Luna Park Precinct; Entrance Face and Towers; Crystal Palace; Coney Island; Alfred Street Entrance; Wild Mouse; Sandstone cliff;
Type
State heritage (complex / group)
Designated
5 March 2010
Referenceno.
1811
Type
Funfair
Category
Recreation and Entertainment
Builders
Stuart Brothers Ltd
David Atkins
Ted ('Hoppy') Hopkins
Luna Park Sydney is a heritage-listedamusement park located at 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia, on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour. The amusement park is owned by the Luna Park Reserve Trust, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It is one of Sydney's most famous landmarks and has had a significant impact on culture through the years, including being featured as a filming location for several movies and television shows.
It is protected by government legislation, namely the Luna Park Site Act 1990 which specifically protects the site and sets it aside for the purpose of an amusement park.[1] Several of the buildings on the site are also listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate and the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
The park was constructed during 1935, approximately 600 metres (2,000ft) from the northern approaches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was an extremely popular attraction during World War II and the post-war period. The park suddenly closed in mid-1979 after the Ghost Train fire which killed six children and one adult. Most of the park was demolished and a new one was constructed, which operated for a brief time as Harbourside Amusement Park before the name was reverted. The park was closed again in 1988 as an independent engineering inspection determined that several rides needed urgent repair. The owners failed to repair and reopen the park before a Government of New South Wales deadline, and ownership was passed to a new body.
The park reopened in 1995, but closed yet again within thirteen months due to noise complaints about the Big Dipper rollercoaster from local residents, which led to reduced hours and a drop in attendance that made the park unsustainable to run. Luna Park opened only sporadically for the next nine years, including for special charity events and as a filming location. After another redevelopment, it reopened in 2004 and has continued operating ever since.
History
Pre-colonisation to 1830s: Establishment of Milsons Point
The Cammeraygal people are the traditional owners of the North Sydney area, having lived there for at least 5,000 years.
In 1830, Jamaican ex-convict Billy Blue commenced the first ferry service across Sydney Harbour. By 1837, a regular wharf and waterman's service was operating from the site now known as Milsons Point. A regular vehicular ferry was operating by 1860, joined by a tram line to North Sydney in 1886.[2] The North Shore railway line opened in 1890, and was extended to Milsons Point in 1893. [4]
From 1924 onwards, the future site of Luna Park Sydney was used extensively by Dorman Long to fabricate and assemble steel components for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which officially opened in 1932.[2] Once the bridge was completed, North Sydney Council opened up applications for tenders to develop the site.
At the same time, the owners of Luna Park Glenelg - Herman Phillips, his brothers and A. A. Abrahams - happened to be searching for a new location to establish the park due to difficulties with their local council and residents.[5]:49
Phillips and his associates won the tender for the North Sydney site and began a 20-year lease on 11 September 1935, forming Luna Park (NSW) Limited. The rides from Glenelg were dismantled and transported to Sydney over a three-month period - an elaborate process undertaken by Stuart Brothers under the direction of David Atkins, Ted Hopkins and Arthur Barton. Construction of the park employed almost 1,000 engineers, structural workers, fitters, and artists.[5]:56–57 Architectural plans and drawings of the park from this era are held at the State Library of New South Wales.[6]
There were noise complaints and protests from North Shore residents against the park's construction as early as April 1935, before it had even opened.[7] Members of a "Parks and Playgrounds Movement" were quoted as saying the park was the result of "a deplorable lack of aesthetic taste", and akin to "Coney Island under the Tower of London" - as in, not worthy of proximity to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.[8] These sorts of complaints would turn out to be a theme throughout the park's history.
1935 to 1969: Official opening and heyday
Performers from the Hollywood Hotelrevue riding the Big Dipper in 1935.
On 4 October 1935, Luna Park Sydney was officially opened to immediate success.[5]:58,68 The park's signature entrance face, designed by Rupert Browne, was placed between two Art Deco-style towers with spires imitating New York's Chrysler Building. The Big Dipper roller coaster was an instantly popular attraction.[9] After a successful opening season, the park closed down for the winter months so that rides and attractions could be overhauled and repainted, and new ones could be added.[5]:68[5]:68 In 1936, the North Sydney Olympic Pool was also opened on an adjacent site.[2]
During World War II, Luna Park was a magnet for servicemen, many of whom were either treating their girlfriends to a night out or looking to meet someone.[5]:78 The influx of servicemen also drew sex workers to the area[5]:79 and large-scale brawls were a common occurrence, usually between Australian home defence troops and American sailors on shore leave.[5]:76 As non-essential uses of electricity were curtailed in wartime, the park's neon lights were disconnected and many ride facades were dimmed. The park's external lights were also 'browned out' in case of a Japanese sneak attack on Sydney.[5]:78
Luna Park lighted windmill, Nov 1948
In 1950, the Phillips brothers were bought out by Atkins & Hopkins. Numerous changes and additions were made over the next few years, as the two men travelled the world to bring back new concepts from amusement parks in the Netherlands, the United States, Germany and Britain. A version of The Rotor - a spinning drum that uses centrifugal force to pin guests to the sides, developed by Professor Ernst Hoffmeister in Germany - was constructed and installed, and became the stage of many stunts. It remains in place today.[5]:90 Barton also redesigned and reconstructed the park's entrance face, which had begun to sag and distort.[5]:90 The new design was based on illustrations of Old King Cole, and became the inspiration for all future variants.[5]:90
Luna Park and Milsons Point, as seen from the Harbour Bridge.
Atkins' passing in 1957 saw Hopkins become the park's manager. Meanwhile, the rise of television and car culture throughout the 1960s saw the park facing increased competition.[5]:98 Several initiatives were attempted to maintain public interest throughout this era, including the installation of the Wild Mouse roller coaster and the hiring of silhouette artist S. John Ross.
1969 to 1979: New ownership and Martin Sharp involvement
Hopkins retired in 1969 and sold the remaining six years of the park's lease to World Trade Centre Pty Ltd.[5]:97–99[10] Winter closures were abandoned under this new management, meaning there was no opportunity to carry out regular maintenance works on the rides.[2] Barton also retired in 1970, the last of the park's original showmen.[5]:99
Soon after this, the new owners applied to construct a $50million international trade centre on the Luna Park site, consisting of seven high-rise buildings, 929,000 square metres (10,000,000sqft) of exhibition space, and a heliport.[5]:102 However, this plan was rejected by the Government of New South Wales. After a reshuffle within the consortium, the decision was made to continue operation as an amusement park.[5]:102
Over the next few years, the new managers scrapped several of the old rides and replacing them with new, American-designed thrill rides.[5]:104 After consultation with Hanna-Barbera, Luna Park's slogan was temporarily changed from "Just for Fun" to "The Place Where Happiness Is".[5]:104 Another result of the consultation was the creation of a short-lived park mascot, "Luna Bear - the Space Age Koala."[5]:104
In 1973, Martin Sharp and Peter Kingston undertook repainting works on the park in a pop art style. The face was repainted with a new expression and a clown-like mask, offset by strong primary colours. [5]:106 Sharp would turn out to play a major role in the park's history in the decades to come.
By 1975, Luna Park was operating on a week-to-week lease with plans to develop the Lavender Bay foreshores as a "Tivoli Gardens".[2] When the park's lease expired that same year, the directors went into negotiation with the New South Wales government to renew it.[5]:108–109 However, when Neville Wran became Premier in 1976 the negotiations ground to a halt, and the park was allowed to continue operating.[5]:108–109
In 1977, an exhibition was held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales entitled Fairground Arts and Novelties, highlighting many important aspects of Luna Park. Meanwhile, Sharp and Kingston, as well as Richard Liney and Garry Shead, were involved in many major redesigns and artwork installations throughout the park. Sharp was quoted as saying:
It took us a while to realise that Luna Park was an artwork in itself, a city state of illusion, a brilliant feat of engineering with imagination, created and maintained by men. Sydney must acknowledge the importance of Luna Park. To lose it now would be a tragedy.[2][11]
1979: Big Dipper accident, Ghost Train fire, and closure
On 16 April 1979, a steel runner came loose on the Big Dipper, halting one train and leading to a collision with another.[5]:108–9[5]:108–9 Thirteen people were injured.[5]:108–9
On 9 June 1979, the park's Ghost Train burnt down during operation.[5]:110 The fire quickly destroyed the ride, although it was contained before spreading to the nearby Big Dipper and River Caves.[5]:110 Searches of the charred rubble revealed the bodies of seven people: John Godson and his two children, Damien and Craig, and four Waverley College students, Jonathan Billings, Richard Carroll, Michael Johnson, and Seamus Rahilly.[5]:110 The park was immediately shut down.[2][5]:110
Sydney newspapers and the NSW Police reported at the time that the fire was caused by an electrical fault. A contemporaneous coronial inquest was unable to establish the cause of the fire, but concluded that Luna Park's managers and operators had failed in their duty of care towards the park's patrons.[5]:110 Investigations led by Sharp in future decades, backed up with the testimony of multiple eyewitnesses and several NSW police officers, would determine the blaze was in fact deliberately lit by associates of Abe Saffron in an attempt to gain control of the park site.[12]
1980 to 1990: Friends of Luna Park campaign and Harbourside ownership
The park, circa 1980s.
The NSW government called for tenders for the site's development at the end of July 1979.[5]:111 and again in March 1980.[5]:112
Meanwhile, a group named "Friends of Luna Park" was formed by impassioned community members. A "Save Luna Park" protest marched from the Opera House to the Face,[5]:112 followed by a free concert headlined by Mental As Anything.[5]:112 As a result, the Face was an item of national heritage by the National Trust of Australia and the rest of the park was given a 'recorded' classification.[5]:112
Australian Amusements Associates won the tender in September 1980, and took over administration of the site in early June 1981.[5]:114 Much of the original park was then either demolished or sold off, including the Big Dipper, Tumble Bug, Turkey Trot, Barrels of Fun and the River Caves.[9] Later that year, the Luna Park Site Act was passed, meaning Luna Park Holdings had to vacate the site.[5]:112–120 Everything that remained - with the exception of the Face, Crystal Palace, and Coney Island - was bulldozed and burnt.[5]:115
The park was then rebuilt by Australian Amusements, following design advice from Texas-based LARC International.[5]:115 It reopened as the "Harbourside Amusement Park" in April 1982. The change in name was caused by a dispute between the current and previous owners, preventing the use of the Luna Park name until August of that year.[5]:116[13]
Over the next six years, the Face was removed from over the entry gates on two occasions, the owners of Harbourside were involved in two disputes with the Department of Public Works and one director was the subject of an inquiry by the Corporate Affairs Commission.[5]:118 Reports from independent engineers were then presented stating that several rides in the park had to be shut down for "renovations and repairs".[5]:119 The park closed again in 1988, and the entrance face was re-located to storage owned by the Powerhouse Museum.[2]
Harbourside's lease was then transferred to Luna Park Investments Pty Ltd.[5]:119 With a year, after no efforts had been made to repair and reopen Luna Park, and several submissions hade been made to replace most or all of the amusement park with high-rise apartment blocks and hotels, the New South Wales State Government issued an ultimatum to the company: open Luna Park by 1 June 1990, or lose the lease.[5]:119–120 Despite this ultimatum, Luna Park Investments did little to prepare the site. Rides were moved around, repainted, and renamed to give the appearance that the new owners were trying to make an effort.[5]:121 The directors kept putting forward excuses to try to gain an extension, even declaring a trade union ban on their own site.[5]:121
Four days after the government ultimatum passed, the lease was terminated and the Luna Park Reserve Trust was established.[5]:121[14] Soon after this, the National Heritage Trust added several buildings on the site to its list of protected structures.[5]:121
On 12 October 1990, the Luna Park Site Act 1990 was gazetted, although the act had been used prior to this to terminate Harbourside's lease and establish the Luna Park Reserve Trust.[5]:121 The Act was intended to protect the site of the park, dedicating it for amusement and public recreation.[5]:121
1991 to 1995: Reconstruction
In 1991, the first two stages of the three-stage redevelopment and restoration plan for Luna Park was given the green light, with $25million granted by the Open Space and Heritage Fund towards the project.[5]:122 The third stage, involving the demolition of sections of the old North Shore railway line (which had been in use as a holding area for trains outside peak hour since 1932), construction of parkland, an amphitheatre, art gallery, and museum, was not approved.[5]:124
In 1992, the Trust commissioned Godden Mackay heritage consultants to prepare a Conservation Plan for the site. The plans were approved by North Sydney Council in August 1992, with Ted Hopkins also supporting the plans shown to him.[5]:124 Work began in January 1993, with the Face being moved back to its place over the entry gate.[5]:124 An 'army' of tradesmen and artists worked for six months on the restoration of the park's buildings, and on the repair of numerous artworks, including several of Barton's murals.[5]:127
During the reconstruction, there was vocal opposition from a number of nearby residents and companies,on a variety of issues.[5]:125 The main points of opposition were the noise levels of the park after opening, and the installation of a 40-metre (130ft) tall steel roller coaster to be named the Big Dipper after the original.[5]:126–127 The Environmental Protection Authority approved the construction of the new Big Dipper on the condition that the Trust abided by strict noise control guidelines and covered the cost of soundproofing for any residents affected by excessive noise.[5]:126–127 In addition, North Sydney Council imposed a series of times when the roller coaster could not operate.[5]:126–127
1995 to 2001: Brief reopening, closure and redevelopment
Luna Park reopened in January 1995. In the months that followed, the park was affected by poor weather conditions, causing lower than predicted attendance.[5]:130 Legal claims against the operation of the park and roller coaster were filed by some local residents and supported by business figures whose tenders for the redevelopment had not been accepted.[5]:130 The newly elected Carr government put the park's long-term viability in doubt; first removing the government guarantee of a $14million loan to the trust, then dissolving the trust's board of directors and appointing an administrator.[5]:131 The park was forced to close again on 14 February 1996.[5]:131–134
In 1997 the Department of Land & Water Conservation (DLWC) engaged the Urban Design Advisory Service (UDAS) to investigate urban design and land use options for the future use of Luna Park.[15] The Luna Park Plan of Management was prepared by the New South Wales government in 1998 to guide the future management of the Luna Park Reserve. This plan identified a preferred option for Luna Park's future use, determined in consultation with residents, the general public and other stakeholders. It sought to preserve Luna Park's amusement park character while introducing new uses to improve its viability and accordance with the parameters in the Luna Park Site Amendment Act 1997.[16] There was also grassroots community support for the park's reopening; one example of this was the collection of a 5,000signature petition by a pair of high school students.[5]:136–137
In June 1997, the New South Wales government presented four development proposals to the public.[5]:138–139 After a month of public viewing and comment, a 'diverse-use' plan, encompassing rides and amusements, restaurants, cafés, and function capacity was announced as the winning plan.[5]:138–139 In February 1998, the NSW Department of Public Works and Services called for proposals to redevelop Luna Park, and 20 proposals were submitted, with eight selected for further consideration.[5]:138–139
In July 1999, the results of the tendering process were made public.[5]:143 Metro Edgley Group (consisting of Metro Edgley, Multiplex Facilities Management, and a group of private investors) was awarded the tender.[5]:143 Their proposal intended for most of the rides to stay, but called for the Big Dipper to be replaced with a multipurpose concert venue, and asked to redevelop the Crystal Palace as a function centre.[5]:140,143
A Master Plan for the site was prepared in 1999, which included a Heritage Report prepared by Godden Mackay Logan. Further consultation with North Sydney Council brought the development to a standstill, with the Council and the directors of Metro Edgley clashing over several aspects of the proposed redevelopment.[5]:144 In January 2002 the Minister for Planning approved a development application for the site.[17][2][5]:144–147 On top of this, specific applications had to be lodged for each element of the plan, each of which in turn would require community consultation. The development eventually began in 2003.[5]:147
During the long decision-making and approval process, Luna Park was permitted to operate for several charity-organised events, including for Variety Club and the Spastic Centre.[5]:146–147 The park was also allowed to operate on selected weekends and school holidays in late 2000 and early 2001, under strict, court-appointed conditions.[5]:146–147 In July 2001, the Big Dipper rollercoaster (installed in 1995) was sold to Dreamworld in Queensland.[18][2]
2004 to 2020: Reopening, legal action, heritage listing and further redevelopment
The park at night from Sydney Harbour......and in the daytime.
The redevelopment and restoration of the park was conducted over a 14-month period between 2003 and 2004.[5]:148 The rides were removed, restored, and in some cases upgraded to comply with modern safety standards.[5]:148 The Crystal Palace was redesigned with several modular function rooms, the largest of which took up the entire lower floor.[5]:148A 2,000 seat multipurpose auditorium, the Big Top, was constructed.[5]:148
On 4 April 2004, the park reopened once again and has remained open ever since.[5]:152 Despite rain and low temperatures, several thousand people attended the opening day, and an accumulated attendance figure of 200,000 was reached within two months.[5]:152
Legal action against the park by a group of seven Milsons Point residents and one developer began again in April 2005.[19] The claim was of noise nuisance from the amusement rides, particularly those in Maloney's Corner.[19] The case was defeated when legislation was passed by the New South Wales government protecting Luna Park from such claims, although it was later revealed that these laws may have been influenced by court documents leaked to then-Tourism, Sport, and Recreation minister Sandra Nori by two Luna Park executives.[19] The executives were charged with contempt of court in August 2007.[19]
A new case began in June 2007, with the residents instead claiming breaches of the Trade Practices Act.[20] Stating that they had been misled as to the types of amusement ride that were located in the Maloney's Corner area, the residents and developer attempted to claim over $20 million in damages, and demanded the relocation or permanent closure of the Ranger and Spider rides.[20] The case was dismissed by the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 6 February 2009, with the supervising Justice ruling that the development applications submitted by the park had not been "misleading or deceptive", as claimed.[21]
On 1 January 2007, a staff member working on the Golden Way Amusements-owned Speed (hired for the Christmas holidays) was struck in the head by the armature while the ride was in motion.[22] The employee was taken to hospital and placed in intensive care.[22]
In October 2007, Multiplex announced that it was intending to sell the lease to one of the undeveloped sections of Luna Park.[23] The section of land, advertised for approximately $7million, had initially been leased from the NSW Government for $1, on the condition that any profit made from property built on the site was invested in the amusement park.[23] There were concerns that the money will be used to allow Multiplex to recoup the financial outlay made when redeveloping the park, instead of going towards the ongoing operation and maintenance of Luna Park's facilities.[23][24]
In February 2010, the Park was placed on the NSW State Heritage Register.[25]
In late 2011, the NSW government allocated $78,000 in the state budget for upgrades of the park's lighting to LEDs, along with repairs to the park's buildings.[26]
2020 to present: COVID-19 era
Plaque commemorating the efforts of Friends of Luna Park activists, installed in 2023.
On 19 March 2020, Luna Park confirmed that the park would be closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The park reopened on 3 July with the implementation of additional safety measures, including regular cleaning between rides, limits on the number of visitors per ride and health checks upon arrival.
The park closed again in January 2021, and nine new rides were built[27] including three roller coasters; one a Gerstlauer family shuttle coaster called Boomerang,[28] and another a coaster designed for children called Little Nipper.[29] These were supposed to open on 26 June, but was delayed until 22 October due again to the COVID pandemic and resulting lockdowns. The third coaster is an Intamin Hot Racer that is Australia's first single-rail coaster, and is named Big Dipper after the coasters that operated before it. Big Dipper opened on December 26, 2021.[27][30]
In March 2023, the park held a reunion of the Friends of Luna Park activist group at Coney Island. A plaque was unveiled to commemorate their efforts, and particularly Sharp's, in saving the park from development.[31] In June 2024 Luna Park's lease that runs until 2044, was put up for sale by Brookfield.[32]
The iconic 9-metre wide (30ft) smiling face, as well as its Art Deco towers, have presided over the main entrance for almost all of the park's existence. The idea was based on the large smiling faces at Luna Park, Melbourne, Australia, and Steeplechase Park in the United States.
There have been eight distinct faces, installed in 1935, 1938, 1947, 1958, 1960, 1973, 1982, and 1995. The seventh face was donated to the Powerhouse Museum in May 1994.[5]:125 The eighth and current face was created by Australian sculpture company Natureworks.[33] It was built in 1993 from heavy duty fiberglass and installed in 1995. The design is based on Arthur Barton's 1960 "Old King Cole" face.[34]
Midway
Stretching from the Face to Coney Island, the Midway has always been the main thoroughfare of Luna Park. The Midway is the focus of many activities and amusements, and provides access to the Crystal Palace, Big Top, and Coney Island, along with the majority of Luna Park's permanent rides.
The Rotor
The Rotor was designed by German engineer Ernst Hoffmeister in the late 1940s. The Rotor is a large, upright barrel, rotated at 30 revolutions per minute. The rotation of the barrel creates a centrifugal force equivalent to between 1 and 1.5 g. Once the barrel has attained full speed, the floor is retracted, leaving the riders stuck to the wall of the drum. At the end of the ride cycle, the drum slows down and gravity takes over. The riders slide down the wall slowly. Although Hoffmeister was the designer, most Rotors were constructed under licence. The first Luna Park Rotor was built by Ted Hopkins in 1951. Three Rotors were built in Australia based on Hoffmeister's design. All had been demolished or destroyed by the 1980s, although a slightly redesigned Rotor was rebuilt for Luna Park Sydney in 1995, which is still in operation.[2]
Crystal Palace
Beginning life in 1935 as a dodgem hall and office space, the Crystal Palace has seen many uses over the park's history, including as a dance hall, a BMX track, a games arcade, and a restaurant and bar. The essential form of the Crystal Palace is a large rectangular thirteen-bay steel-framed structure, two storeys in height with a hip roof behind extended walls. The end bays are framed with heavy Oregon members and the roof ends above them are gabled hips with louvered ventilation in the gables. The exteriors were originally symmetrical, the two long elevations having emphatic central elements and end pavilions. Parapets conceal the main roof; these are crenulated except for the tower motifs where chamfered blocks of timber, imitating machicolation, have been planted on. The cladding, once predominantly asbestos cement, has been replaced in the early 1990s works with fibre-cement. The centre of the east or Midway entrance elevation has a steep hipped roof between tall pinnacles, while the four "towers" of the end pavilions have steep pyramid roofs.[2][35][36]
Since the 2004 reopening, Crystal Palace has been host to four of the seven rooms used by Luna Park's functions business. The main room stretches across the entire lower floor of Crystal Palace, and is often used for wedding receptions and other large social functions. The Midway-facing exterior of the building is host to numerous sideshow games, such as the Laughing Clowns, Crazy Crooners, and Goin Fishin'.[37]
Constructed during the 2003 redevelopment on the site of the Ghost Train,[5]:152 the Big Top (originally to be named the Luna Circus) is a fully licensed, multi-purpose venue capable of seating 2,000 people (this capacity can increase to 3,000 for standing-only concerts). The modular design of the stage and seating allows the entire venue to be easily reconfigured for different event types, and the concrete building is heavily soundproofed to cut down on noise pollution. Examples of events run in the Big Top include concerts (including shows from Kylie Minogue's Anti Tour and the annual Come Together Music Festival), award shows and presentations (like the inaugural MTV Australia Video Music Awards or the live finals for the 2005–2008 seasons of Australia's Next Top Model), sporting tournaments (like the Australia Mixed Martial Arts Cage Fighting Championship and the 2013 Sydney Darts Masters), trade shows, and other large events.[38]
Interior of Coney Island
Coney Island
First constructed in 1935, Coney Island - Funnyland is the only operating example of a 1930s funhouse left in the world. Although some changes have been made over the years, the layout is almost identical to when Luna Park opened in 1935. It is a rectangular building with the longest side running east–west. It has a corrugated iron hip roof with its external walls forming parapet walls around each side. The basic structure of Coney Island is virtually identical to that of the Crystal Palace. It is similar in width but slightly shorter, having twelve bays.[39] Internally the steelwork of the main structure is concealed by mural panels or decorated motifs which were physically conserved during 1994. The roof purlins and sheeting are exposed. The industrial light fittings are suspended from the roof. The open space contains large and small fun devices, giant slides 1–4, joy wheel, turkey trot and barrels of fun.[2][35][40]
Exterior of Coney Island
The design was based on funhouses in Europe and the United States, and contains rotating barrels, moving platforms, large slides, and arcade games. Today's Coney Island is also host to the restored artworks of Arthur Barton, who started as one of 35 artists, along with photographs and memorabilia spanning Luna Park's 85-year history. The slides and amusements are the same ones first used in 1935, but modified to meet modern safety standards. The amusements were saved from the 1981 demolition by the 'Friends of Luna Park' action group, who purchased them for $9,200, on the condition that they remain in the heritage-listed building.[5]:115
Luna Land
Originally named Maloney's Corner, after Tony Maloney, a long-time Luna Park employee who started at 13 years old.[5]:92 Maloney's Corner was built on land purchased from the New South Wales government and the State Rail Authority during the 1994 development, so that supports for the Big Dipper could be built, and a park, including a Ghost Train Fire Memorial.[citation needed] During the 2003 redevelopment, this area was paved over so the Ranger, Spider and various children's rides could be relocated here from the Midway, to provide room for other developments. [citation needed] In addition, temporary rides were hired by Luna Park for use during peak periods (such as school holidays) by Joylands for this area. [citation needed] Around 2013, the Ranger was renamed to Moon Ranger.[citation needed] In late October 2020, the Spider and the Moon Ranger were removed. In November 2020, it was announced that the whole area would be cleared to make a new land called "Luna Land", with 9 brand new rides. 3 being Roller Coasters, 1 being a Thrill Flat Ride, and the rest being Children's Rides.[27][41] The Park closed on January 26, 2021, and reopened with 8 new rides on October 22. These rides are: Boomerang, Bug, Cloud 9, Freaky Frogs, Little Nipper, Loopy Lighthouse, Sledgehammer, and Silly Sub.[42]Big Dipper would open to the public on December 26, 2021.[30]
Rides
Current rides
The Wild Mouse roller coaster
This is a list of all permanent rides in operation at Luna Park as of 2024.[42]
Rotor - Luna Park's Rotor was first installed in 1951. It was continually a popular ride until its demolition at the end of 1986. A slightly smaller Rotor was constructed during the 1995 redevelopment.
Tango Train(2016) - Opened in 2016 on the site of the original Tango Train. A 20-Car Musik Express manufactured by SBF Visa.[44]
Hair Raiser - A 50-metre (160ft) Larson International Super Shot drop tower added to the park in 2013.[45]
Wild Mouse - A wooden Wild Mouse roller coaster, Luna Park's Wild Mouse was first installed in 1962, and although it has been disassembled and removed on several occasions, it has remained at Luna Park since 1995.[5] It is one of only three wooden Wild Mouse roller coasters left in the world. As of January 2024, the ride has been moved offside temporarily and is undergoing major restoration works.[46]
Big Dipper (2021) - The first single rail coaster in Australia, the first Intamin Hot Racer model, and the first launched single rail coaster in the world. The ride opened on 26 December 2021.[30]
Dodgem City - A nineteen car dodgem hall. Dodgem City was originally located underneath Wild Mouse from 1995, before being moved to its current location underneath Big Dipper in 2004.
Sledgehammer - A Zamperla Discovery 360, first opened in October 2021.
Little Nipper - A Preston & Barbieri Mini Coaster.
Cloud Nine - Zamperla Samba Balloon
Beyond the entrance to Luna Park Sydney
Previous rides of note
Big Dipper (1935) - A wooden roller coaster constructed in 1930 for Luna Park Glenelg. Operated at the Milsons Point site from 1935 to 1979, when it was demolished and burned in 1981 following the park's closure as a result of the Ghost Train fire.
River Caves - An Old Mill style dark ride, which was demolished in 1981.
Big Dipper (1995) - A large custom looping coaster designed by Arrow Dynamics and opened in January 1995. Noise pollution complaints by a resident action group focused primarily on the Big Dipper, putting heavy restrictions on its operation.[5] The resulting loss of revenue was partially responsible for the park's 1996 closure. In 2001 the ride was relocated to Dreamworld and renamed Cyclone. It is currently known as The Gold Coaster.
Geronimo - A Schwarzkopf Jet Star 2 that ran from 1982 to 1988.
Tango Train (1995) - A Music Express . Was closed on 25 April 2016 to be replaced with another Music Express of the same name. The Tango Train was dismantled and sold as parts.[47][48]
Flying Saucer - A 1988 HUSS UFO. Was closed in 2013 and replaced by Volaré in 2019.
Moon Ranger - A HUSS Ranger coming to the park in 1995. Was closed and removed in 2020.
Tumblebug - A 1988 HUSS Troika, the Tumblebug was installed in 1995.[49] The ride, named after the Tumble Bug operated by Luna Park from 1935 to 1973, was closed and removed in 2020.
Spider - A HUSS Breakdance installed during the 1995 redevelopment, the Spider received its name from the park's 1938 ride. This was the last of the four HUSS rides that came to the park in 1995 remaining when it was closed and removed in late November 2020.
Octopus - An Octopus ride that came to the park in 1995 however was removed after the park closed in 2001.
In 2006, scenes for Candy were filmed in the park after its 2004 reopening.[50]
Television
Luna Park was used as a filming location by the ABC pop music series Six O'Clock Rock, which ran from 1959 to 1962.[citation needed]
In 1969, the 38th episode of the 2nd season of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo was filmed at the park. The episode, simply entitled "Luna Park", was based on the premise that Skippy had won a trip to the park in a newspaper competition.[51]
In 1976, television soap opera Number 96 had characters Dorrie and Herbert Evans, Flo Patterson and Junior Winthrop (Pat McDonald, Ron Shand, Bunney Brooke and Curt Jansen) visit the park, including scenes of them in Coney Island, eating fairy floss, and riding on the Big Dipper and the Topsy-Turvy House. This footage, from Episode 920, has been preserved digitally and was featured in Number 96: And They Said It Wouldn't Last, a bonus feature on the 2006 DVD release of the feature film version of the show, Number 96: 2 Disc Collectors Edition.[52]
In 2018, the closing scenes of the Australian film Chocolate Oyster were filmed at the park.
In 2019, the auditions for season 9 of Australia's Got Talent were filmed in the Big Top, with the judges being seen on the rides at the beginnings of some episodes.[citation needed]
In 2019, scenes for a Season 2 episode of the Australian crime drama Mr Inbetween were filmed at the park.[citation needed]
Documentaries
In 1996, a documentary about the park entitled Spirits of the Carnival – The Quest for Fun was released.[53]
In 1979, Martin Sharp brought Tiny Tim to Luna Park to set a new record for the world's longest professional non-stop singing marathon. Tiny performed for two hours and seventeen minutes. Footage of the complete show was released as The Non-Stop Luna Park Marathon by Planet Blue Pictures in 2014.[54] As of 2023, it can be viewed for free on Vimeo.[55]
Footage of the above marathon was originally intended for Street of Dreams, a feature film directed by Sharp that investigated the Ghost Train fire and the history of the park in general, as well as telling Tiny's life story and showcasing his eccentric personality. The film was never completed in Sharp's lifetime, but a leaked rough cut exists on the internet.[citation needed]
In March 2021, a 3 part documentary aired on ABC TV and ABC iview called EXPOSED: The Ghost Train Fire which investigated the cause of the fire, interviewing many witnesses and drawing posthumously on Sharp's extensive research into the topic.[56]
Music and music videos
In 1983, Luna Park was mentioned in the song "Upstairs In My House" by the Australian band Men at Work on their 1983 album Cargo.[citation needed]
In 2016, the park was featured in Seventeen's "Healing" music video which was released on 16 October 2016. It was filmed during their Shining Diamonds: Asia Pacific Tour.[citation needed]
In 2018, Lady Leshurr filmed her music video for "On My Way" at the park.[57]
In 2020, Sydney post-punk band Johnny Hunter filmed their music video for "Innocence Interrupted" at the park.[58]
Video games
In 2022, the video game Newfound Courage's expansion Return to Otherwhere featured a theme park inspired heavily by Sydney's Luna Park, including several of the rides which players are required to use.[citation needed]
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The company manufactured carousels, wooden roller coasters, toboggans and later, roller coaster trains.
Milsons Point is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located three kilometres north of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of North Sydney.
Luna Park was an amusement park that operated in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, United States, from 1903 to 1944. The park was located on a site bounded by Surf Avenue to the south, West 8th Street to the east, Neptune Avenue to the north, and West 12th Street to the west. Luna Park was located partly on the grounds of the small park it replaced, Sea Lion Park, which operated between 1895 and 1902. It was the second of the three original, very large, iconic parks built on Coney Island; the others were Steeplechase Park and Dreamland. At Coney Island's peak in the middle of the 20th century's first decade, the three amusement parks competed with each other and with many independent amusements.
Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-scale attraction parks, easily accessed, potentially addressed to the permanent or temporary residential market, and located in the suburbs or even near the town center. Luna parks mainly offer classic funfair attractions, newer features and catering services.
Luna Park Melbourne is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria. It opened on 13 December 1912, with a formal opening a week later, and has been operating almost continuously ever since.
The Cyclone, also called the Coney Island Cyclone, is a wooden roller coaster at Luna Park in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Designed by Vernon Keenan, it opened to the public on June 26, 1927. The roller coaster is on a plot of land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street. The Cyclone reaches a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and has a total track length of 2,640 feet (800 m), with a maximum height of 85 feet (26 m).
Wonderland Sydney was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. Officially opened in December 1985 by the Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, the park was the largest in the southern hemisphere. It remained open for over 18 years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life until its closure in 2004.
The Big Dipper was a wooden roller coaster operating at Luna Park Sydney from 1935 until 1979. It was demolished in 1981. First constructed in 1930 to an American design, the wooden Big Dipper roller coaster was a mainstay of Luna Park Glenelg during its four years of operation. The ride was dismantled and shipped to Sydney when the Glenelg park went into voluntary liquidation in 1934, and became the biggest attraction of the newly opened Luna Park Milsons Point.
Soarin' Eagle is a steel roller coaster located at the Scream Zone at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. The ride was the first ever Zamperla "Volare" roller coaster when it opened in 2002 at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, as the Flying Coaster. The Elitch Gardens ride was constructed by Martin & Vleminckx. The Volare, the cheapest option for a flying roller coaster, contains a compact layout with a distinctive spiral lift hill. In late 2010 the ride got dismantled and relocated to Luna Park in Coney Island, where it opened in April 2011 as the Soarin' Eagle. The ride has an identical sister, Hero, which opened in July 2013 at Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire.
Camden Park is a twenty-six acre amusement park located near Huntington, West Virginia. Established in 1903 as a picnic spot by the Camden Interstate Railway Company, it is one of only thirteen trolley parks that remain open in the United States. Whereas most trolley parks were located at the end of trolley lines, Camden Park is unusual in that it was built where riders traveling between Huntington and nearby cities would stop to change lines. Not long after opening, the park soon gained a carousel and other roadside attractions. Camden Park is West Virginia's only amusement park. The park is home to more than thirty rides and attractions, including a full-size traditional wooden roller coaster, the Big Dipper, and several other vintage rides.
Big Dipper was a wooden roller coaster located at the defunct Geauga Lake amusement park in Bainbridge Township, Ohio. Originally opened in 1925 as Sky Rocket, it was renamed Clipper in the late 1940s, and eventually Big Dipper in 1969. It was the oldest operating roller coaster in Ohio and seventh-oldest in the United States when it closed in 2007. Designed by John A. Miller, the Big Dipper was also one of the last remaining roller coasters in the world from the designer. American Coaster Enthusiasts awarded the coaster its ACE Coaster Classic and ACE Coaster Landmark designations. Efforts to sell, preserve, and restore the ride were unsuccessful. The ride was demolished on October 17, 2016.
Astroland was a 3.1-acre (1.3 ha) amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City that opened in 1962. It was located at 1000 Surf Avenue on the boardwalk. It ceased operations on September 7, 2008.
Big Dipper is a wooden out and back roller coaster at Pleasure Beach Resort, Blackpool, England. Originally built in 1923, it was extended in 1936 and was designated as a Grade II listed building on 19 April 2017. It operates with two trains, each containing three four-bench cars, seating two people per bench. After Scenic Railway, Big Dipper is the second-oldest in-use rollercoaster in Britain. The ride has 1 lapbar per row.
The Sydney Ghost Train fire at Luna Park Sydney in Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia killed seven people on 9 June 1979. Inadequate fire-fighting measures and low staffing caused the fire to completely destroy the amusement park's ghost train.
The Gold Coaster is a steel roller coaster operating at Dreamworld. The roller coaster is one of the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere, after originally being the tallest when it was first built. Designed by Arrow Dynamics, built in Melbourne by Able Leisure Pty. Ltd the ride was originally installed at Luna Park Sydney in 1995 as the Big Dipper before being sold and relocated to Dreamworld on the Gold Coast in 2001. When it was brought to Dreamworld, the ride was the first roller coaster to be opened on the Gold Coast since 1997. The roller coaster was named Cyclone from 2001 until 2015 when it was refurbished and named Hot Wheels SideWinder as part of the new Motorsport Experience themed land from 2015 to 2020.
White City is the common name of dozens of amusement parks in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Inspired by the White City and Midway Plaisance sections of the World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893, the parks started gaining in popularity in the last few years of the 19th century. After the 1901 Pan-American Exposition inspired the first Luna Park in Coney Island, a frenzy in building amusement parks ensued in the first two decades of the 20th century.
Luna Park is an amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. It opened on May 29, 2010, at the site of Astroland, an amusement park that had been in operation from 1962 to 2008, and Dreamland, which operated at the same site for the 2009 season. It was named after the original 1903 Luna Park which operated until 1944 on a site just north of the current park's 1000 Surf Avenue location.
Frederick A. Church (1878–1936) was an American engineer and early roller coaster designer. He is most famous for his "Bobs" series of roller coasters that featured severe banking, steep drops, and nonstop action.
Luna Park Glenelg was an amusement park that operated at Glenelg, South Australia from 1930 until 1935. Plans for an amusement park at the seaside town were first raised in 1928, but not acted upon. In 1929, a lease to build a scenic railway at Colley Reserve was granted by the Glenelg Town Council. This lease was expanded in 1930 to include other rides and attractions, and Luna Park Glenelg opened on 8 October 1930.
Fort George Amusement Park was a trolley park and amusement park that operated in the Washington Heights and Inwood neighborhoods of Upper Manhattan, New York City, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It occupied an area between 190th and 192nd Streets east of Amsterdam Avenue, within present-day Highbridge Park.
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