URBEX exploring: The Aussie Fun Park that Time Forgot

The Magic Kingdom of south-west Sydney was once a fun park where family and friends would spend their weekends.

Now the park sits in disarray, with hardly any evidence remaining that it ever existed. Forgotten through time and surpassed by more extravagant fun parks, like Australian Wonderland. This one affordable park filled with small rides, a small water park and live performances fell into financial hardship with people seeking more adventurous rides.

The Magic Kingdom was hugely popular in the 70s and 80s. For just $6 entry, you had access to the whole park, including rides, performances, trampolines and the water park, which came later with further development. It closed down in the mid 1990’s due to competition from Australia’s Wonderland, which itself is now also sadly closed. Featuring various rides and water activities, including two water slides stretching almost 100m, radio-controlled cars, petrol-powered mini boats and bungy jumping, Magic Kingdom was a perfect day out for families on a budget back in the day.

Check out this old video of the fun park which used to air across Sydney-wide televisions:

After the park closed and was left to decay, it began to attract URBEX explorers (people who explore abandoned building and the like), who occasionally snuck in to take a look at the once famous site on Hollywood Drive.

Check out some of the images from URBEX explorers who managed to collect a few treasured photos before it fell further into disarray.

Nowadays there isn’t much left of the park. Last week, my partner and I decided to make a trip to the area where it once was rot check out whether there was anything still worthwhile exploring and documenting with photos. It was such a significant part of our history. Though I was probably too young to remember whether I went or not, I certainly remember the ad on televisions and I;’m sure I hounded my parents more than once or twice to take me there.

It was easy enough to find, but a little challenging to find the right spot to enter. We did go in the day, so there was no darkness to cover our entry. However, I would not have wanted to enter in the twilight or the dark for that matter. It’s summer here in Australia, and the spiders are HUGE.

Seems like someone recently had already entered the park to check out the remains of this fun park, as there was a break in the fence for us to enter. With no signs stating Private Property, or No Trespassing, we debated for a little while whether or not to enter. Then decided to do it. After all, we had no intention of destroying anything. I just want to take photos of whatever was resining and check it out.

As we entered, we followed the old road, which once would gave been filled with cars of families coming to the park for the day. With paint still on the speed bumps, and Entry and Exit signs still painted on the roads, what was left them anyways. We followed the winding road through some pretty thick brush to find out if anything was remaining.

There wasn’t much. It was quiet though. Nothing but the sounds of cicadas and birds. And the odd shimmer of GIANT cobwebs still left dangling between trees from the night before. If the webs are that big, that meant the spiders were big also. Glad we came in the day. With stick in hand protecting us from any webs crossing out path, we continued on throughout the park.

The only remains, were of some of the building, which were a toilet block, what we assume were a souvenir shop, foods stands, and a stall where you would have mostly bought your tickets for entry. It was sad to see the park left in the state that it was. When for so many years, it served as a hub for so many children to spend their weekend and school holidays in the south west, with friends and family. And now – nothing.

Just the eerie feels left over from the amount of energy that once resided in this park. The old fun park was also a reminder of how quickly earth reclaims the land once cleared to entertain humans. For there is no stopping her when she wants her land back from the people.

Here are a few pics I took whilst walking through whatever remained of the park: