My wife showed me the post on her facebook that she thought I might be interested in and I thought I would share here.  The photo was posted by Vintage Queensland.  I don't know if this photo has been posted here before but if hasn't, enjoy.

I believe the consensus is, the photo was from around 82-83 but I was too young to remember SW like this.

I remember SW having bumper boats but not much more.   Does anybody else have photos from around that time?

Edited January 16, 20242 yr by New display name

Man I remember riding that wild mouse, memories!! 

For some reason I always thought the mouse was in a different location.  Just shows what beers do to you.  (creates better memories 😔)

My first visit to the park was 1994, and thrillseeker was exactly where it is in this shot. Surprising to me though is that the pirate ship wasn't near Corkscrew but pretty much in the middle of today's plaza. 

It is interesting how much has remained, and how much else has been replaced, or in the case of the giant lake - reclaimed.

I love seeing images like this, particularly ones of SW because it's amazing how much that park has transformed throughout its history. I never realised the Pirate Ship was in a different location in the park, I always assumed it's location before removal had always been it's home (moving it was a great decision because it was awesome seeing it when you entered the park). 

Does anyone know what the blue roofed building was (roughly in the location of the Penguin Encounter)?

14 minutes ago, themagician said:

I love seeing images like this, particularly ones of SW because it's amazing how much that park has transformed throughout its history. I never realised the Pirate Ship was in a different location in the park, I always assumed it's location before removal had always been it's home (moving it was a great decision because it was awesome seeing it when you entered the park). 

Does anyone know what the blue roofed building was (roughly in the location of the Penguin Encounter)?

There was some sort of diving \ shark exhibit there in 1994. A show of sorts where an audio track played and they had a diving bell, as well as a scuba diver in the tank at various points. I think it might have been getting at the progression of deep sea exploration? Along with a small walk through of small aquariums housing various tropical \ reef fish.

I'm probably completely wrong, but I always thought the penguin encounter 'underwater viewing window' was that same tank. The 'ramps' that lead to it are pretty much the same dimensions I remember the old theatre being.

ETA: It was the 'world of the sea' theatre, and you can see it at the 4 minute mark of this video (credit @jozparks)

 

Also - wasn't this video a blast from the past!

9 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

I always thought the penguin encounter 'underwater viewing window' was that same tank. The 'ramps' that lead to it are pretty much the same dimensions I remember the old theatre being.

Before Penguin Encounter there was a Dugeong exhibit and then it became Shark Attack (I believe is what it was called), so was all of this in that old theatre we can see in the image? I thought everything related to Penguin Encounter was built new, except for the entrance part of the exhibit?

The first show I ever experienced in that area was a diving show.  It was the history of the divers equipment, from the original bell type helmets to modern breathing mask.  The show was preformed underwater.

This is definitely the same space and viewing window that is now in the Penguin Encounter exhibit. 
 

And nice souvenir video. That’s actually from my VHS tape!

Here’s another photo from 1988