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Luna Park Melbourne celebrates 110 years of history

Luna Park Melbourne celebrates 110 years of history
December 14, 2022

Luna Park Melbourne has marked its 110th anniversary with a celebration event held last night.

The oldest amusement park in Australia, Luna Park Melbourne staged a community event for guests, neighbours, local schools, charities and stakeholders.

Also marking the milestone, the Melbourne landmark launched a new summer soundtrack with This Is Where I Fun, performed by Australia’s Got Talent star Greg Gould, who co-wrote the track with Melbourne-based marketing strategist Tony Chilvers.

Officially opened on 13th December 1912, Luna Park brought a new type of fairground experience to Australia – with rides, sideshows and high-wire artists, husband and wife juggling act The Tossing Testros and acrobats Lovina and Franz who held one another by their teeth.

More than a century on, locals and visitors alike continue to enjoy Luna Park’s modern thrills and historic attractions - creating a world of fantastical fun that has created delightful memories for generations.

Commenting on the anniversary, Luna Park Melbourne Chief Executive, Mary Stuart stated “it’s lovely to see a new generation of children and adults making memories at Luna Park. It’s a part of Melbourne’s history, but it doesn’t belong behind glass.

“It’s a living museum in many ways, where you can enjoy attractions virtually unchanged from 110 years ago, while also experiencing modern thrills.

“We encourage everyone to share their most memorable Luna Park moments with us; the wild, the unforgettable, the exhilarating.”

Among Luna Park’s historic attractions, its Carousel, restored between 1999 and 2001, l is a grand example of carnival arts, with 68 magnificent horses each boasting an elaborate design. At the heart of the carousel is a large band organ made in Paris around 1909, the only one of its kind in Australia and one of only five in the world.

The Great Scenic Railway is the oldest continuously operating wooden rollercoaster in the world, persisting still when the Luna Park reduced operations during the First World War and as it operated under blackout conditions during the Second World War.

Welcoming guests, Mr Moon’s gaping face has been restored several times over the years.

Originally made of chicken wire, hessian and cement, the current Mr Moon is made of fibreglass, but, when being restored, used the original ‘bone structure’ as a guide, a process that involving the painstaking chipping off of six tonnes of concrete.

Related Articles

12th November 2022 - Luna Park Melbourne’s ‘Mr Moon’ entrance gets a facelift

18th October 2022 - Global attractions attendance report reveals 2021 as a year of recovery

27th December 2019 - Mary Stuart to step down as Chief Executive of Luna Park Melbourne

29th November 2019 - Luna Park Melbourne introduces new rides for summer

12th January 2018 - Security bollards erected to protect Luna Park Melbourne

14th June 2014 - Luna Park Melbourne to celebrate Christmas in July

23rd March 2014 - Luna Park Melbourne jumps into the Easter holidays

20th January 2014 - Luna Park Melbourne celebrates summer with three new rides

13th December 2013 - Luna Park Melbourne celebrates 101st birthday and 100th anniversary of its magical carousel

17th December 2012 - Luna Park Melbourne celebrates 100 years

27th September 2011 - Luna Park Melbourne reopens for the spring school holidays

2nd September 2011 - Luna Park Melbourne set to make the most of Fathers Day

20th January 2010 - Luna Park Melbourne deploys Centaman Web Ticketing


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