Construction Timeline - Wonderland History

Australia’s Wonderland was built between June 1984 and December 1985. This timeline is made from the dated construction photographs on this site, one entry for each day we have photos from, together with the key dates from the park’s history. Each photo entry shows a few of that day’s photos and links to the pages holding the full set. 1158 photos over 55 days are covered.

November 4, 1983

The land at Eastern Creek was zoned for entertainment and tourism. See The History of Australia’s Wonderland.

March 1, 1984

Development consent for Australia’s Wonderland was granted.

June 8, 1984

NSW Premier Neville Wran launched the project at the groundbreaking ceremony on the site, attended by Bill Hanna, representatives of the partners and several Hanna-Barbera characters. Construction began that month and created nearly 500 jobs in Western Sydney.

Official groundbreaking ceremony, 8 June 1984. NSW Premier Neville Wran officially launched construction of Australia's Wonderland at Minchinbury. The photograph includes Hanna-Barbera co-founder Bill Hanna, standing behind Fred Flintstone, together with Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and representatives associated with the development of the park.

August 22, 1984

5 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (5).

Medieval Faire Construction 22 August 1984

September 18, 1984

8 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (8).

Medieval Faire Construction 18 September 1984

September 28, 1984

5 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (5).

Medieval Faire Construction 28 September 1984

October 13, 1984

15 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (15).

Medieval Faire Construction 13 October 1984

October 23, 1984

6 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (6).

Medieval Faire Construction 23 October 1984

October 30, 1984

4 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 30 October 1984

November 10, 1984

31 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (14), Medieval Faire Construction (10), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (7).

Who would think a massive theme park would rise out of this in only 12 months time, 10 November 1984

Medieval Faire Construction 10 November 1984

November 14, 1984

4 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 14 November 1984

November 16, 1984

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

November 17, 1984

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

November 26, 1984

26 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (13), Medieval Faire Construction (7), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (6).

Snowy River being marked out, 26 November 1984

Medieval Faire Construction 26 November 1984

"I think we'll put a river ride here", 26 November 1984

December 1984

The press release Wonderland Update #1 was issued.

December 1, 1984

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

December 4, 1984

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

December 8, 1984

17 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (8), Medieval Faire Construction (5), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 8 December 1984

January 1, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

January 2, 1985

19 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (12), Medieval Faire Construction (7).

Medieval Faire Construction 2 January 1985

January 5, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

January 20, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

January 21, 1985

61 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (35), Medieval Faire Construction (25), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (1).

Must have had a big delivery of besser blocks, 21 January 1985

Medieval Faire Construction 21 January 1985

First building starts to take shape. This could be the pump room for the Snowy River Rampage, 21 January 1985

January 25, 1985

4 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 25 January 1985

January 27, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

January 29, 1985

28 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (19), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (5), Gold Rush Construction (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 29 January 1985

February 11, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

February 15, 1985

28 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (16), Gold Rush Construction (8), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (4).

Medieval Faire Construction 15 February 1985

Some completed buildings, 15 February 1985

February 22, 1985

19 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (13), Gold Rush Construction (4), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (2).

Medieval Faire Construction 22 February 1985

The frame for Banjo's Bakery goes up, 22 February 1985

February 27, 1985

36 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (16), Gold Rush Construction (13), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (7).

Medieval Faire Construction 27 February 1985

More frames going up in lower GR, 27 February 1985

March 14, 1985

6 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (4), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (2).

March 20, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

March 25, 1985

12 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (9), Gold Rush Construction (2), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 25 March 1985

Looks like the GR toilets on the right, with a games on the left. 25 March 1985

March 27, 1985

1 photo from this day: Gold Rush Construction (1).

March 28, 1985

46 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (20), Medieval Faire Construction (14), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (10), The Jousting Ring Construction (1), Tall Ship Construction (1).

This is the GR water course, NOT Snowy River, 28 March 1985

Medieval Faire Construction 28 March 1985

The Jousting Ring (dodgem cars) under construction, 28 March 1985

April 1, 1985

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

April 12, 1985

6 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (4), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (2).

Wonder what that massive frame is for? 12 April 1985

Looking at the cluster of buildings in lower GR, 12 April 1985

April 16, 1985

29 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (26), Tall Ship Construction (3).

Medieval Faire Construction 16 April 1985

16 April 1985: a successful launching. All it lacked was the champagne.

April 26, 1985

Newspaper article: Whoosh, and up she goes, on the Bush Beast.

April 30, 1985

25 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (16), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (8), Bush Beast Construction (1).

Looks like it is taken showing lower GR, from behind the runoff pond that was located out behind the Snowy River Rampage, 30 April 1985

May 8, 1985

Newspaper article: The frame goes up for new coaster.

May 14, 1985

43 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (20), Medieval Faire Construction (12), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (10), The Jousting Ring Construction (1).

"Jousting Ring" (dodgem cars) taking shape, 14 May 1985

May 15, 1985

17 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (16), The Jousting Ring Construction (1).

Inside the Jousting Ring "dodgem cars", 15 May 1985

May 30, 1985

92 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (60), Gold Rush Construction (20), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (10), Bush Beast Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1).

Broken Hill Mill, must have been taken over near the Gold Nugget Theatre, 30 May 1985

June 17, 1985

78 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (52), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (26).

Another slab being put down, 17 June 1985

Looks like one of the smaller food outlets in Goldrush, 17 June 1985

June 19, 1985

44 photos from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (31), Medieval Faire Construction (9), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (1), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (1), Beastie Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 19 June 1985

Medieval Faire Construction 19 June 1985

The lake being made for "Magilla Gorilla's Flotilla", 19 June 1985

June 27, 1985

64 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (25), Gold Rush Construction (16), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (8), Hanna Barbera Land Construction (8), Wizard’s Fury Construction (2), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (1), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (1), Beastie Construction (1), Sea Demon Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 27 June 1985

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 27 June 1985

July 10, 1985

1 photo from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 10 July 1985

July 27, 1985

39 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (18), Hanna Barbera Land Construction (10), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (9), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (1), Beastie Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 27 July 1985

August 1, 1985

72 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (48), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (24).

August 13, 1985

15 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (12), Gold Rush Construction (2), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 13 August 1985

August 17, 1985

10 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (9), Wizard’s Fury Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 17 August 1985

The Wizards Fury track starting to take shape, 17 August 1985

August 19, 1985

25 photos from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (21), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (1), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (1), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (1), Beastie Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 19 August 1985

Lake for Magilla Gorilla's Flotilla. The station is on the right. 19 August 1985

August 24, 1985

A bus service from Mount Druitt and Rooty Hill to Wonderland was operating by this date, before the park opened. See Buses to Wonderland.

August 30, 1985

52 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (15), Gold Rush Construction (14), Hanna Barbera Land Construction (9), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (7), Bounty’s Revenge Construction (2), Wizard’s Fury Construction (2), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1), Tall Ship Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 30 August 1985

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 30 August 1985

September 7, 1985

25 photos from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (20), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (3), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (1), Beastie Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 7 September 1985

Magilla Gorilla's Flotilla looks almost complete. 7 September 1985

September 17, 1985

Press release: Sneak Preview of Wonderland.

September 27, 1985

30 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (15), Hanna Barbera Land Construction (8), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (2), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (1), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (1), Dragon’s Flight Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1), Wizard’s Fury Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 27 September 1985

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 27 September 1985

The lake is slowly being filled (you can see some of the boats lying around the lake) The Operators booth for Balloons has been constructed (centre), 27 September 1985

September 28, 1985

16 photos from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (9), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (4), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (2), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 28 September 1985

28 September 1985: the slides have been completed, rails have been installed and some of the netting put in.

Magilla Gorilla's Flotilla is now complete as is the bridge leading into HB Land, 28 September 1985

October 18, 1985

6 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (5), Wizard’s Fury Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 18 October 1985

Wizards Fury entrance, (you can see the sign in the center of the pic), 18 October 1985

October 28, 1985

20 photos from this day: Medieval Faire Construction (17), Bounty’s Revenge Construction (1), The Jousting Ring Construction (1), Wizard’s Fury Construction (1).

Medieval Faire Construction 28 October 1985

Lake is full (and brown) Bounty's Revenge is ready to go. 28 October 1985

Finishing touches being put on the Wizards Fury, 28 October 1985

November 5, 1985

Construction of the Bush Beast was completed, a little over four weeks before the park opened.

November 17, 1985

40 photos from this day: Gold Rush Construction (18), Hanna Barbera Land Construction (11), Gold Rush Construction (Park Construction section) (9), Magilla Gorilla’s Flotilla Construction (2).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 17 November 1985

Magilla Gorilla's Flotilla looks set to go. Only 2 weeks out from official opening, 17 November 1985

November 29, 1985

17 photos from this day: Hanna Barbera Land Construction (14), Boo Boo’s Balloon Race Construction (1), Scooby’s Silly Stix Construction (1), Bounty’s Revenge Construction (1).

Hanna Barbera Land Construction 29 November 1985

Front right, HB Toilets, Centre right, Carousel , Centre Character House, back left (green stripes) is the HB Theatre. The flat roof centre 3/4 of the way back is the roof of the Dodgem Cars, behind which is Bounty's revenge. Way off in the back left is the top of the Bush Beast hill. Off in the background you can see where Eastern Creek raceway would later be built, 29 November 1985

December 6, 1985

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

Bill Hanna, V.P. of the Hanna Barbera Corp., meets one of his creations during a visit to Australia's Wonderland, 6 December 1985. Photo: John Nobley, Sydney Morning Herald.

Bill Hanna draws a cartoon of Fred Flintstone during a press conference at Australia's Wonderland, 6 December 1985. Photo: John Nobley, Sydney Morning Herald.

December 7, 1985

Australia’s Wonderland officially opened. Premier Neville Wran turned on the park’s waterfall alongside Yogi Bear to signal its opening, and was then escorted around the park by Managing Director Keith James and Kings Entertainment Co-President Nelson Schwab. See The History of Australia’s Wonderland.

December 14, 1985

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

April 11, 1988

The Beach water park under construction. It opened on 4 December 1988. See The Beach.

1 photo from this day: Beach Construction (1).

All the construction photos are on the Park Construction pages and on the construction pages of the individual rides. The story of the park’s planning and building is on The History of Australia’s Wonderland.

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