Wonderland Timeline

Captain William Minchin received a grant of about 1,000 acres at what became Minchinbury; it included land that later formed part of the Wonderland site. See Before Wonderland.

Dr Charles McKay bought the Minchinbury Estate. The land that became Wonderland stayed grazing country, leased to tenants.

The estate passed to James Angus. His family kept the pastoral land around the Minchinbury winery until 1975.

The Australian Government resumed land from the Angus estate for the Wallgrove Army Camp; parts of the camp stood on the future Wonderland precinct. Wallgrove Road was built in 1942. See Before Wonderland.

The Wallgrove Migrant Hostel opened in former army buildings. It ran until December 1952 and was used for migrants again in the early 1960s.

Aerial photo of the land. See Before Wonderland.

The Angus family’s connection with the remaining estate ended.

Aerial photos of the land, years before Wonderland was built on it. See Before Wonderland.

Aerial photo of the land, weeks before it was rezoned.

The land was zoned 3(k) Entertainment and Tourism under Blacktown Local Environmental Plan No. 65. See The History of Australia’s Wonderland.

Development Consent No. 013166 was issued for the themed entertainment park.

NSW Premier Neville Wran launched the project at the groundbreaking ceremony on the site, attended by Bill Hanna and several Hanna-Barbera characters. Construction began that month.

The park was built. The construction photos on this site run from 22 August 1984 to 29 November 1985. See the Construction Timeline.

Construction of the Bush Beast began. It took seven months and was finished on 5 November 1985.

Bill Hanna met the press at the park the day before it opened.

Australia’s Wonderland officially opened, with three themed lands: Goldrush, Medieval Faire and Hanna-Barbera Land. Premier Neville Wran turned on the park’s waterfall alongside Yogi Bear to signal its opening.

The park was open daily from this date, except Christmas Day, according to its first Fun Club Passport.

By August 1986 the park had drawn 600,000 visitors, well short of the 1.6 million projected for the first year.

The site’s zoning became 3(c) Entertainment and Tourism under changes to Blacktown’s planning scheme.

The Beach water park opened, a seasonal attraction beside the theme park.

Medieval Faire was renamed International Village.

The Sea Demon was moved to the old Funnel Web site in Goldrush to make room for the Wildlife Park and became HMS Endeavour.

The Zodiac, which had run at Kings Island in the United States until 1986, opened at Wonderland.

The Australian Wildlife Park opened, on land previously occupied by Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla paddle boats.

Skyhawk opened in Goldrush.

Transylvania opened with The Demon roller coaster. International Village was renamed Old Botany Bay. Taft Broadcasting’s interest in the park was sold to Australian investors.

Fred Flintstone’s Splashdown opened in Hanna-Barbera Land, on the site of the original mini golf course.

The Outback Woolshed opened between Goldrush and the Wildlife Park.

The park’s staff celebrated Wonderland’s 10th birthday with a party at the Woolshed.

Space Probe 7 opened under a naming rights deal with Channel Seven, with a new laser and fireworks show around the tower.

Sunway bought the park and it became known as Wonderland Sydney. The Skyrider cable car, from the old Sydney Showground, was installed: the last major ride added to the park.

The Tall Ship closed to make way for the War on Water show.

Wonderland did not renew its Hanna-Barbera licence. The character names and decorations were removed and Hanna-Barbera Land was renamed Little Wonders Land.

Little Wonders Land closed months after its renaming and its rides were moved or closed: Captain Caveman’s Clippers became Galleon’s Graveyard and Dick Dastardly’s Flying Circus became Little Monsters Flying School, both in Transylvania; Huckleberry Hound’s Merry-Go-Round became the Carousel and Dino’s Derby became Baby Bumpers, both in Old Botany Bay; Boo Boo’s Balloon Race moved to Goldrush as The Great Balloon Escape. The Beastie and Fred Flintstone’s Splashdown closed, Wizard’s Fury was scrapped, and the Skyrider stopped carrying passengers.

Hartford Lane Pty Ltd signed a put and call option deed for the sale of the Wonderland property for $52.5 million. See the Demolition Timeline.

Staff were told that Wonderland Sydney would close for good.

Wonderland Sydney operated for the last time, ending more than 18 years of operation. See The Last Day.

The rides were dismantled and sold or relocated, and the park was demolished. The Demolition Timeline has the day by day account and links to the photo pages.

The former park was rezoned for employment-related development under Amendment No. 6 to State Environmental Planning Policy No. 59.

The sale of the property settled.

The Bush Beast was demolished.

Blacktown City Council’s Lot 11 Precinct Plan for the site came into force.

Leftover pieces of the park sat in the Bone Yard on the site.

The site was redeveloped as an industrial estate. See the Redevelopment Timeline.

Wonderland History bought the four Bush Beast trains. See Bush Beast Trains for Sale.

The Bush Beast trains went to their permanent home at Artisans Park in Bathurst. See Bush Beast after closure.