Until it closed in 2004, Australia’s Wonderland was a magical park for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere. My dad would regularly take us on the 3 hour journey to Eastern Creek Sydney, and I really believe my love of fun parks started here.
Themed around Hanna-Barbera characters, there were a few great rides spread around a large area. There was the Bounty’s Revenge pirate ship that would rotate the whole way, leaving riders upside at the top just long enough to throw coins or spit in to the water below. A drop tower known as Space Probe 7, which had a fake count down and dropped riders at random times. Many different carnival rides were scattered throughout the park, but there were also three roller coasters.
The Bush Beast was probably responsible for a lot of my lost brain cells as a kid. It was a real bone rattler of a wooden coaster, but had some great drops! I remember being told off for standing up on the coaster, but in reality, the lap bar was so far away that your backside would rise considerably during any air time. There was also a mini version of this coaster called the Beastie, which was great for younger kids.
In 1992, Wonderland got its first steel rollercoaster. This was a boomerang model called The Demon that had been purchased from Expo 88 in Brisbane. It was the first time I had ever gone backwards on a rollercoaster, and it opened my eyes to the possibilities that could be created when engineers meet adrenalin seekers. Today I find the boomerang coasters tame and lack-lustre, but at the time this was the coaster that the teens would rave about.
I was truly devastated when Wonderland closed. Our nearest decent park was now a 14-hour drive away, and I felt like part of my childhood had been torn down. Some of the rides were sold, but the remainder of the park was demolished. Every now and then, stories pop up about billionaires wanting to reopen the park. If they get it going, I promise to buy shares.
Roller Coaster Ramble 