was largely unkempt and not to the calibre or standard he would wish for.

That's not to say John was always right about Dreamworld's future or how parks as a whole had evolved in the decades since the sale of Dreamworld - his hatred for any large "un-Disney-like" thrill ride was, at times, almost amusing - he was well known to hold his hand up to cover his face and the view of Dreamworld as he drove past, and we debated on more then one occasion about the merits of Rivals, large rides as a whole and how the industry in Australia had evolved and changed over the years.

Having said all that, my point is this - despite some of his industry perspectives not evolving with the times, I can guarantee you John would hate having his face forever plastered out the front of that park that doesn't understand his fundamental legacy in the same way he would hate having a roped-off, un-operational steam train engine plonked out the front of a closed train line, seemingly taunting guests about a memory that once was and is no longer.

it's a suggestion of a statue....not a defining moment in world history!  You blokes would ban Santa in December!

👎

6 hours ago, RobMac said:

it's a suggestion of a statue....not a defining moment in world history!  You blokes would ban Santa in December!

👎

And people are suggesting that’s a poor idea that he wouldn’t want or be comfortable with 

On 25/01/2022 at 9:17 AM, Brad2912 said:

And people are suggesting that’s a poor idea that he wouldn’t want or be comfortable with 

He's deceased mate.....it'd be a statue in his memory!

3 hours ago, RobMac said:

He's deceased mate.....it'd be a statue in his memory!

And we’re saying he wouldn’t be interested in having his likeness out the front of the current Dreamworld. 

Multiple people now have explained their ideas and articulated them with a fair bit of reasoning and detail, and you’ve been pretty rude and disrespectful to those not aligned with your view. 

2 hours ago, Slick said:

rude and disrespectful to those not aligned with your view. 

Which opens the door.

6 hours ago, RobMac said:

He's deceased mate.....it'd be a statue in his memory!

You're flat out wrong. The park isn't suggesting it. The family isn't suggesting it. Park fans who know the history aren't suggesting it. 

You've ignored every well reasoned argument to bang on about a statue that everyone else agrees he wouldn't want, but you think it's ok, because he's dead and wouldn't know? That's hardly honoring his memory.

What are the odds? 😐 The artist behind Dreamworld’s founding creative has passed - thought I’d share here given the terrible timing and the Dreamworld link  

 

12 hours ago, Slick said:

What are the odds? 😐 The artist behind Dreamworld’s founding creative has passed - thought I’d share here given the terrible timing and the Dreamworld link  

something something statue something something.