Put simply, he was a childhood hero. What he did with Dreamworld is clearly something only a very special person could achieve.
To build a park that - adjusted for inflation - cost around $52 million in today’s money, is literally crazy when you think about it. With no real guarantee that it would even be popular. Granted, he had financial help from Keith Lord, but John was the driving force.
Australia’s Number 1 Tourist Attraction in 1987 cemented his legacy. Yet people discount what he did, which is unfair.
The John Longhurst Dreamworld truly was a magical place full of character and warmth. It is a place that will always be dear to me. Thank you John.