What would make an "Aussie" park?

[djmcbell]

This was inspired by the "Sea World name change" topic which went into ways to differentiate a theme park, and talked about how tourists from Asia would frequently go to places like DW, take a few photos and leave it as there's not much to do in the park that they haven't already got.

Which, of course, made me start thinking... "what constitutes an Australian experience?"

A bit of a difficult one, especially to put into a theme park context. For background, as many here know, I'm looking from the outside in as well - currently living in the UK, been to Australia twice (Melbourne area, Sydney and Gold Coast) and looking at emigrating to Australia soon. In my experience, Australia consists of:

1 - beaches

2 - barbeques (on said beaches)

3 - nice clean promenades and park spaces

4 - the outback (haven't been there yet) and various desert-y things (thinking Sovereign Hill)

5 - nice green (and burnt) outdoors stuff

6 - Great Barrier Reef

... and that's about it. Which may, or may not, constitute a half-decent park.

So, how to make the all-encompassing "Australia Park"? Well... a beach has to be in there. Possibly build the park next to its own beach, like Cedar Point, so that guests can use it? Of course, have the BBQs there too, possibly with a shop selling all the required food to BBQ (or guests can bring their own). Plenty of green space too.

When in Florida I've always thought Aquatica looked an extremely nice place, and I think it's themed around Oceania (sounds like the announcers have an overdone Australian accent anyway). Something themed similar would work well as a "Great Barrier Reef" themed place, with some good kids rides and maybe a water ride or two. Double this up as an animal conservation centre too.

A farm area, with nice rolling hills, would also work well. This could be an actual working farm and petting zoo, on a small space, with a few small rides for kids. Maybe a few other things as well, using farm equipment (partially inspired by Diggerland over here - Google it, people taking rides on diggers and stuff).

Then some sort of big desert/canyon area, with a Sovereign Hill-type town. This would be where most of the thrill rides would be. Perfectly suited for some ace minecart coasters and more extreme ones. A good wooden coaster would do well here too.

So, what do you think would help make the ultimate "Australia Park" in terms of theming, or things which seem uniquely Australian?

EDIT - just thought, beach area could have some rides too, possibly a pier. Something like the boardwalk at Disney's California Adventure.

Edited September 24, 2015 by djmcbell

[coasterdude44]

Dreamworld is a pretty good example of an Australian themed park. It has a beach section, outback section with Australian wildlife with a recently added aboriginal show. It also has a gold rush themed area and a nice gum tree riverside area which is now shared with a wiggles themed section for young children. Very Aussie

[djmcbell]

Dreamworld is a pretty good example of an Australian themed park. It has a beach section, outback section with Australian wildlife with a recently added aboriginal show. It also has a gold rush themed area and a nice gum tree riverside area which is now shared with a wiggles themed section for young children. Very Aussie

Hmm... I didn't really think of DW that way. We just saw the entry area, went a little bit into the back (basically towards Mick Doohan's doohicky and the Tower Of Terror (why would a coaster be going out of a giant Terminator's ear?), and then to the side where the Dreamworks area and Cyclone are. Didn't really go to the back, due to the lack of coasters. Maybe we should have...

EDIT - Buzzsaw was also closed so we didn't venture into that neck of the woods either.

Edited September 24, 2015 by djmcbell

[Brad2912]

?? A coaster coming out of a terminators ear... Right... 

Sounds like you really had a good look around...

[coasterdude44]

when i say its "pretty good" what i really mean is that it's competent

[jjuttp]

Anything Australian needs Gum trees, with lots and lots of plum trees. A sheep or 2, a kangaroo, a clothesline out the back, verandah out the front and an old rocking chair.

 

 

And Drop Bears.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yes, Dreamworld is very Australian. It was only last week I booked domestic flights to Madagascar, Faire Faire Away, KungFu Panda Land..... Dreamworld may ONCE have been very Australian themed, but the themes across the park are now muddled. Sure that makes the 'so many worlds' line work - but i wouldn't suggest in their current state that they meet the criteria that would see the foreign market drawn to the park as a 'must do'.

[Adam C]

I've always liked the idea of an 'Australian' theme park.  Firstly, I'm unsure about location.  GC, Sydney or Melbourne. Also, should the park be a hybrid water park and close during winter?  The cost of land might be an issue.  Anyway, as for different lands, initial thoughts might be:-

Beach/Boat harbour - old fashioned fun fair, jaws ride.

Great Barrier reef - Manta Ray Coaster, aquarium submarine, reef snorkelling

outback - mine themed attractions, pub with Aussie music, horse and cart.

Federation Square - 1890s architecture, history of Australia, similar to liberty square in WDW.

Australia City - Futuristic attractions and innovations.  

In addition, I always liked the idea of a smaller Australian Mount Rushmore.  The 4 heads could be an interesting debate.  Off my head, I'd pick Thorpedo, Dame Edna, Ned Kelly and Kylie.  Mainly as their well known over the world.  Anyway, when someone comes up with a couple of billion dollars, we can chat some more.

[Reanimated35]

Step 1 - Flatten a bunch of land west of Brisbane (no one really cares for the ipswich area anyway)

Step 2 - Get a large helicopter, or several large helicopters.....and some excavators....

Step 3 - Airlift all the Six Flags parks to Australia.

Step 4 - Theme half the rides to dingos

Step 5 - Theme the other half to shrimps on barbies

Then sit back and watch the profits flow in.

[omega237]

Should have included Step 6: Step 7: Profit.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Nope. only 5 steps required in any reanimated plan.

[djmcbell]

And Drop Bears.

Just what IS a drop bear?

(goes to Google)

Dear God no!!! (cancels visa)

Oh wait, it says it's fictitious. That's okay then, right?

Right? 

[omega237]

Nope. only 5 steps required in any reanimated plan.

Its a joke from the South Park episode Gnomes that had business with three steps. Step 1: Collect Underpants. Step 2: ?. Step 3: Profit!!

Edited October 23, 2015 by omega237

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

You not make funny joke as you say steps 6 and 7.

 

Reanimated plan only require 5.

 

You say joke only use 3.

 

In soviet russia, stupid joke tells you.

[Gazza]

I was thinking about this the other day, but basically you could have state themed areas, each divided into a couple of contrasting sub areas.

Might go something like this:

Queensland

Great Barrier Reef - Undercover kids area with small flat rides. The little mermaid area at Disneysea might be a good basis.

FNQ Rainforests - The E ticket ride here could be the Tully river rapids. It would start off as a typical rafting trip, but there would be a thunderstorm dark ride section that culminates in a "flash flood" and a final drop.

Western Australia

Nullabor Plain - An area themed like an outback airstrip and truck stop. The flagship ride would be a Soarin type ride in a hangar. Other attractions would be a few small kids flat rides, including a convoy ride. The main food outlet would be a Roadhouse.

Pilbara - Themed like an iron ore mine, the flagship ride here would be a large roller coaster dropping into an ore pit, a B&M dive machine or similar. The loading station would be like this, with a fully themed queue of catwalks around rock crushers and so forth

South Australia

Barossa Valley - Imagine theming similar to what you see on Furius Baco, but of course with South Australian sandstone architecture. Rides could include a drunken barrel ride, and an S&S freespin called "The barrel roll".

Murray River - Perhaps a river port, with a paddeboat ride?

 

Victoria 

Goldfields - A Goldrush era area, with the flagship ride being a multi launch family terrain wooden coaster, similar to Grizzly Mountain at Hong Kong disneyland.

Farmlands - A fun farm themed area for kids, with a mash up of an orchard, dairy farm, with tractor rides, one of those carousels like the one at Alton with farm animals, a kids flume ride down an irrigation channel.

 

Northern Territory

The Outback - Could be a wildlife section with 

Kakadu - Aboriginal Cultural Attractions

(Yes I'm aware I'm knocking off the back half of dreamworld)

New South Wales

Sydney - This might be the main entrance area, and would be a microcosm of inner sydney, with federation architecture, and a street of terrace houses themed around a street carnival.

Snowy Mountains - Flagship ride would be "Bushfire!" , a motion base dark ride where you join the volunteer fire brigade and head off down fire trails to face a bushfire at night.A small ski village area would contain family rides.

Tasmania

Dockside - Casablanca Place inspired area that features Australias maratime history. Could potentially have a splash battle ride around a port themed area. 

Wild Forests - Tall timber themed temperate forest. Attractions might include a flume, as well as adventure sport upcharge rides such as coaster ziplines and ropes courses. There might also be an ATV coaster like Juvelen.

A family dark ride could involve a whimsical journey through a forest where you use torches to spot various native animals, with a score given depending on what you find.

[Brad2912]

Sounds amazing and well thought out. 

Would not doubt be the biggest tourist hit in the country if marketed correctly. 

I think a good subsection for Qld would a Gold Coast area tbh... Beachside market style eateries, and a Surfers Paradise-esque themed games area with traditional fair games/video games/dodgems/laser skirmish

 

[Ashley]

On Sunday, 27 September 2015 at 20:22, AlexB said:

Yes, Dreamworld is very Australian. It was only last week I booked domestic flights to Madagascar, Faire Faire Away, KungFu Panda Land..... Dreamworld may ONCE have been very Australian themed, but the themes across the park are now muddled. Sure that makes the 'so many worlds' line work - but i wouldn't suggest in their current state that they meet the criteria that would see the foreign market drawn to the park as a 'must do'.

When you compare DW to other theme parks in Australia it is quite Australian unless your talking about good Aussie names for an amusement park then Aussieworld would probably top that.  

[Santa07]

Well, at least the attractions in Dreamworld don't have the safety spiel in an American accent *cough* Superman Escape *cough*.

[Reanimated35]

1 hour ago, Santa07 said:

Well, at least the attractions in Dreamworld don't have the safety spiel in an American accent *cough* Superman Escape *cough*.

Yeah. How dare they have accurate theming! 

Quote

Metropolis is a fictional American city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of Superman.

 

[Brad2912]

55 minutes ago, reanimated35 said:

Yeah. How dare they have accurate theming! 

 

Yep... Would sound so much more authentic if superman was rescuing people from Nerang train station from a tribe of bogans

[iwerks]

All of this kind of reminds me of Old Sydney Town. I got a chance to visit it in 1975. Very Australian themed, although there weren't a lot of rides.

[Santa07]

14 hours ago, reanimated35 said:

Yeah. How dare they have accurate theming! 

Well Scooby's 'line up two behind each gate' spiel does it too... and that's not part of the theming.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Santa07

[Brad2912]

5 hours ago, iwerks said:

All of this kind of reminds me of Old Sydney Town. I got a chance to visit it in 1975. Very Australian themed, although there weren't a lot of rides.

You mean no rides..

old Sydney town was great for year 5 history excursions, but in the end was just a historical village with re-enactments of whippings and blacksmiths 

47 minutes ago, Santa07 said:

Well Scooby's 'line up two behind each gate' spiel does it too... and that's not part of the theming.

You do realise all the 'characters' in the park speak with an American accent - right? It's HOLLYWOOD on the Gold Coast. Even the elves at White Christmas were putting on American accents 

[pushbutton]

We already have a great "Aussie" park in the Gold Coast. It's called Paradise Country. 

[jjuttp]

I had the same idea as Gazza for my Yr 12 Design & Tech major back in 2011.

You entered the park which was in the shape of Australia (and gurt by river) by a scale model of the Sydney Harbour Bridge into Adelaide. Adelaide was just the entrance so like the real Adelaide it contained absolutely fuck all. 

WA- Dreamtime Coaster, a B&M Wingrider. You entered into the queue which took you underground into a long cavern like area with numerous Dreamtime stories drawn into the rocks which then illuminate sequentially to tell the respective story. As you leave the station you come up back through the ground to the top of the hill which passes over a path. Then you go down vertically and into a giant Bunyips mouth which sits directly next to the path so guests can get as close to this thing as they can oblivion. next up you swing out of the Bunyip and do numerous barrel rolls and whatnot then slow right down to a crawl and go into a half loop to corkscrew. Then you descend down towards a lake and into the rainbow serpents mouth. As you weave through him, attachments on the wings may cause water to splash up behind you. as you leave you go up a crevasse with water running down it into a loop with a Yowie hanging off. After the loop is a very long brake run designed to tell the story of the Yara-ma-yha-who. Then you do a turn and end up back in the station.

There was also an Aquarium designed for this section due to Shark Bay and Ningaloo reef both being in WA.

 

NT- Burramudgee was the kids and family area of the park. Themed to the town of Burramudgee from the game Ty The Tasmanian Tiger 2. This area (which i put the most amount of thought into) had a kids Suspended coaster themed to the Bush Rescue Dropship, a raft ride themed to the rainforest from the 1st game, several kids encounter areas , a playground, many shops relating with accuracy to what they sold in game (boomerangs, personalized Bunyip keys etc.) a foam ball pay pit , a bumper boat section themed to the croc filled sewers and a 4D cinema with individual ride vehicles themed around Shazzas "fourbee"

 

Darwin to Cairns is the stretch of the park that houses the land animals.
 

Cairns- a waterpark that off the top of my head had a tornado where the actual tornado part looked like a didjeridoo and as such the funnel where you came out featured a longer tube going up to make the ride look like an actual didge. And it also featured a didge playing, something that could possibly be heard throughout the entire section. This also had a Flowrider barrel that when you fell off ended in a small-medium slide like in dubai i believe. And more recently i thought it would be a good idea to incorporate slideboarding. This goes right around the park, and features effects that can be activated both on and off ride from the board itself.

 

Rest of QLD- a ToT tower Themed to the Dreamtime with the same effects as used in the coasters queue, 

 

NSW/ACT- Race of Arms Launched Coaster of some form designed to poke fun at the notion we all get around on roos and emus. Flagfall (Gazza you may remember this), a giant freefall tower with our flag at the top, Mt Panorama, themed (and shaped) to be the racetrack with cars as the coasters cars like the Italian Job ride.

 

VIC- Shootout at Glenrowan- a laser tag themed to the last stand and steeplechase coaster themed to Ned. There was also an El Loco themed to a mine (i had to 1-up a wild mouse) and a flume ride somehow themed to the snowy river hydro scheme with the ending being a splashdown from a "snowy mountain". And while it doesn't quite match being out of the section but matches this section, Fluffys Fjord a spinning ride like Avalanche inside the Snowy Mountain themed to the Fluffys Fjord level of Ty.

 

TAS- reserved for Halloween events

 

That's all i can remember but i also had idea that either i couldn't shoehorn in or i had thought of since like :

Ettamogah Pub

Mad max dark ride

Uluru being the main eatery section

and an entire area themed to AC ⚡ DC

plus others i cant remember.