amusement park

Australia's Wonderland, Kings Island’s Long-Lost Sister Park

Australia's Wonderland

For 19 years, starting in 1985, Kings Island had a sister park Down Under. Originally called Australia’s Wonderland, the park opened on December 7, 1985, as the sixth member of the Kings Entertainment amusement park family. At 219 acres, it was the largest amusement park in the Southern Hemisphere. The park’s design was based mostly on Canada’s Wonderland, also a sibling of Kings Island, although Australia’s Wonderland shared much design and theming elements from the rest of its North American counterparts.

A lot like Kings Island

For example, it had a Beast roller coaster. Called Bush Beast, its logo was remarkably similar to that of the original Beast at Kings Island. It was designed by Curtis D. Summers, who had been part of the design team for Kings Island’s Beast. The Australian version, though, was much closer in execution to the big wooden coasters at California’s Great America (Grizzly), Kings Dominion (Grizzly, also), and Canada’s Wonderland (Wild Beast), all designed by Summers. The Beastie, a smaller wooden coaster, was the near twin of KI’s Beastie (now the Woodstock Express). The Aussie’s also had an antique car ride similar to KI’s.

Logo for Bush Beast at Australia's Wonderland

Like the KI version, the Beastie was located in Hanna-Barbera Land, one of the park’s original themed areas along with Goldrush, Medieval Faire (later renamed Old Botany Bay), and Transylvania. In 1988, a water park was added, somewhat ironically called The Beach, the name used by one of Kings Island’s local competitors. It pre-dated KI’s waterpark, Water Works, by a year. Weirdly, that park would later be called Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay, ater the popular Australian movie character, for a few years in the early 2000s. Australia's Wonderland, meanwhile, added a wildlife park in 1990.

The park is orphaned

In 1992, Kings Entertainment sold its assets to Paramount Communications, who had decided to establish an amusement park business to help promote their movie and TV properties. The six North American parks were part of the deal, but Australia’s Wonderland was not. Kings Entertainment only had a minority stake in the park and sold it to local investors, who in turn sold it to a Malaysian holding company called the Sunway Group a few years later. In 1997, the name was changed to Wonderland Sydney. Sunman held onto it until 2004, when they abruptly closed it. 

Most of the rides were demolished, with some moving to Sunway-owned parks in Malaysia. One coaster, the Demon, lives on as Zoomerang at Alabama Adventure in the U.S. It’s similar in design to KI’s Invertigo. 

Today, the site is an industrial park occupied mostly by warehouses behind one of which can be found the remnants of the old theme park. The area is unofficially known as the Wonderland Boneyard. The main road through the complex is called Wonderland Drive.

In 2014, property developer and former Wonderland employee Ammar Khan announced plans to resurrect the amusement park on a plot of land in Western Sydney not far from where the original park once stood. As of 2020, ground has yet to be broken on the project.

Reading next

Jacob Trevino Cincy Shirts Podcast
Tommy Thrall Cincy Shirts Podcast

165 comments

Anna joe

Anna joe

i want to share to the whole world how Dr masako the Great of all the Spell Caster, that helped me reunite my marriage back, my Ex Husband broke up with me 3months ago, I have been trying to get him back ever since then, i was worried and so confused because i love him so much. I was really going too depressed, he left me with my kids and just ignored me constantly. I have begged him for forgiveness through text messages for him to come back home and the kids crying and miss their dad but he wont reply, I wanted him back desperately. we were in a very good couple and yet he just ignores me and get on with his life just like that, so i was looking for help after reading a post of Dr masako on the internet when i saw a lady name SHARRON testified that Dr masako cast a Pure love spell to stop divorce. and i also met with other, it was about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 24 hours at the end of her testimony she dropped his email, I contacted Dr masako via email and explained my problem to Dr masako and he told me what went wrong with my husband and how it happen, that he will restored my marriage back, and to my greatest surprise my Ex husband came back to me, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day our marriage is now stronger than how it was before, Dr masako you’re a real spell caster, you can also get your Ex back and live with him happily: Contact Email doctormasako@gmail.com or Call/whatsapp +2349047144277 Visit his Website: https://doctormasako2.wixsite.com/drmasakospelltemple

Natasha Miller

Natasha Miller

My husband whom I built my life with for 23 years left me and the kids without a word. Everything came crashing down on me and I reached out to our loved ones and no one could help. There came a time he filed for divorce even when we had no issues or ever fought over anything disastrous. Dr Isikolo came to my rescue and fixed the problem I had with my man. He reunited us back together again and he returned home to us. Indeed life is mysterious and I never thought I would experience what I did went through but all thanks to Dr Isikolo who worked for me and assured me of the positive results after 48 hours which indeed came to pass as he promised. He can as well fix your problems if you contact him now. Text him on WhatsApp him on +2348133261196 or review his website https://isikolo-temple.com for more info

Robert Morrison

Robert Morrison

READ MY REVIEW HOW I WIN $158m CONTACT DR KACHI NOW FOR YOUR OWN LOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS.

I was a gas station truck driver and I always playing the SUPER LOTTO GAME, I’m here to express my gratitude for the wonderful thing that Dr Kachi did for me, Have anybody hear of the professional great spell caster who help people to win Lottery and clear all your debt and buy yourself a home and also have a comfortable life living. Dr Kachi Lottery spell casting is wonders and works very fast. He helped me with lucky numbers to win a big money that changed my life and my family. Recently i won, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT MILLIONS DOLLARS, A Super Lotto ticket I bought in Oxnard Liquor Store, I am so grateful to meet Dr Kachi on internet for helping me to win the lottery and if you also need his help, email him at: drkachispellcast@gmail.com and he will also help you as well to win and make you happy like me today. Text number OR Call: +1 (209) 893-8075  visit his Website, https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site

Sean Morgan

Sean Morgan

CONTACT THIS GREAT SPELL CASTER FOR LOTTERY WINNINGS AND ANY OTHER KIND OF HELP NEEDED. WhatsApp +234-8133261196
I am very grateful for sharing this great testimonies with you, The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how I won the lottery. I am a woman who believes that one day I will win the lottery. Finally my dreams came true when I emailed Dr Isikolo and told him I needed the lottery numbers. I have come a long way spending money on tickets just to make sure I win. But I never knew that winning was so easy until the day I meant the spell caster online which so many people have talked about. He is very great at casting lottery spells, so I decided to give it a try.I contacted this man and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out I was among the winners. I won $1.900.000USD. DR ISIKOLO truly you are the best, with this man, you can win millions of money through the lottery. I am so very happy to meet these man, i will forever be grateful to you. call/text him via WhatsApp on +2348133261196 or go through his webpage https://isikolo-temple.com

Corie Johnson

Corie Johnson

Hello my name is Corie Johnson from USA I want to tell the world about the great and mighty spell caster called PRIEST ELIJAH my husband was cheating on me and no longer committed to me and our kids when I asked him what the problem was he told me he has fell out of love for me and wanted a divorce I was so heartbroken I cried all day and night but he left home I was looking for something online when I saw an article how the great and powerful PRIEST ELIJAH have helped so many in a similar situation like mine he email address was there so I sent him an email telling him about my problem he told me he shall return back to me within 24hrs I did everything he asked me to do the nest day to my greatest surprise my husband came back home and was crying and begging for me to forgive and accept him back he can also help you contact

universalspellhelp@gmail.com or universalspellhelp@yahoo.com

WhatsApp/Text [+2347054380994]

Website: https://universalspellhelp.wixsite.com/priestelijah

Leave a comment

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.