Old Waterslide Tower in Brisbane

[OzCoasterFreek]

I was wondering if anyone out there knew anything about the old waterslide tower near the Oxley MacDonald's in Brisbane. It's behind the Macca's/Harvey Norman complex, and is bright red, there are no slide pieces at all and looks like there were two slides, although I haven't had a chance to have a good scout around yet. Was this park of a mini park of some sort or just the one slide tower? Any ideas, anyone?

[Spotty]

Wasn't that Amazons?

[Queenslander]

Wasn't that Amazons?

Amazons was at a different location, This was a small waterpark at Oxley that was also home to go-karts and mini-golf. However I can't remember the name of the place....

[Richard]

The place only had the one slide tower. It was more or less an amusement centre with the slide, gokarts and other basic kinds of attractions. The place closed down at some stage in the mid-90s and the slide sections were taken down over time after it closed well after the Harvey Norman was there because you could see the slide slowly disappear each time you visited the store. The actual slide was a boat slide with multiple riders per boat. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place, but I have a feeling it had 'Aqua' in there somewhere.

[kennykoala]

The place only had the one slide tower. It was more or less an amusement centre with the slide, gokarts and other basic kinds of attractions. The place closed down at some stage in the mid-90s and the slide sections were taken down over time after it closed well after the Harvey Norman was there because you could see the slide slowly disappear each time you visited the store. The actual slide was a boat slide with multiple riders per boat. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place, but I have a feeling it had 'Aqua' in there somewhere.

hey richard, pretty sure it was callled.. mirage. i went there a few times when i was younger. it had, 2 go cart tracks, one was a family kinda one, had cars like autopia (but u actually drove them-not on a track) and then also they had an adult circuit with the normal go-carts. it also had mini golf.

[OzCoasterFreek]

Cheers guys, thanks for that! Always wondered what it was, now I know! Thanks again.

[Russ]

I can answer this one. The place was called Mirage Grand Prix Oxley They had a 1100m track that had some of the fastest hire cars in Australia race on them. They also had a smaller track t hat had smaller cars and a steelrail track that the cars drove around. they also had a 18 hole mini golf course, a bumper boat pool and the waterslide. What to know anything else I can help you as i worked there for about 12months in 1988. Was a fun time.

[Virus_126]

I think the reason the place closed down in the first place because someone got injured

[Bubco]

Anyone here got any old pics of that Mirage place? I vaguely remember it I just want to jog my memory more. Used to love the go cart thing when I was a kid, and I think the old water slide frame is still standing, haven't been out there for a while so I dunno if that's true.

[Gazza]

Yeah, it is indeed still standing, It's walkable from my place so I can grab photos of how it looks now at some point if people are interested.

[Gazza]

Some other closed water park fun..Spotted this place on the Warrego Highway at Haigslea (Decided to visit Toowoomba today, got a whole new state to start checking off towns in) When I first drove past I could have sworn it was the older river rapids slide from WnW, but closer inspection proved it wasn't. Anyone ever visit? All I can find on the net is this article about its closure: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...5010760,00.html

[Spotty]

Hmm... I've seen that waterpark before. It seemed to have a "Twister" type slide there too. You should have gone up 2 days ago and come to the Gatton show though Gazza! I was working there

[kennykoala]

Hmm... I've seen that waterpark before. It seemed to have a "Twister" type slide there too. You should have gone up 2 days ago and come to the Gatton show though Gazza! I was working there

It was called warrego water park, I went there years ago. It dose have the twister and it also has a terror canyon type ride, which was pretty good. It used the hill terrain instead of a tower.

[DonjaiInLA]

Didnt amazons (as a final straw) close because some kid hit the concrete from the slide if I recall from when I first came here... I also remember the park was hardly open even in summer and was known to change owners alot.... but like all local and moderately fun parks... crushed by the majors.

[Richard]

Stories went around for years about people injuring or killing themselves on various slides at Amazons, as they seem to have done for most suburban water parks around Australia. In reality it closed for purely financial reasons. It did change owners quite a few times before the end, but it generally operated pretty consistently during the summer seasons. There was a year or so when it closed between owners that it didn't operate, which is probably what you're thinking of. I'm sure had they spent a bit upgrading and adding new attractions every few years the park could easily have survived, but in the end selling the land became the most lucrative path for them as the area really took off with other residential and commercial developments around it.

[DonjaiInLA]

I phoned my parents and they also remember the time we were biking past it and there was an ambulance parked outside, they also reminded me the news report about a "middle eastern" boy who hit his head at one point on the ?shotgun? slide and was unable to be ressusitated. I am also now aware this was not an event that overly contributed to the parks closure. Remembering ive lived in two other countries since so if this pans out to be warped truth, sue me. And i also recall the slides at amazons were only updated when wetnwild sold them or another local park went bust.

[Gazza]

Didnt amazons (as a final straw) close because some kid hit the concrete from the slidemajors.

I could have sworn the reason these sorts of places closed was because people put razor blades in the slides

[DonjaiInLA]

Haha, and then they put them in apples and give them to kids at halloween? Also right up there with Killer bees, Pepsi Blue, Friendster and Joey.

[Spotty]

Who in there right mind would want to taste that Pepsi Blue crap again? That was among the most foul drinks i've ever tasted!

[DonjaiInLA]

This reminds me of a great video of all failed fads and ideas in a very humourous way its on youtube:

[leadfoot351]

I can answer this one. The place was called Mirage Grand Prix Oxley They had a 1100m track that had some of the fastest hire cars in Australia race on them. They also had a smaller track t hat had smaller cars and a steelrail track that the cars drove around. they also had a 18 hole mini golf course, a bumper boat pool and the waterslide. What to know anything else I can help you as i worked there for about 12months in 1988. Was a fun time.

Where is it now as I am planing to return with the kids and update my licence

[DonjaiInLA]

I think the only thing that stands is a rusting metal structure between Harvey Norman, maccas and WOW mate. I wouldn't take a special trip or anything

[leadfoot351]

I can answer this one. The place was called Mirage Grand Prix Oxley They had a 1100m track that had some of the fastest hire cars in Australia race on them. They also had a smaller track t hat had smaller cars and a steelrail track that the cars drove around. they also had a 18 hole mini golf course, a bumper boat pool and the waterslide. What to know anything else I can help you as i worked there for about 12months in 1988. Was a fun time.

I remember the place as I went there as a kid but old enough to get my racing licence for the scaled down version of the F1 car's and still have the photo as well my licence as a memory of the great place but what I am trying to find out what ever happened to the car's and do you remember what brand of car they were as I am looking around to get one now but with a manual gearbox

[aussienetman]

Stumbled across a Warrego Water park group on faceook which has some great pics of the park if your interested. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108418132523381&v=photos

[pin142]

Wasn't a bad little park and went a few times when it was open. From what I understand it closed due to the owners not being able to afford the insurance for the place. Nothing much left as far as the slides go. The hill they were on and walkway at the top are still there only now the place is some sort of motorcycle museum now. Go past it anytime I head towards Ipswich/Brisbane.