Old Sydney Town

Old Sydney Town
Location	Somersby, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°25′09″S 151°16′32″E / 33.41925°S 151.2755°E
Opened	26 January 1975
Closed	3 January 2003
Owner	Australian Government (1975); Government of New South Wales (1976-1987); Westpac (1975–1987); Warwick Amusements (1987-2003);
Slogan	"The Biggest Heritage Park in NSW"; "Enter and Step Back in Time";
Operating season	All year round
Area	125-hectare estate

Old Sydney Town was an Australian open-air museum and theme park which operated from 1975 until 2003 in Somersby on the New South Wales Central Coast. Once a living tribute to the early years of Sydney's colonial settlement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was complete with historical reenactments and authentic construction methods. The site is now used as a location for film and television production. It borders the Australian Reptile Park.

Robert Hughes, author of The Fatal Shore called the site "the only theme park in the world devoted to punishment and repression."

During its lifetime, the park had 6 million visitors.^[1]

^ "ABC AM Radio 702- "Old Sydney Town to close"". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 January 2003. Archived from the original on 26 December 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2008.

[1] "ABC AM Radio 702- "Old Sydney Town to close"". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 January 2003. Archived from the original on 26 December 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2008.

[1]