14 January 2011

Canberry Fair - Where'd it go?

| jayjay
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Can any rioters help me out?

Im trying to find info on the old Canberry Fair.

I have few memories of the water trikes as a kid but not much else.

Anybody know where in Canberra it was located and why it went?

Thanks for your assistance.

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TheDancingDjinn3:59 pm 11 Dec 11

I loved going to Clancy’s on the weekends. The only place i have ever been drunk and going to the bathroom and a peacock walks in and ruffles up his feathers – the place was beautiful, if i were a wealthy business woman i would have bought it just because it looks / looked so nice.

I helped a contractor take the train away – we started it up and did a couple of circuits first – the contractor was a bit tearful remembering all the times he had taken his children there. The venture failed because there were simply not enough people in the region to support it. A similar development at Forster-Tuncurry (Tun-Of-Fun?) failed for the same reasons. The promoters were probably well meaning but over enthusiatic people like the people who started TranACT. The difference is the former used their own money, the latter used ratepayers with no accountability. The ACT Government should note that any proposals for new, larger stadiums and convention centres and very fast trains will fail for the same unviablabilty reasons.

Golden-Alpine12:42 pm 11 Dec 11

I wonder if Canberra is big enough to support something like this now. After reading the story about the stadium by the lake I thought perhaps this kind of facility by the lake would be ideal. Great setting and still sensitive enough to the location. How cool to see the return of the swans on the lake! Maybe next to an upgraded convention centre with parking facilities that can be used Monday – Friday for commuters.

Nice story in Canberra Times about Canberry Fair. Lots of reminiscing and a few photos too.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/a-fair-to-remember/2388204.aspx?storypage=0

I remember seeing a girl vomit on the gravitron and wear the whole lot straight back in her face. Sad to see that this type of amusement park didn’t survive in Canberra.

I threw up on the Gravitron. The centrifical force dumped it on everone else except me.

For my own curiosity I googled Downunderland amusements, and found the following

http://www.downunderland.com/

There it claims that they are planning a bigger and better amusement park, though a simple whois tells me that the website was registered in 2001 and ceases in 2017, so the data on the website need not be current.

Open sources also tell me that Downunderland Amusements Pty. Ltd. (ACT) received an ABN, active from 13 March 2009 and also that Darryl Greggory Webb is an entity that has been trading as “Downunderland Amusements” since 20 Apr 2000, also in the ACT. The whois information found supports the above.

So it appears that Downunderland Amusements is still a legal entity, but whether they are trading or not, or intend to again is to be seen, though I think Canberra does need some local dodgems and a vomitron to keep the kids off the streets

Try searching in Google for “canberry fair” – heaps of stuff there. tl;dr – it’s in Watson beyond the old drivein next to the petrol station.

Soon the site will be affordable housing.

WonderfulWorld9:56 pm 14 Jan 11

Some of the later news from a quick search.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/02/11/2817092.htm

It was difficult to get to from Woden suburbs for teenagers unless parents agreed to drive and pick up. I saw some iconic bands, Uncanny Xman included.

Not surprised it didn’t last, when the drive in didn’t survive it’s last round of support.

But, “my Canberra” is very different to what the city has to offer with these types of activities. Its the large country town feel still with these parks listed as “special” not permanent and fun is created by enjoying the temporary moments. Sporting events, big bands that come, Music festivals that they “tried to do” but won’t probably be seen for another few years (the whole lets try it for 3 years and then see but not bother to see, contracts over move on matter). I enjoy the comings and goings, but never expect…

I think it was called “Down underland Amusements” in its last incarnation…

Limited photos here

I saw Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons there once a squillion years ago.

Canberry fair used to be in Watson out on the federal highway behind the petrol station at the big round about. It has been closed I think for quite some time now however…

I love how the sign for the ol’ Starlight drive-in is still there near all that new development.

My poor kids suffer through the stories of ‘I remember when….’ each time we drive past it.

Hopefully they won’t rip that down.

D2 said :

It’s a damn shame that it never worked. The buildings were beautifully put together and it seemed to be well-run. I have fond memories of playing music there in my band.

I saw Uncanny X-Men play there in 1985, I had forgotten it changed ownership/names a few times, but surprised to learn that someone was riding the rollercoaster in 2002. I though it had closed a decade or more since then.

Rollersk8r said :

What’s left of it is still there. It’s in what is now the new area of Watson, or just beyond. Right next to the Formule 1 hotel at the start/end of the Federal Highway.

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

It was only open for a few years in the mid 80s, its been more than 20 years now.

jayjay said :

On a side note, RiotACT is the only site I visit to keep up to date on news in Canberra. CT website is terrible and Win news seem to have given up on posting anything interesting on their website.

Couldn’t agree more. The CT web site is a disgrace and WIN’s audience is the under-5s.

I’m glad that you’re keeping up to date here. 🙂

It was a great venue, before its time I guess. Agree re the well-built buildings, lovely timber in them. I worked functions at Clancys from time to time. Remember a great New Year’s Eve bash there, Goanna was the headline act, might have been at the end of 82?

Thanks for all your responses. Unfortunately for me, I can’t visit. I live in the UK now. I do remember the starlight drive-in and vaguely remember the heritage village signage on the highway.

Again, Thanks to all for your responses.

On a side note, RiotACT is the only site I visit to keep up to date on news in Canberra. CT website is terrible and Win news seem to have given up on posting anything interesting on their website.

Cheers

Its being levelled, and redeveloped into houses.
http://www.allhomes.com.au/ahda/property/photo/2010/09/10/1e98cbbda6970dbd217c8a99a4c143ae_l.jpg

Brought to you by cooperation between the Stanhope Government, and the Village Building Co.

It’s a damn shame that it never worked. The buildings were beautifully put together and it seemed to be well-run. I have fond memories of playing music there in my band.

Message to self – I must remember to scroll down the postings BEFORE adding my bit.

Rollersk8r said :

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

From memory it changed name and continued running albeit with a few less attractions. I remember riding the rollercoaster there in 2002, it was called ‘Australian Heritage Village’ by then though I think.

Up behind the servo on the Federal Highway (up from the old Starlight Drive-in). Not much left these days however.

Canberry Fair is/was located on corner (roundabout) of Northbourne Ave and Antil Street Watson – behind the petrol station and the cheap hotel heading out on Federal Highway. Better go have a look soon – the developers are preparing to bulldoze the remaining buildings and landscaped park to squash in a bunch of townhouses very shortly. The building the developers are currently working out of is magnificant – with a beautiful colonial handcrafted wooden staircase and bannister rarely seen in the Canberra.

In it’s hayday, there were restaurants, the pub, craft markets (including ‘resident’ artists/craft workers like saddlery, wrought iron work etc), function (weddings etc) amusement rides for the kiddies and much, much more. Unfortunately, it never really made a profit and changed owners (and names) a number of times. Now that Canberra actually has a larger population, especially in that area of North Canberra, there might have been a chance for it to actually make it … but the developers and the ACT government had other ideas.

In the ACT government’s wisdom, they have decided an amusement/recreational/heritage park is surplus to Canberra’s requirements, including an perfectly good functions area, unique buildings and the old pub (was Clancy’s). The multitudes of North Canberra and Gungahlin weren’t deemed interesting enough to warrant having such a facility (because they have Gold Creek no doubt). We can’t have too many places to have fun in Canberra!

I believe someone was recording “recollections” of the Canberry Fair/Colonial Village/Australia Heritage Park era. If you google it, you’ll find a number of references to the park – including previous discussion, including its sad demise, on RiotACT.

colourful sydney racing identity10:10 am 14 Jan 11

up the highyway just past EPIC – I suspect it may now be housing…

What’s left of it is still there. It’s in what is now the new area of Watson, or just beyond. Right next to the Formule 1 hotel at the start/end of the Federal Highway.

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

It was on Federal Hwy and Antill St. Have a search around here, it’s come up a few times. Someone had some pictures of the derelict rides and stuff. I remember the remote controlled boats and the gravatron – we screamed so loud one day as it spun down that the operator let us have a double turn!

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