Manly Fun Pier

[RobK]

On December 19, 2016 at 3:00 AM, Penny said:

.......(lots f fantastic stuff!!)........I do recall it was at the back of an early version of a video game arcade/hall. You had to walk through the machine area to get to the entrance of the maze which I think was a fairy tale looking castle. ......

I think the entrance that I recall of the maze and video arcade was a neon sign over an archway and yes I think the stairs are next to it. 

Anyway Rob I hope that has stired a few memories for you. Id love to see old photos of the place, as I said it had fascinated me all these years as it was a strange and bazaar place and I've looked for ages for anything on it. Haha I think we are the same person and hopefully now we can sleep lol.

Please let me know if you ever find anything and I will too.

Cheers Penny

Rob I just remembered, as a massive Dragon/Marc Hunter fan of the 70s, if you go on youtube and look up the Dragon song This Time it briefly shows you the village as it is filmed in the Cross.... AND I think it has either the entrance of the mirror maze or the wax works. I'm out at the moment so I cant look, BUT I think its the mirror maze!!!! 

Hi Penny thanks SO MUCH for all those memories and descriptions!!! That's just fantastic, and confirms a lot of what I wondered about all these years. A truly unique attraction really. What other attraction anywhere in the world had / has a castle entrance over a forest clearing, a forest style mirror maze leading to several rooms only explored by forcing your way through several rotating doors with multiple possible outcomes, fantasy theming, foliage on the ceiling to sell the forest trees theme illusion, all indoors and free entry!!

As to the arcade yes you enter the arcade hall and the maze entrance was at the back of this, after passing the machines. 

The MAZE entrance (once inside the arcade already) was an extravagant castle, with a VERY large wide archway where you could see the forest mirror maze within. I stepped inside the archway which was like a forest clearing before being too chicken to enter the "forest" that goes deeper and begins the maze.

From the outside of the castle entrance, off to the side but still part of the castle facade, were two very narrow archways that had a real stairway leading up to wherever. Just clarifying as yes the village square had stairways outside, being two levels, but the ACTUAL maze castle entrance itself had a stairway built into the side of it. This added to the wow-factor extravagance of the whole maze entry way

I'm working on an illustration of what I remember! Finer details aside, overall it's an image burned in my brain!

i checked out that YouTube video, very cool vintage Kings cross! At one point yes they are in front of what appears to be the arcade entrance "worlds of fun". I guess that well might be the entrance to THIS arcade hall seeing as they are obviously in the village of th time. As it says in the video, free admission! You went inside, and had to go past the machines where you'd find the maze/castle entrance toward the back.

thanks again! Awesome stuff!!

 

22 hours ago, AlexB said:

Chances are if you ask @Jamberoo Fan really nicely, he might dig through his treasure trove to find some pictures.

Thanks AlexB! I've sent a message to Jamberoo!

Edited December 20, 2016 by RobK

[RobK]

On March 26, 2008 at 11:58 PM, Jobe said:

Does anybody else have any memories of Manly Fun Pier?? I have scoured the 'Net and these are the only pics of the place that I could find.Does anybody know of a similar fun pier or park that used to operate elsewhere in Australia? This is another rare & fantastic piece of Australian and Sydney amusement history that is extremely important and should be looked upon with much nostalgia and fondness( Especially if you had experinced it like me!!) Also, Richard, I have asked that my earlier pics of White City be added to the site's database, could this also apply to Manly Fun Pier??( I havent seen ANY pics of this park on the net and it would be great for Parkz to recognise it as its own listing!!) Cheers Jobe

Hi Jobe,

i have somewhat hijacked your Manly Fun Pier thread as it contained info related to the Kings Cross Minotaur's Maze (the ONLY info regarding it in the entire internet!), my apologies and I'll look at starting a new thread regarding that. I hope it might be ok we continue that discussion as its so very hard to find info or anyone and what's happened here is now there is finally some dialog so I don't want to lose it. It was such a rare and unique attraction.

Meanwhile back on topic yes I remember the Manly Fun Pier! I'm from SA so have only a couple days experience of it. First time was around '74 when we pulled into the Manly pier via ferry and it was so awesome being a kid and seeing such a fun place right on the next pier. From the ferry you could see the backside of the Ghost Train which normally wouldn't mean anything except this one had doors in that side where the cars burst through by the water then returned back inside the ride. It also had a rotating house (these are called mad houses) that flipped over upside down very clearly visible from the ferry pier too. The octopus was unique in having arms that if I remember correctly literally went over the water! I was with adults visiting Manly and just a kid, we didn't go into the fun pier that visit.

Several years later we returned and the pier was quite in bad shape by then. It seemed very run down. The ghost train building was still there but not only was it not operating, they put pinball machines in its entrance where you would normally board trains! That just seemed so tacky and "off"!! I ride the octopus that day and u could barely get it to spin, it took all my effort to get any spin or fun out of it. I went into the fun house which was cool with its moving walkways etc (grease!!) and it included entry into the still operating "madhouse" rotating house. Was always fascinated by the memory of that and wondered what was inside. Mystery finally revealed it was simply a platform suspended inside as the house rotated upside down etc around you. But the illusion that YOU were being flipped over was very very good. My sister couldn't keep her eyes open it was totally freaking her out! 

I later learned this is the type of ride that was another that fascinated me that I hadn't gone inside as a kid which was "Moon Tripper" seen at Royal shows in the 70s, shaped as a spherical moon instead of a house but the same principal.

Did the mirror maze and got our ribbons! A fun visit but clearly the places golden years had long passed and this was still I think late 70s!

visited the shark aquarium next door too, which also felt it was well on the way out. I was a kid seeking fun and amusements (we had zilch in Adelaide!) and even to me it had that feeling of being very very dated even though my hopes were up.

Still, it WAS fun and the thing with these amusement piers and seaside amusement areas something just brings it all together and works, something about the atmosphere of combining the waterside and fun amusement areas makes it very special. So rare now!

I now live in California. Los Angeles used to have a TON of MAJOR amusement piers. (Google Pacific Ocean Park, incredible!) All gone now except the minor amusement park on Santa Monica pier. But back in the 20s- 50s? Incredible stuff. California now has just Santa Monica, Belmont Park in Mission Beach San Diego (an excellent seaside amusement park I am lucky enough to visit) and The Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Luckily the latter two's beautiful wooden seaside rollercoasters are heritage listed and now protected.

Glad Sydney still has Luna Park right on the harbor, a shadow of its former self but still a great waterside amusement atmosphere.

But it's sad Manly Fun Pier is no more. I got a third visit to the area much later when only a merry go round remained in an area I could not recognize at all. The old had gone completely.

Thanks for posting your pictures and starting this special thread!

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2016 by RobK
Spelling

[RobK]

John Relph posted a link to this excellent article (with great pictures!) on Facebook today:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/manly-had-its-own-fun-pier-for-almost-60-years/news-story/c8657a350023e72d8494d8df3673b623

[Jobe]

On 1/27/2017 at 6:43 AM, RobK said:

John Relph posted a link to this excellent article (with great pictures!) on Facebook today:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/manly-had-its-own-fun-pier-for-almost-60-years/news-story/c8657a350023e72d8494d8df3673b623

Thanks for this @RobK. Brilliant article with some great info and some rare pics!!

 

It is a real shame that this important piece of amusement park history in Australia did not survive past 1989. The late 80's were terrible for the loss of our amusement legacy in Australia and if it had survived, it would have been an extremely rare example of an early amusement peir- the only one in existence in Australia. Not to mention the gold mine of rides contained within that were really irreplaceable. A huge loss and one I still lament quite keenly.

Edited January 29, 2017 by Jobe

[Wil_i_am_not]

Out of curiosity, where the Ferris Wheel, Carousel and Octopus the only rides at the pier?

[Penny]

On 21/12/2016 at 7:57 AM, RobK said:

Hi Penny thanks SO MUCH for all those memories and descriptions!!! That's just fantastic, and confirms a lot of what I wondered about all these years. A truly unique attraction really. What other attraction anywhere in the world had / has a castle entrance over a forest clearing, a forest style mirror maze leading to several rooms only explored by forcing your way through several rotating doors with multiple possible outcomes, fantasy theming, foliage on the ceiling to sell the forest trees theme illusion, all indoors and free entry!!

As to the arcade yes you enter the arcade hall and the maze entrance was at the back of this, after passing the machines. 

The MAZE entrance (once inside the arcade already) was an extravagant castle, with a VERY large wide archway where you could see the forest mirror maze within. I stepped inside the archway which was like a forest clearing before being too chicken to enter the "forest" that goes deeper and begins the maze.

From the outside of the castle entrance, off to the side but still part of the castle facade, were two very narrow archways that had a real stairway leading up to wherever. Just clarifying as yes the village square had stairways outside, being two levels, but the ACTUAL maze castle entrance itself had a stairway built into the side of it. This added to the wow-factor extravagance of the whole maze entry way

I'm working on an illustration of what I remember! Finer details aside, overall it's an image burned in my brain!

i checked out that YouTube video, very cool vintage Kings cross! At one point yes they are in front of what appears to be the arcade entrance "worlds of fun". I guess that well might be the entrance to THIS arcade hall seeing as they are obviously in the village of th time. As it says in the video, free admission! You went inside, and had to go past the machines where you'd find the maze/castle entrance toward the back.

thanks again! Awesome stuff!!

 

Thanks AlexB! I've sent a message to Jamberoo!

Hi Rob, all these years later I discovered your (ha) new post. 

wow, you've now solved so many mysteries here. I always suspected that the maze may have been bigger in its hey day. I wondered if the machine room was an addition with the times and the maze its self down sized. All I can say is, wow, it must have been awesome in it peak when you saw it, I cant imagine how awe inspiring it would have been taking up the whole area and an upstairs/down stairs configuration. I can really understand your fascination with the place as a youngster as it fascinated and in a way like you, haunted me for decades and I only saw it as fraction of its' wonder. Thank you for your vivid description, your detailed picture you painted really took me back and made sense to how it must have looked. Thank you.

Yes that Dragon video was in front of the entrance and  how I remember it, as that video was shot in '76 the year I stopped going there. So definitely different to how you remembered how it used to be pre video games room. 

I know it's a few years after your last post and this may not even reach you, but incase it has, Id love to see that sketch of your memories of this unique and truly bizarre place in Sydney' s history. It seems Im as fascinated as you and has made the same impact on our lives and memories - nice to meet a kindred spirit. Hope this reply finds you well and that passion still burning for such nostalgia.

Cheers. Penny

[Rob Kral]

On 6/12/2019 at 7:37 PM, Penny said:

Hi Rob, all these years later I discovered your (ha) new post. 

wow, you've now solved so many mysteries here. I always suspected that the maze may have been bigger in its hey day. I wondered if the machine room was an addition with the times and the maze its self down sized. All I can say is, wow, it must have been awesome in it peak when you saw it, I cant imagine how awe inspiring it would have been taking up the whole area and an upstairs/down stairs configuration. I can really understand your fascination with the place as a youngster as it fascinated and in a way like you, haunted me for decades and I only saw it as fraction of its' wonder. Thank you for your vivid description, your detailed picture you painted really took me back and made sense to how it must have looked. Thank you.

Yes that Dragon video was in front of the entrance and  how I remember it, as that video was shot in '76 the year I stopped going there. So definitely different to how you remembered how it used to be pre video games room. 

I know it's a few years after your last post and this may not even reach you, but incase it has, Id love to see that sketch of your memories of this unique and truly bizarre place in Sydney' s history. It seems Im as fascinated as you and has made the same impact on our lives and memories - nice to meet a kindred spirit. Hope this reply finds you well and that passion still burning for such nostalgia.

Cheers. Penny

Every now and then I pop back on here. Yes years later, to see if there's any new info! Thanks for the very kind words!! There was just something about it as you know that was hugely captivating. All this time later I still can't get it out of my head!! I so wish I could see it again, or even a picture of the actual maze entrance etc. There's now a Lost Amusement Parks of Aistralua at Facebook I might try there:) Hope you are well Penny!