bren79

From someone that runs a multi million dollar business, all i can tell you is that business is business. It would be nice to think that companies are all warm and fuzzy and that they actually give a toss about the community and its children, families etc. The short of the story is that they dont. They are there to make money and lots of it, both for the board members and more importantly, the shareholders. The public cannot and should not dictate to a privately owned company, what they can and cant do with assetts. You have to remeber that is all that Wonderland was, an asset and sure it meant alot to some people (including me) but a commercial decision was made and like it or lump it, they will continue to be made all over the world. Its the same right that gives companies the privilege of being able to close factories and move their production offshore costing thousands of local jobs. Both Dairy Farmers and Gates Rubber have just closed factories on the South Coast of NSW costing some 600 jobs. It's alot more harmful to the economy than Wonderland closing, but they have a right to do it, because they OWN the company. You must understand the simple commercial ownership principals to comprehend what has happened and why. I know you want to be a kid at heart and wish Wonderland back to life, but the fact is that it was a commercial enterprise, of which its owners wished to capitalise on the land it occupised. Simple!! Now can we all please let it go and move on with life.

Whisperings in Macquarie Street about a new State Government working committee being formed in 2006 to investigate amusement park options for the Sydney area. Also interesting that the Premier last week had lunch with some execs from Disney that were over here on other business. Coincidence??? Who knows Will keep you informed if i hear any more.

I got back from Disneyland and California Adventure just recently and i would have to say that Soarin Over California was AWESOME apart from the fact that it wasnt long enough. Pirates of Carribean was also very entertaining as was California Screamin'

Gents, I addressed my last post in response to Sean where as it should have been to Alex. Sorry about that Sean!! Alex, read my last post. Yes, its true, even Liberals make mistakes sometimes....John Hewson!!

So Sean, you say if they build it, people will come? Just like Wonderland? Sure it worked for a few years, but seriously who wanted to drive to the middle of no where, especially a dry bush type environment in Western Sydney for the sake of a theme park that was lacking in any major amusements (well in the last few years) I think maybe you are too bias towards Western Sydney and should actually consider alternatives. As for your comments about John Howard, well where do i start? Firstly, there isnt going to be an election in 2006 for PM, secondly if there was, my friend and yours, Mr Peter Costello would be contesting it, not me. Lets face it boys, labor sux, they dont know how to run a state let alone the country. The sooner the labor party shrivels up and dies the better. I know we could take over NZ demolish everything, make the entire country a theme park, have cheap flights for $99 there and in 20 yrs when its ****, we will just get our american friends to create an underwater earth quake that destroys the place by a tsunami and then sell the land to an industrial giant. Now that idea, would be a Bob carr approach.

How about we all pester Jamberoo to expand? I know you all think im on drugs for suggesting it but the guy has heaps of space and its not that far from Sydney and is in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Any thoughts?

Alex, I take exception to you thinking people from the South Coast are hicks. The South Coast of NSW is the second fastest growing region in Australia after the Gold Coast. We have the same growth here in a week that Sydney has in 6 months. thats a FACT!! We also have a higher socio-economic population base then Sydney and yes that is including the Eastern Suburbs. The fact that im a liberal supporter has no bearing and the only reason i mentioned it was because i do know some people and thought i may be able to lobby to try and bring some entertainment back to the people of NSW. Regardless of you views and regardless of whether my opinions are a crock, the fact is that Central and Eastern Sydney experience higher visitation rates than Western Sydney. IN fact it is arounf ten fold more than Western Sydney. (Figures from Tourism NSW) so my point again is that if something new was to be built, surely better to build somewhere that you have higher visitation to begin with. Wonderland is gone, for what reason is irrelevant now. I dont hold it against the owners, it was their land and they have a commercial right do with it as they wish, the same as you do with your business. If you want to close your business and redevelop it, it is your right. The fact that it was a theme park makes it slightly more sensitive but no less commercially responsible. I do think you a little to quick to judge people though Alex and it suprises me that your attitude is as derelict as what you have demonstrated here today.

Well obviously some of the members on here have trouble understanding what is written and choose to read between the lines and interprate and opinion that just doesnt exist. The following points need to be made: I am not from Eastern Sydney, i am from the South Coast. Yes I am a Liberal Supporter but that does not mean I hate Western Sydney, nor did i say i did. I simply said that I didnt think it was a good place for a theme park. I commented that if you COULD build one at Bondi, it would work. I then went onto say that it wasnt feasable because of the high density residential buildings that are already there. Now, lets face facts..... People visit Bondi, who visits Western Sydney??? Ask an asian tourist if they know Bondi? Ask and Asian tourist if they know Western Sydney? The fact is that whilst we have to cater to domestic, we also have to cater to international. Domestic alone will not sustain a theme park. Some of you people on here need to pull your head out of the preverbial and start living in the real world. Have any of you ever heard of a business? Do you understand what is needed to make it viable? If you think wonderland is such a great idea, then where are the fully costed business proposals? Of cause not because at the end of the day, half of you want a dream and are not willing to face reality. I came on here to post to offer some support for what i thought was the most realistic approach. Just because someone offers something to which is different to your opinion, it does not mean they are attacking you. You guys seriously need to grow up.

Hi All, Well i am very new to this site but i have spent the past three days reading almost every post relating to Wonderland Sydney and it's closure. Firstly, i applaude you all for the dedication you have shown to the park over the years and also to those who are still trying to save the park in some way. I attended Wonderland very regularly and was one of the first people through the gate the day it opened and one of the last through the gate, the day it closed. When i heard of it's closure, i had conversations with Stephen Galbraith and later with Mr Toussaint (i think that's the spelling) from ING. What became apparently clear is that neither of these organisations have any belief that Wonderland in any shape or form is a worthwhile business to operate in it's current form on that current site. I realise some members here wish to see it reopened as a "Mini Wonderland" with pressure put on political representatives for this to become a mandatory requirment under the SEPP59 rezoning. As someone who is abreast of the political arena, and as a very active member of the Liberal Party, I find it very hard to fathom that any government be it Liberal or Labor would seek to impose this requirment on such a large investor in our state, thus risking potential jobs all for the sake of a roller coaster and a beach in the middle of an industrial zone. Having said this, i must point out that i dont wish to detract from what your members are trying to do, as i have been a big fan of Wonderland Sydney for many, many years. I think the realisation is that it is gone and it will not be back in any way shape or form. What i would like to encourage your members to do is to lobby for a new NSW Super Theme Park. Governments and Opposition parties will offer support for this idea and I believe you would find many allies in this cause as it will bring new job and new development to you state. So let's get behind a lobby project to all the major theme park operators in Australia and around the world. Why not the likes of Disney for example? is there a plausable reason that they wouldnt build a Disney Oz? Providing they placed the park in a tourist destination type place, i cannot see why it wouldnt work. You need a park in a place that people already visit. Somewhere that people are going to go anyway, not in the middle of Western Sydney where there is nothing but suburbia. God if you could build a theme park in Bondi, it'd go off. Obviously this isnt realistic because of the high residential population but you get my point. Im happy to help lobby in the political arena and talk to some people, but i would like some support from members of your forum. I believe that this option has a higher chance of success than trying to save any part of Wonderland or trying to pressure multi national companies to keep a 20yr old roller coaster and a couple of water slides. Well thats all i have to say for my first post, shoot me down in flames if you think im wrong. I too am a die hard theme park fan. RIP Wonderland.