Luna Park Sydney

Luna Park Sydney
Previously known as Harbourside Amusement Park
The Luna Park Face
Location1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°50′51″S 151°12′36″E / 33.8476°S 151.2100°E / -33.8476; 151.2100
StatusOperating
Opened4 October 1935 (1935-10-04)
OwnerLuna Park Reserve Trust
General managerJohn Hughes
SloganJust For Fun!
Operating seasonYear round
Attractions
Total23
Roller coasters4
Websitewww.lunaparksydney.com
Luna Park Precinct
Luna Park Sydney is located in Sydney
Luna Park Sydney
Location of Luna Park Precinct in Sydney
Coordinates33°50′51″S 151°12′36″E / 33.8476°S 151.2100°E / -33.8476; 151.2100
Built1935–
Architect
  • Rupert Browne
  • Herman Phillips
OwnerLuna Park Reserve Trust
Official nameLuna Park Precinct; Entrance Face and Towers; Crystal Palace; Coney Island; Alfred Street Entrance; Wild Mouse; Sandstone cliff;
TypeState heritage (complex / group)
Designated5 March 2010
Reference no.1811
TypeFunfair
CategoryRecreation and Entertainment
Builders
  • Stuart Brothers Ltd
  • David Atkins
  • Ted ('Hoppy') Hopkins

Luna Park Sydney is a heritage-listed amusement park located at 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia, on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour. The amusement park is owned by the Luna Park Reserve Trust, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It is one of Sydney's most famous landmarks and has had a significant impact on culture through the years, including being featured as a filming location for several movies and television shows.

It is protected by government legislation, namely the Luna Park Site Act 1990 which specifically protects the site and sets it aside for the purpose of an amusement park.[1] Several of the buildings on the site are also listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate and the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

The park was constructed during 1935, approximately 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the northern approaches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was an extremely popular attraction during World War II and the post-war period. The park suddenly closed in mid-1979 after the Ghost Train fire which killed six children and one adult. Most of the park was demolished and a new one was constructed, which operated for a brief time as Harbourside Amusement Park before the name was reverted. The park was closed again in 1988 as an independent engineering inspection determined that several rides needed urgent repair. The owners failed to repair and reopen the park before a Government of New South Wales deadline, and ownership was passed to a new body.

The park reopened in 1995, but closed yet again within thirteen months due to noise complaints about the Big Dipper rollercoaster from local residents, which led to reduced hours and a drop in attendance that made the park unsustainable to run. Luna Park opened only sporadically for the next nine years, including for special charity events and as a filming location. After another redevelopment, it reopened in 2004 and has continued operating ever since.

  1. ^ "Luna Park Site Act 1990". AustLii. Retrieved 17 January 2024.