Anzac Day - final day of trading

[Daniel]

You've hit the nail on the head Rich. I agree with you 100%.

[ScReAMmachine!]

Blacktown's only tourist attraction? Take a look at some of the City's other attractions... *Blacktown Leisure Centre (Wave Pool) *Eastern Creek Raceway *International Go-Karting *Blacktown Olympic Park *Featherdale Wildlife Park There's probably more if u visit council's website

[zordmaker]

Like it or not Blacktown Council are going to do significantly well financially.  They'll do much better out of it than they did with Wonderland.  You won't hear a peep from the state government on the issue I'll give you the tip. They'll welcome it with open arms.  It'll be the usual independants chirping up.  If there was going to be a public outcry, it would have happened after the announcement. You say BCC's only tourist attraction, that's wrong.  Check your facts.  Or at least the council website.

Surely you're not including that awful backyard zoo they call Featherdale, or that poor excuse for a swimming centre at Stanhope. I guess there's always the vegas of the west at Rooty Hill.. but even Panthers beats that.. ZordMaker

[Bussy]

Zord, are you saying that Rooty Hill RSL is crap? If you are wash your mouth out! It's a fantastic place with all the great things like... Umm I forgot what wonderful things they have at the RSL. Can anyone enlighten us on this? Daniel perhaps? "The Bus is now leaving for Scrubby Mouth Creek, Queensland"

[Daniel]

Beer...... Featherdale is no worse than Wonderland was. How about Ashlar? Well respected course. Or the drive in? How many of those in NSW these days? Blacktown Olympic Park? The premier baseball and softball fields in the country. Look I really don't give two bloody craps, I'm just saying. You won't keep the theme park regardless of the level of your efforts. I'm as sad as the next bloke about Wonderland closing but it's worth too much to the state as industrial land.

[joz]

Exactly, when I go on holiday I want to see baseball fields and a drive in. The fact that its also the home too a swimming pool and a wildlife park is just a bonus to me, since we don't have anything nearly this exciting on the Gold Coast. To be fair, the RSL did look all right, but I don't think there's anything to make me even contemplate going back.

[Daniel]

But who, when they go to Sydney, stays in the western suburbs unless it's for a specific purpose?

[willsy]

Its all about the money

[joz]

Shock horror, say it isn't so!!

[zordmaker]

I don't really get you guys. Am I on the wrong Board here? Is this ROLLER-COASTER.com? or INDUSTRIALLAND.com??? What do you want? Roller coasters or LG distribution depots? The choice is yours. All I am saying is the facts. Despite what has been reported in the media, the matter in this case rests with the pollies at Blacktown Council. They dont care who pays the rates, the rates are the same per hectare of land out there for Wonderland as they are for Linfox next door. So if you want Roller Coasters and Water Slides to stay in Sydney speak up and make yourself heard now. Otherwise move to Queensland or cancel your membership of Rollr-coatsers.com.... because you ain't gonna be doin' much ridin any more down 'ere. Personally I've hated Wonderland's management ever since they did what they did to SWRFM in 1998 (which was truly an act of bastardry, but thats another story). They could never manage the park right, and have repeatedly shown little respect for their own local customers, instead preferring to chase the supposed international tourist dollar, which we now all know just isnt enough without local support. They have never tried to change the formula or explore alternatives or for that matter (as others point out) invested in the park. We all know why - because of the land value. It pains me to know that they've made $200 out of me in 14 days. But that doesnt stop my respect for the employees of the park or my enjoyment of the rides together with my wife. All I ask (as I walk through a packed park and packed Beach area) is.. where are these people (who have paid good money to get in the gate) going to go when Wonderland closes? Lets hope they go back to work where they belong after all there'll be so many more jobs available now won't there. Lets all now celebrate the death of fun in Sydney. My only regret is that I didnt give Wonderland a chance years ago. My bet is that tens of thousands of sydneysiders are now feeling the same - people who would never have otherwise discovered the park if it had not announced it's own premature demise. ZordMaker

[Richard]

No one wanted Wonderland to close. We're just being realistic.

the death of fun in Sydney

A bit extreme, no?

[GoGoBoy]

Yeah but there's a difference between being realistic and having a defeatist attitude. I totally agree that there is almost a 100% chance that the business park will go ahead. HOWEVER that doesn't mean that people should just sit back and go "oh well, it's going to happen anyway, so why bother saying anything". It is important to let your opinions be known to the people that count. Just send a quick message saying you are not happy about it. It all counts. Don't let them get away with it without a murmur or else they will think everything is perfect and nobody cares. This has all just gone too smoothly for Sunway. If anything, the people on this board are the first ones who should be kicking up a bit of a stink in support of the Australian theme park inudstry

[Jaggie]

Tottaly agree with ya there GoBoi. We could possibly put Sunway in a bit of dificulty just like they have done to us by closing Australia's largest and Sydney's only major theme park. I will tell you now, i've done a fair bit by writing letters and what-not, i know the park will probably never come back but i intent to let Sunway accept responsibilty for what they have done. If i was to set-up a petition would you Richard put links on the home page, and i will put a link on my site, and get alot of other Australia toursit attraction sites to get it around. It will make us all feel alot better if we let Sunway know how we feel, and the BCC rather than just sit back, and let them make their money and kill what we were proud of.

[zordmaker]

No one wanted Wonderland to close. We're just being realistic.   A bit extreme, no?

Hey, I am a refugee from the original, sydney wide ultimate roller coaster system that was dismantled in 1992.. What is a true definition of freedom? "Standing at the open door of a Sydney red Rattler, 60 year old motors screaming beneath your feet and steel flying up through the hatchways, climbing up and overe the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a hot, sultry afternoon"... ZordMaker

[GoGoBoy]

zordmaker - you referred to 'SWRFM' - what does that mean?

[Nightshifter]

if i was owned wonderland and i was in the situation of having no money i would look for a wealthy buyer who would continue running the park or sell a lot of the land, the back carparks werent used so sell them and get a few million from that and even a lot of the land that would not be used i.e. hanna babera land, it wasnt used therefore sell it. they would have been more comfortable to keep the park going for another 10 years at least and maybe attract more people if a new ride was built, see they are closing down so its attracting thousnads of people a day. but there was no need to sell the park for a very cheap 50 million.

[zordmaker]

zordmaker - you referred to 'SWRFM' - what does that mean?

SWRFM is Blacktown's Community Radio Station. They used Space Probe as a transmitter site from early '97 to late '98. Photos: http://members.optusnet.com.au/nudism/Spac.../spaceprobe.htm zordmaker

[Slick]

Hey that's cool! Does anyone have photos like that of the Dreamworld Tower? Oh boy would that be hard to get cameras into! If you don't know what I meant, during every Big Brother season they take a broadcast quality vidoe camera to the top of the tower to shoot half and hours worth footage of fireworks!

[Scared of Jack]

Maybe the facts are: * ING bought wonderland * The rides all have to be dismantled by the end of the year * And THE DEMON is going to DREAMWORLD even though both parties have not admitted to it. * Wonderland Sydney is no more If anyone wants to voice there opinion, Why dont you guys ring up Ray Hadley and I'll guarantee management will be listening.

[zordmaker]

Maybe the facts are: * ING bought wonderland * The rides all have to be dismantled by the end of the year * And THE DEMON is going to DREAMWORLD even though both parties have not admitted to it. * Wonderland Sydney is no more If anyone wants to voice there opinion, Why dont you guys ring up Ray Hadley and I'll guarantee management will be listening.

Hmm. How can you have "Maybe" facts? I would call them "educated guesses". ZordMaker

[zordmaker]

Im going again tonight. See ya. ZordMaker

[Gazza]

How can you really say that the Dee is going up to DW if both parties have denied it?have you seen solid evidence? and if both parties are denying it than why not just accept that its not going up there?

[Flea]

Just came back from a mini-celebration I had at Wonderland with a few of my friends. The night was insane, I have NEVER seen such crowds. I ended up waiting 90 minutes for probe, one hour for Demon & 90 minutes for Bush Beast. I was eavesdropping on a conversation a person was having with a SP ride op, and he stated that they will be operating the ride past midnight to get everyone in the queue a go. He then stated that other than the Union Day, today was by far the busiest day ever. To "confirm" what some people have been saying, this operator also said that some rides (including Demon) will be going to Dreamworld.

[Jaggie]

Yeah, man, i was at Wonderland aswell last night saw Ya Liam. I have never in my whole life seen those sort of crowds at a theme park! The place was built not even to hold half of what they got. The Demon was 2 hours for me, Bushe Beast- 1 and a half even thought there was two train operation, and Space probe didn't even worry about lining up because of the line stretching all the way back up the hill close to Zodiac! It was crazy and there would have been at least 20mill made yesterday, with food, (half hour wait to get a hamburger), sideshows and entry. This shows one thing, Sydney really does love Wonderland, they just didn't show it when it was needed.

[zordmaker]

LAst night was wild, Me & Sashi arrived about 6:30 and the place was absolutely packed. Had only one purpose : to ride Bush beast until the very end. We got in 5 rides between 6:30 and 10 when they did finally close. It was packed with the line down to the gate for most of the night. The lift failed at 7:50 with the Red train stuck on the rise and staff climbing up to calm down passengers. We were in the next train to go but they got us out to wait until they could clear the fault and send both around empty before reloading and starting again. The lift was sluggish all night and stalled at least 2 more times, all trains were packed, most with "sizeable" riders if you know what I mean, rather than the usual kiddie fare. It was a great way to finally say goodbye. Like others have said, with such a demonstration, who could still think of closing Wonderland?? ZordMaker