Save the Weston Park railway?

Took my eldest there a few years ago and it was pathetic, the train barely made it around the track and there was rubish and broken “attractions” everywhere. It had all the ambience of a ‘broken down amusement fair’ from scooby doo

The owner didn’t spend money on a refurb, as they had no guarantee of retaining the railway.

I remember riding that train when I was a tyke, and going there a few months ago with my friend and his daughter. The place has not changed since that 80’s and by that I mean renovated as well.

It really could do with a refurbish and they could make a go of it, but I was really dissapointed when I went, because my memories of it were grand and awesome, and I got there and it was, like someone else said, pissweak world.

I too remember the water park, mouse house and tree houses of yesteryear weston park.

Apparently its blocked off at night now as well, due once again to what the government tells us is antisocial behaviour.

Weston Park railway. Wow, I remember it from when I was first in canberra in about 74 or so.

I can’t believe the ACT governmewnt wants to can it.

They have money for Al Grassby statues and bizarre GDE artworks, not to mention the monstrosity at the roundabout on Adelaide avenue, and yet can’t find any funding for what is now a Canberra icon?

ah, but the government didn’t run the railway, otherwise it would still be a peak attraction….

bizarre artworks can’t cause accidents, but a railway can, so they want to can it. might check out the facebook site and see what can be done.

They actually do seem to have some really good ideas for the district parks in Canberra. I’m quite excited about it. There’s a lot of emphasis on letting children interact with the landscape in conjunction with imaginative use of playground equipment which harmonises with the natural surroundings and character of the park.

I would suggest that we have a look at what the proposals are before we criticise them. The design team would have probably had to have a very good reason for not including the train as a feature in the design.

I would keep it. Kids couldn’t care less about landscaping, but they do like trains.
There’s plenty of landscaping all over the place anyway.

the answer is nope. wouldn’t miss Weston Creek either.

I’m sure we could find a couple of inspired retirees/pensioners to do it up?
Nice project to get the community involved in.

It has never been anything special, certainly not really worth spending any effort saving. Wonder how many public artworks they’ll fill the park with instead of things that are actually fun/interesting/useful?

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Will need a lot of fixing before it acheives even a basic acceptable standard. Want a train ride for the kids? Go to Kingston- much better. And the kiosk is expensive crap. With poor service.

wood, from memory.

What was the maze? Hedges?

I Can’t believe that the maze is gone. How many years ago did that happen?

Fix it. It was crap-ish when the maze and the forts were there. Now it’s like Pissweak World.

I took my 3yo nephew there last year, and he LOVED it. I thought it needed a bit of a makeover and some publicity (there was no-one there except for us), but otherwise the railway is the closest thing to a theme park canberra has. Let it stay!

Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48700084335

My kids love the railway and the little kiosk makes good coffee. Yes its all a bit tired however its nothing some “economic stimulus” wouldn’t fix.

We would miss it.

Nope, maze is gone, bummer.

Surely the railway could almost pass pre-requistes for heritage listing !

I vote revamp !

Is the maze still there !?

Snap indeed! And work experience at the ABS, that’s not a bad analogy for what they’ve done to Weston Park.

Ha ha Ant, snap! 😀

Ummm, yes! It’s badly in need of a revamp but I am looking forward to the time when my bubs is old enough to ride. Perhaps if it were properly restored, more people would ride it??
After removing all the cool treehouses, dismantling the mouse house and not allowing water to flow through the ‘waterpark’, Weston Park will soon be about as exciting as a days work experience at the ABS(he he).
Please no…

I remember going on that when I was a kid, so it must have been there quite a long time. Weston Park used to be a thrilling place, first there were teh tree houses, then they added the water thing and the maze, and the train.

Now it’s just bland… fine if you’re an adult but it’s a shame today’s kids don’t get the exciting park we had.