Australia's Wonderland

[razza1987]

Hi everyone.

My name is Rachel. I have been lurking around these forums for about a month or so and have enjoyed reading everything lol. Decided to sign up today to share my Wonderland memories.

First here is an interview I did with Wonderland History on why Wonderland meant so much to me:

http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/blog/yourstories/rachel

But these are what I think the lovers of Wonderland will appreciate. Two full length family videos of Wonderland. One from 1989 and the other from 1992. I hope you enjoy them

Yes I am the two year old in the first video lol

Maybe the admins can help me embed links into the forum as I do not know how. Until then here are the videos

[iwerks]

Thanks for sharing Rachel. Great footage - interesting to see how the park looked and operated - pictures don't do it justice. You obviously have a lot of happy memories of the place. Good interview too.

11 years closed.

[razza1987]

Thanks for sharing Rachel. Great footage - interesting to see how the park looked and operated - pictures don't do it justice. You obviously have a lot of happy memories of the place. Good interview too.

11 years closed.

When I posted these videos earlier today I watched them. I don't watch them a lot. Wonderland History converted them from VHS to DVD for me and my family in exchange for possible usage on the Wonderland History site. It hurts a LOT watching these videos. I actually started crying today watching the second video where my Dad is talking to the camera. It will be 20 years in July since my father killed himself and it still hurts because Wonderland was one piece of my life and memories with my father that we still had. We could go and stand at that spot we met up with him for visitations and know "we stood in this exact same spot". In a corny kind of way it was almost like he was there. I always watch these videos on his birthday and the anniversary of his death which is the 24th of July, 1995.

When I was watching these videos today I got so depressed and said out loud "it is still unbelievable to think that none of this is there anymore." Every time I get packages from where Wonderland used to be they are labelled Wonderland Drive and it takes me back there.

I must sound so stupid for getting so emotional over a theme park XD I'm glad you liked the videos

Edited April 27, 2015 by razza1987

[AUSTHEMEPARKS]

Long live Space Probe.

[iwerks]

Rachel, that's excellent that they converted your video tapes for you. It's an amazing story and reminds us how we've all got a lot invested in our theme parks. That's pretty cool of your folks taking you to a theme park like Wonderland every couple of weeks.

Thanks for sharing that with us.

[AllegroCrab]

It's stories like these that remind me how much parks can impact people's lives. For me it started as wanting to ride coasters, but the more I went the more I have been to parks, the more I have realised that the atmosphere is what really got me obsessed.

I have a very brief and faded memory of Wonderland, I can't lay claim to an emotional attachment to the place like most of the older people on this forum, but I know enough about the park to respect it as a true centrepiece of Australian theme park history.

Edited April 27, 2015 by AllegroCrab

[DisneyDoll]

Wonderland was a fantastic park & I always had an annual pass for it. I'd go there with a friend of mine at least once a month & never grew tired of it. We could actually see the Space Probe & the top of the Demon from our back patio.

[XxMrYoshixX]

Too bad i never got to go but it did seem awesome. Has the new Sydney's Wonderland development been cancelled since I have never heard about it for a very long time.

[Bussy]

Not cancelled, far from it, but constructing a theme park is not an easy feat and takes long time as they need to get the backing of investors (which I believe is going well), planning something so big and making sure they get it right and finally construction can begin.

[iwerks]

Good to see it's still in the news.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/australias-wonderland-nostalgia-rides-high-as-memories-swamp-facebook-and-fans-keep-the-faith/story-fni0cx12-1227338838539

[grrofunger]

I grew up with this place, I'm still sad to this day i can't ever take my kids there.

It instilled my love of theme parks in me.

Loved Hana Barbara Land, loved the rapids