Water Park PRE Wet'n'Wild

[GoTroppo]

Hoping someone can clarify a bet I have RE: waterparks in SEQ. I can recall visiting a waterpark somewhere near Dreamworld in the early 80's (would've been 1981/82) so it was before Wet'n'Wild, and I'm pretty sure it closed down not long before/after Wet'n'Wild opened in 84. My recollection was that it was on the EASTERN side of the then highway as I vivid memories coming down the sides directly into a setting sun (and getting rather burnt as a result). Problem is, I can't seem to find any trace of it - but I'm sure it existed. Can anyone remember a name or it's location? Regards, GoTroppo...

[joz]

Hmm, must say I'm drawing a bit of a blank here. The only thing I can think of is are you sure you're not thinking of Wet 'n' Wild back when it was called Cade's County? I know that's outside of your 1981/2 thing, but I'm not aware of any other water park on the Coast that far back. I doubt Paradise Island would have had much in the way of water slides, and given how far away Surfers is I'm guessing it wasn't the slides that were attached to the Paradise Center. I've read a few books on Gold Coast history and have never seen anything about a water park before WnW. Not saying there wasn't one, but I'm not aware of it. Sorry

[New display name]

Before the logan Hyperdome was built the site was a water park called Water Works.

[MickeyD]

^hmm you could be right but I seem to recall the name of the WaterPark where the Hyperdome is today was called "Wild Waters". There was a Crocodile Character featured as the Mascot to the Park placed a top a section of slide outside the entrance to the Park by the Highway. The Park featured a bunch of standard Green Coloured slides (about 10 of em) ranging in speed and built from the top of a Hill. That Hill was completely flattened when the Park was replaced by the shopping centre. I remember as a kid looking out for the "Giant Tap" illusion featured at the top of the hill whenever we would go by.

[New display name]

I don't know why I called it Water Works. For the history buffs of the area. The tourism industry was developing along with the urban sprawl. Both Ashtons and Bullens Circuses were lobbying the Albert Shire Council for approval to construct Lion Parks. In December 1968 Bullens were negotiating the purchase of land in Stapylton and Ashtons established their park on the corner of Bryants Road and the Pacific Highway, which opened in April 1969. It was known as Ashton’s Animal Kingdom. Both of these ventures were relatively short lived. Ashtons was sold to the Myer Corporation in 1977. Myer Queensland Stores Ltd purchased the Ashton’s Lion Park site in October 1977 with the intention of building a regional shopping centre. A new Tavern opened in Loganholme in July 1979. The Wild Waters Water Slide Park began operation October 1982 adjacent to the old Ashtons site. While Myer initially shelved plans for the major shopping centre, a more compact centre, the Loganholme Shopping Village opened on Bryants Road in December 1987. Ongoing negotiations for the Hyperdome site involved the sale of Wild Waters in 1984. The turning of the first sod on the Hyperdome project occurred in September 1988, with the official opening in July 1989. I don't know if it still there but a few years ago near the compactors of the hyperdome, I saw the crocodile in the small cut of green slide gathering dust.