ABC in plan for $100m theme park

[Bussy]

I found this: ABC in plan for $100m theme park. "The Bus is now leaving for Danny Wimperis Adventure Playground, Western Australia:

[Richard]

Good to see that project coming closer and closer to reality. It was a shame with the Docklands Paramount deal down there a few years ago. This isn't quite as nice, but it's certainly pretty promising. ABC's been getting a lot of criticism for this, but I say go for it. They have pretty bad funding and budget problems at the moment, this can only help alleviate their dependance on the Government.

[Gazza]

Is it really a good Idea to spend so much money on such a low spending and small age bracket? Wonder what the coaster mentioned would be like? I too wish we had gotten Studio City, It is a really fantasic part of Melbourne and it would have been excellent, especialy since it would have been a Paramount park, and their parks are pretty cool, we might have even gotten Australias first B&M. They have opened the Docklands Studios anyways, you get a good look at them when you drive on the Bolte Bridge, they are a modern affair and are not as ugly as the WBMW studios . But we are still getting a london eye style ferris wheel, and that will be good.

[Daniel]

It is a really fantasic part of Melbourne

C'mon old son, enough with the jokes. We know there's no fantastic parts of Melbourne.

[Gazza]

There are a lot of good parts of melbourne, and according to a recent worldwide survey conducted, Melbourne is the worlds most livable city (In a tie with Toronto and some other place i can't remember). Sydney came in around 8th. Gimme 10 bad things about Melbourne

[Daniel]

Mate, Rich only has so much space on his server. Good to see they have finally got the electricity on down there so you could post.

[Bussy]

They might have electricity but they still have horse and carriages running around the city. Maybe that's how the electricity is generated. "The Bus is now leaving for Big Rocking Horse, South Australia"

[joz]

To be fair, for a long time in Australia's development, Melbourne was much more important then Sydney. Author Bill Bryson notes that in 1956 Melbourne was home to fifty of Australia's largest, while Sydney had just 37. (Sydney would compensate for this by making up "cruel but generally outstanding jokes" about Melbourne's supposed lack of liveliness, like; "Do you have any children?" "Yes, two living, and one in Melbourne"). The author does note that beyond the obvious visual advantage Sydney draws from the harbour, there is little to separate the cities in terms of quality of life (less then separates say New York and L.A.). Anyway, don't let this stop the rest of Australia enjoying this feud between Sydney and Melbourne... Which one is the centre of the universe?

[Daniel]

Which one do you think Joz? Melbourne is the butthole of Australia.

[ScReAMmachine!]

There are a lot of good parts of melbourne, and according to a recent worldwide survey conducted, Melbourne is the worlds most livable city (In a tie with Toronto and some other place i can't remember). Sydney came in around 8th.

Should I mention that Sydney has consistently been voted 'World's Best City' - based on location, people, culture, attractions and livability.

Gimme 10 bad things about Melbourne

Okay, you asked for it... 1. Overhead power lines for Trams criss-crossing the city 2. Those annoying Tram stops in the middle of main roads 3. The fact the CBD looks the same... its a grid pattern which i think looses the 'uniqueness' of the city 4. The water in the Yarra is dirty - Murky brown is not inviting! - Not to mention it is not a natural river (it has been diverted). 5. The Citylink tollway is heaps expensive 6. Train stations are only located on the perimeter of the CBD 7. The Beaches are well, to put it nicely, disappointing. There are a few good ones, but they're on the outskirts 8. Icons - Melbourne tries so hard to create an international icon. The latest attempt, Federation Sqaure left me pondering... just what is it? 9. Hook turns! 10. Level-Crossings in the inner and outer suburbs Whilst thats 10 bad things... i can probably name many more good things. Just wanted to point out the 10 bad things Gazza requested. I think its a far cry to say Melbourne was more important than Sydney. Sydney was the lifeblood of the colony. Melbourne, as interim capital, captilised on the economic opportunity to grow and encourage investment. Although this was at a faster rate than Sydney, look where the pendulum is swinging now.

[Daniel]

I agree with ScReAM's post except for when old mate said 'I can probably name many more good things'. haha pfftt... Melbourne was named after a teenage Queen's Prime Minister just quietly. We have, Darling Harbour, Star City Casino, Leichhardt for Italian food, The Golden Slipper, Centrepoint Tower, The SCG (the best cricket ground in the world). Now for the big guns: The Harbour... The Bridge... The Opera House... The National Parks... The Rocks... Luna Park... New Years Eve Fireworks... The Beaches... That's just for starters without even thinking old son. I could go on forever. Just face the facts. The only good thing to come out of Melbourne is the Hume Highway. What do you care? You don't even live there.

[ScReAMmachine!]

haha Star City! What does Melbourne have? A RSL club pumped on steroids... a.k.a Crown Casino

[Flea]

I'll have to disagree with you Sydney lovers. The city may be nice, but what lies 20km from the city is a lot left to be desired. You might aswell call Western Sydney (fairfield, cabramatta) a run down crap hole. Theres a lot of things that happen around my area that am I not proud of - I've been the victim of a group of lebanese/assyrian/whatever that tried to "roll" me and just last week there was a drive-by shooting down my street. I've only visited Melbourne once (back in 2000). I'm sure that these kind of things do happen in Melbourne too, but I did notice one major difference - they say Melbourne funny! Seriously, the community seemed much more friendly than it is here in Sydney.

[Jaggie]

I am proud to live in Penrith (Penriff for the local guys Wonderbus??) We have the best football team, low level of crime, heaps of attractions, biggest club in Australia and much more. Not all of Western Sydney is bad......

[joz]

SCG the best cricket ground in the world??? Barely in the top 3 or 4 in Australia never mind the world. Its truth that Melbourne was more important then Sydney for a while. A good example of this is the fact that in 1956, the Olympics were in Melbourne, in 2000 they were in Sydney. Anyway, its a bit unfair to call Melbourne the "butthole of Australia" when no one has mentioned either Adelaide or Canberra.

[GoGoBoy]

Guys you are fairly off topic now but before we steer back let me just say that I love Sydney but also really enjoy a weekend trip to Melb every now and then. It's a great place to spend a bit of leisure time. NOW, regarding this new theme park. I was reading some more about it last night and it actually sounds pretty good. Part of the proposal is a huge water theme park, apparantley with some pretty cutting edge attractions. The only problem I can see with this is that Melb gets sooo cold quite often. Bring it up to Sydney I say! Apart from that, I love the idea of the park and really hope it goes ahead. Here is the latest article which even has a pretty picture - $700m theme park proposal Check it out, it is very interesting. You will notice that it has now been upgraded to a $700m theme park inlcuding the water park. We are talking exciting figures now

[Daniel]

Joz, are you kidding? I suppose the GABBA is number 1 is it? Turn it up. If you knew anything about cricket you would not have made that statement. Sheesh, leave Adelaide out of it, it's between Sydney and Melbourne. Just for the record I spend a lot of time in Adelaide when I get the chance. Adelaide is an awesome place and Canberra is great for por... ummm... politicians You slag off those suburbs in Sydney Flea, every city in the world has their 'red light districts'. St Kilda is all tea and scones is it? No one knows you in Melbourne Flea, that's why they were more friendly to you. I'll say it again, the only good thing to come out of Melbourne is the Hume Highway. Oh yeah and its weather sucks! As for the Theme Park, it sounds like a sensational idea. $700 million sounds like some serious figures. Hopefully it's not filled with pissy rides. Then again, it doesn't matter to me because I won't be going to Melbourne to visit it

[rappa]

Well after just getting of the plan an hour ago back from Melbourne I'd just like to say how stupid an argument this all is. Neither is better than the other, they are both compeltely different. As for Crown...guys come on, it leaves Star City and Jupiters for dead. They don't even compare. If you want an RSL on steroids go to Penrith Panthers! Crown is of a world class standard, Star City (no matter how much I may enjoy going there) is just a tacky cheap effort to draw in the punters. Melbourne's freeway system makes Sydney look like a joke, and the Citylink isn't expensive, you pay for what you use and its more than worth it. Whilst I wouldn't move there for a second and much prefer living in Syndey they both outdo each other in many different ways.

[Gazza]

yeah, City Link is only like 0.80c per toll gantry, a far cry form 4$ on the eastern distributor. One interesting thing I read in the paper, Federation square is attracting more visitors than the Opera house and to my shock, the Eiffel tower. I agree both have their good and bad points, but Sydney always seems to win because its bigger and it has the opera house habour bridge. I sort of agree with some of your 10 reasons scrammachine such as Trains only encirciling the CBD, but thats where the trams come in useful, criss crossing the CDB. I also dislike the Level crossings and I think they should build bridges or tunnels. I do like the Melbourne CBD, its easy to get around, a lot of nice buildings and there is no freeway horseshoeing around it. The yarra is murky because it is tidal. As for beaches, well the city is on a bay so the surf beaches are down portsea or torquay, but Sydney definitley has better beaches. And I do care about melbourne becasue it si my state captial and becasue Im down there every couple of weekends. Back on the park topic, $700 million will go a long way, 1 waterslide costs around $100000 so if they wanted they could build like 7000 slides if they wanted Or maybe 35 B&Ms maybe they could build around 200 flat rides. In any case, a waterpark is good enough If the rest of the park is kiddy I dont care, but if is good than woohooo. I think it has the potential to be a sucess becasue its right near a major freeway, has a train station right there and its not out in the sticks like Wodnerland . Lets hope this goes ahead.

[Daniel]

Gazza, please read the posts properly before you reply. You'll see that it wasn't me that gave you 10 reasons you dolt. Again, I wouldn't say that Wonderland is in the sticks. It's only an hour from the city. Sure it's not the ideal location but they could have overcome that with ease if they were willing. Wodnerland... there's that German park again Wonderbus... Where is it? In Berlin? Fill me in.

[Bussy]

Back on the park topic, $700 million will go a long way, 1 waterslide costs around $100000 so if they wanted they could build like 7000 slides if they wanted   Or maybe 35 B&Ms   maybe they could build around 200 flat rides.

So Gazza, the park is just going to be 7000 waterslides, or 35 B&m's or 200 flat rides? What about all the other stuff that makes up a theme park? The food outlets, retails shops, gardens, admin and maintance buildings and what about toilets? The majority of whatever money will be spent on the park will be on these things and what goes in them (merchandise costs money you know) and also the theming of the park. Being and ABC park it will have a huge amount of theming to do. Daniel, I have done a bit of research into the mysterious 'Wodnerland' and I am getting close to finding out it's exact location. I'm 90% sure it's in the southern German state of Saar, it's capital is Saarbrücken so it's probably near there. "The Bus is now leavibf for German Valley Opal Diggings, South Australia"

[Gazza]

Of course it wouldnt be 7000 slides or whatever, I was just having a bit of fun, and just showing the outrageous sort of things you could do with it, in a similar style of like when you go to a tourist attraction and they have facts like, "this tower is as high as 100 girrafe"s or "there is enough electrical cable here to go round the world 3 times" Notice the words in my post "If they wanted they could..."