Expo 88 & World Expo Park: Australia’s Shortest Lived Theme Park | HistoryTyme
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2020
- Expo 88 was Australia's World Fair and it was a roaring success. Hosted in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland, a lot was riding on this event showcasing Queensland as an international tourism destination and what better way to feature that than by building a brand new theme park right next door.
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![Icons of World Expo 88 [Seven News Flashback]](/img/n.gif)
My mum was a cartographer in Brisbane the 80s, and she drew the plans for Expo 88! She’s going to love this video 🥰
PS she just reminded me that she also drew up the plans for the first water park on the GC, which apparently ended up being a model for Wet and Wild. Apparently my love of theme parks comes from her!
My uncle travelled around Australia with the exhibition.
@@elenfae602 New doc I just watched, search "World Expo 88 - Then & Now".
Your mum may have been involved with "Cade's County Waterpark", built by Colin Herringe, opened in 84, which became Wet & Wild.
Keith Williams was SeaWorld, sold to Pivot Leisure in 84 (then focused on Hamilton Island). Pivot took on partners Warner Bros & Village Roadshow, built Movie World, bought out Colin (= 3 park ticket).
Dreamworld was John Longhurst (son Tony famous car racer, now involved in Boat Works) sold to developer Bruce Jenkin's, been threw a few hands since.
There was another short lived park called Koala Town opposite, on the Coomera river.
@@elenfae602That’s a joy to have inherited. That’s quite a feat your mother had undertaken. I recall venturing to Expo 88 as a young child, and although I don’t have a swathe of memories from the place, I certainly remember the atmosphere that was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
And yes, now I too live theme parks.
I was the first person to enter Expo, have a certificate and photo with that huge platypus.
Who remembers the "Expo Hangover" when it was finished ? but afterwards they made Southbank & that's the best thing that was ever done for Brisbane.
My dad worked on the monorail maintenance crew so we all got session passes. The park was best after dark, as the queues were much shorter. Fireworks display was great and the night parade. Some amazing Street performers too like the robot impersonators. The theme park was fun but only while expo was there. I went in 89 and remember looking down from a coaster at the cleared park, with only the pubs and some telephone boxes left untouched. It was a little depressing. I think it was $8 in. During expo you would pay per ride. The Munster's car was there for paid photos. The alien ride burnt down.
It really was the best thing to happen to Brisbane. We really grew up from then on.
Now I know why there’s a pagoda there when I visited Brisbane, five years ago.
Great memories as an 8 year old going and thinking how big everything was.
I was eight at the time too. And I remember it fondly. 1980's vintage, huh? It was a good year ;-)
Nice job. Many people would have no idea we had such an Expo event here in Australia. So thank you for covering this.
While the event was successful it was initially clouded in controversy with the cost as you've mentioned.
Wouldnt it be nice if it was 1988 again given all that is occurring in the world.
I was there every day from two weeks before it opened until a week after it was closed ( I worked there) - I met so many great people and loved every second of it.
Bicentennial, expo 88 and mortgage rates at 17%.
What a crazy year.
I was posted to Australia for work in 85. Although based in Sydney. I seemed to be in Brisbane every other week.
Back then it was really a big country town, built on farming and mining.
I was never sure they would pull Expo off, but as it got nearer the whole of Queensland threw themselves behind it. There was an excitement in the final months before the opening that was hard to miss. Everyone was talking about it, or working on it.
I was in Brissie many times while the expo was on, but never went. I saw the fireworks from my hotel room, heard the live bands across the river, but didn't make it. I was just too busy.
Brisbane change for ever. It became an international City. But I still remember those few years that I knew it as a country town.
My grandmother was a volunteer at this event. As a visitor, you could get a passport to be stamped at every pavilion. Also, there was a weekly art poster that was released for the theme of the week. We still have these posters and some are framed on our walls.
As a 6 year old we all received commemorative coins for the celebration, anyone still got theirs? Then 32 years later I find out I was living on the original site 20 years after the event? Haha.. Nice video!
I got one too. Actually .. the thieving little shit I was I pinched another 3 haha. I still have them somewhere, unopened. I dont suppose theyre worth anything
I still have mine. Bob Hawke visited my primary school in PNG to give them out. I'm not sure if it was to all the kids, or just the Aussies.
Ahh the memories....geez I’m old!
Brisbane Gang! My parents and family worked at Expo 88 and have a lot of stories about the event!
God, what a time to be alive. I was only 7 when I went but I have such vivid memories of my time there with my family. Whether it was standing in awe at the monorail running overhead or being seated during the mesmerizing hi-tech laser show, loved it all. Of course, my fondest memory was ironically the last thing I did there just as nightfall hit, and that was ride the Gravitron.
The stories that you tell through these videos are why i love theme parks. Your stuff is by far, some of the best theme park content on this platform
I worked at World Expo 88 Fun Park as a Ride Attendant and had a great time operating all the roller coasters and the other rides. I will always remember how awesome it was as a 17 year old to be operating huge rollercoasters and then getting to go to World Expo 88 after my shift...best job ever.
Awesome. I love that they transformed a lot of the space into the South Bank Parklands. Super nice area to walk around and relax in.
Terrific video, and even though I know the focus was on World Expo Park, I’m beyond thrilled you covered so much of the World Expo ‘88 itself, because that truly was the main attraction that changed Brisbane for the better, forever. If you ever expand and do another Expo 88 video covering more of the Expo itself, (Aquacade, the day and NIGHT parades, the Night Companion sky needle which is still upstanding and now part of an other development), it would be great seeing the legacy it left over on that side of the river, with the phenomenal South Bank development. I trace my absolute love of (especially Disney) theme parks back to visiting Expo’88 twice and Disney On Ice productions. Formative events for me.
Thanks for this awesome mini documentary, I would certainly watch a longer one on the topic if you ever made one as you do such a great job!
The Queensland pavilion is now a church. It’s located in Mackenzie QLD
The Canadian pavilion is also a church in Rockhampton QLD
Thank you so much for this video world expo was a big influence on me going as a kid in 88 you really captured the essence excitement and electric atmosphere it created Brisbane rapidly grew into an world class city after expo and continues to I love going to the southbank the old expo site and sitting in the expo padgoda that was left on the site as a legacy piece and thinking of the magical time it was for me
My Mum worked at Expo house and at 13 years old I had a season pass and used to stay alone till they closed at 10:30 at night on Friday and Sat nights as well as every night on school holidays and catch a bus home alone to Jindalee!! I wouldn't get home to near midnight and we didn't have mobile phones so no one knew where where we were but no one cared!! I went 135 times and saw every single pavilion!! It was my favourite hang out!! If you knew what to do you could skip lines and get free food!! I still have my Expo Passport!! I got stuck on the Titan Roller Coaster twice. It had a sophisticated safety system that would let it release if the brakes were wet, and they got wet a lot from rain!! I got so many free ride credits for being stuck on it!! I got to see the closing day from the Roof of Expo House, it was amazing!!
I remember me and my family driving there from the Blue Mountains and got a 3-day pass. I don't remember much of it, but I do remember a long wait for the Switzerland chairlift, which was considered the must-do attraction.
Really interesting video. I remember the bicentennial of Australia we did a lot about it at school in England, We even made captain cook sailors hats! Would,loved to have visited the expo, hopefully there will be another one in Oz in the future
Wow. This would have been an awesome expo to visit
I remember the beautiful little musical groups Barley Corn frok Ireland and that group with pan piped from South Anerica. Wonderful times
I was 4 at the time and remember so much of this. Thanks for the flashback mate 👍
that was a really good video! so many memories. Post expo depression reignited... 😢
hopefully we'll do something just as good for the 2032 Olympics
19 million in it's first year...most new parks don't see that for half a decade.
It was brilliant. I had a kids season pass to it and after the Expo closed but amusement park stayed open it was free entry on Saturday mornings. Me and my friends would go and continually ride the rollercoaster, literally stay sitting on the ride and going again and again. It was a ghost town during those times, although the cool indoor coaster Supernova had closed down right after the Expo finished.
Big difference between Expo events & parks. Apples & oranges. The whole idea of parks is NOT to be noisy & over-run.
I went as a 2 year old, I wish I could remember it other than photos. It truely did transform Brisbane and I loved growing up and now raising my own family in Brisbane and visiting South Bank as it is today.
A lot of people don’t know at the same time as expo 88 there was also a plan to build a replica of the Queen Mary and moor it at the base of kangaroo point cliffs. It was going to have restaurants, theatre, bowling ally etc. My friend was on the planning committee, but it was never approved.
Thank you for this review. I remember it well .. Dad drove my sister and I from Sydney to visit. Stayed for a week. I was eight years old. You brought back some very cool memories but wow you left a lot out!!!! My fav was the 3-D (4-D??) seated experience. Amazing
I was in my early 20's at the time & had a season pass. It was a great venue after work & on weekends.The pavilions were excellent & the entertainment was first rate. The sky needle was a handly landmark, especially after a few drinks.
wow. that almost brought tears to my eyes. proud of my city :)
I remember starting work in March and they would give us free rides on the Titan roller coaster while they were testing and adjusting it....we loved every second of it.
My first job as camera assistant we had to climb the stairs on the Titan.
The memory that cam to me from watching this is that opening day was the first time I had ever seen so many people in the one place I had never seen such a crowd before I thought it was insane for that many people to all be together in the same place. LOL
Dude this is BRILLIANT. I was 11 at the time in Brisbane and I thirst for expo info. We only had a 3 day pass.and we only we limited time to a walk through of world expo park as my family couldn't afford anything but 4 3 day passes for my family
Remember going there quite a few times. It was absolutely wonderful.
aww man, this makes me miss Brisbane so much... i loved living there
Wow. It's so interesting to see the land/skyscape difference between then and now.
I had the season pass, in fact I still have it.
I worked in Spring Hill and at the end of the day at 5pm would walk home through the city, across the Victoria Bridge, and spend a few hours at Expo, often grabbing dinner and trying different cuisines.
I would exit the Vulture Street gate then take the short walk to Highgate Hill to be home by 9pm. We’d all watch the fireworks from our front verandah. Never got old.
I went almost every day.
I saw Crowded House, John Farnham, Johnny Denver, Julie Anthony and so many other big acts perform. It was bloody brilliant!
The amusement park was fairly rubbish unfortunately.
I travelled from Melbourne. The expo was so popular I couldn't get a flight to Brisbane! Flew to Sydney and then bused it to Queensland. Went with my 8 year old son and mother. We loved it! I remember the Indonesian pavilion as beautiful and the German one celebrating Oktoberfest. My son got a "passport" which was stamped by each country which I still have. Would rather another Expo in Brisbane instead of the Olympics
The only pavilion to remain was the Pavilion of Promise, becoming the Maritime Museum, Expo 88 was one of the best experiences of my life having worked there for 3 months at the POP
Cheer's to Brisbane!! My best was when Stefan brought the lighthouse!!! 1988 just GOLD heavy mother it was!! Would of loved to ride the Mono rail but it happens!!
Yep I lived right next door to it ... heard it was taken down been years since I was in brissie.
Great video. I love your insight into the history of World Expo. It's a shame they didn't keep too much of it around (save for the Nepal Peace Pagoda). Keep up the amazing work!
Absolutely loved this place when I was 8 ❤
EXPO 88!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lived across the river in bulimba at that time the Lazer lights in the clouds at night and listening to the bands playing great days I had 3 day passes
Best thing to ever happen to happen to Brisbane abd QLD. South Bank and South Brisbane are some of the most valuable real estate now.
WOW SHORT LIVED!
Amazing review and footage! My earliest memory was being 3 years old and going on some rides at expo. This was such a cool video, thanks!
I’m 15 in 2022. And I always see my dads world expo 88’ pin or something in the safe cabinet. I’m not sure if my mum went because she was having he first lot of kids in the late 80s-early 90s. She would’ve been 18 in 1988. My dad 15 (my age lol). God it would’ve been good to experience this. We live in Brisbane and Southbank looks so different now. I didn’t even realise this was Southbank. 😂 they still have the botanic gardens and the temples
I just visited Brisbane for the first time this past July, and spent much time at South Bank...never got to see Expo 88, but I felt a lot of comparisons between this and Expo 86 in my hometown of Vancouver, both of which were coming out parties for their respective cities on the world stage.
I turned 12 the year expo came.
I remember most of it,especially KITT being the first left hand drive car I ever sat in.( still waiting for autograph from under the dash lol).
88 was an awesome time in my life and for Qld ,for Australia also.( respects to first nations of course).
Expo Park might have lasted a year but NSW and VIC don't have anything noteworthy and tan us qlders down for years as hicks,but guess where they love to come to,?to the point where they'll sneak here and bring filthy covid 19 and give us lockdowns.
I love our Southern States don't get me wrong,but the road north is the best.
We need more fun parks and more adventures like expo so that everyone enjoys it,not just for the rich,smug stuck up and so called "exclusive" ones.
Don't forget about failed park Wobbies World in Melbourne. You had to pay to enter the park and then you still had to buy tickets for each ride. My parents only took my sister and me there one as kids.
Loved expo 88, got to it a few times and it was a great event.
I'm a Sydney resident and I had no clue this was ever a thing. Dang, makes me wish I was born a couple of decades earlier.
@Paradis 74 nah, late 90's. But dang is a great word.
Goosebumps
Such good memories ❤️
what's crazy is now brisbane is now holding the 2032 Olympics which is basically going to be the sequel to expo 88
The Laser Tag facility at the Big Banana in Coffs is from Expo 88 👍
Love this channel!
Just returned from the south bank. It is a great family friendly place.
Hi Dom and Luke, excellent video as always!
May I use some clips in an upcoming video? I will credit this video in the description and footage. Cheers
Hey Two Dollars Twenty,
Thanks! Unfortunately the footage in this video isn't ours but stuff we have sourced from others on the internet. If you know which of the footage you're after we can send you in the direction of where we found it :)
And to think outdoor eating was not very popular, expo 88 made Brisbane grow up.
Great video. You should do a video on Luna Park Melbourne or Sydney history.
I went to BSHS across the road from expo...we would sit in classes and watch people get stuck on the titan for hours before rescue. It really broke a lot.
Brisbane is good at hosting. Next stop 2032 Olympics.
I remember you could get a passport and get it stamps from each country. Didn't get it till the second day of a three day pass so had to sneak into the countries I'd visited on day one to get it stamped
This is a great video. Well researched and well presented! I don't think I had a great time at Expo. Just waited in lines all day only to visit the Vatican pavilion, which wasn't great for a 6 year old haha.
Sounds like this was Australia's Expo '67 only with a more tragic end rather then the legacy being an active theme park, casino and F1 track.
It's legacy is actually quite good. They built the Southbank Parklands as a legacy to the expo and they're one of the most popular places in Brisbane today, if not the most popular. Here's a local news story from the city that talks about Southbank: czcams.com/video/tvpdpEngG3Y/video.html
Used to walk up the street every night to see the fireworks
As the video is showing The Pieta and that has to be a copy, I'm going to guess perhaps that is the one that is in St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney?
I remember they had a fairly large video game arcade as well and my 12 year old self was impressed by all the new games, particularly the Indiana jones game.
I vaguely remember it had the top half of an android (humanoid robot) at the front entrance. I wonder what happened to the android.
I was there! Happier times..
Great video 👍
Holy shit, I think that's my mum at 1.59!
Still got my little platypus figurine somewhere 😝
I drove the fosters four X monorail.
There was actually 4 monorails.
1. Fosters Fourex Australias favourite beer
2. ANA All nippon Airlines.
3. Westpac
4. Iberia Air
The coaster now has been shifted to Wonderla, India renamed recoil coaster
I learned to queue at Expo 88
The monorail there was also seemingly manufactured by the same company that manufactured the Sydney Monorail as the expo monorail had the exact same trains! :)
Both manufactured by the Swiss Von Roll company. Expo had the MkII and Sydney had the MkIII.
@@IntrospectorGeneral
I think even SeaWorld in Brisbane also uses them! :)
@@Techno-Universal The story is that one of the four Expo trains was relocated to Sea World in 1989 along with some of the track components to extend the Sea World system which eventually had three trains. The remaining three Expo trains were sold back to Von Roll and used in the Europa Park theme park at Wurtemmburg, Germany,
@@IntrospectorGeneral
Definitely quite interesting though very recently the Gold Coast monorail and SeaWorld monorail have permanently closed down with the Gold Coast monorail also using the same trains. Most likely for similar reasons to why the Sydney monorail closed.
Pretty sensational send off lol
The Expo Amusement Park failed because it was just an amusement park and not really a theme park. It was never something that would appeal to all ages. I think all Queenslanders and visitors alike would agree that South Bank Parklands was the more enduring replacement that appeals to all ages and tastes.
World's Fairs always look cool, even in today's world
The music at around 111.24 where can I buy it from?
Where did the old footage come from?
I have the last remaining neon tube from Expo 88
I didn't know Australia had its own Luna Park, I always thought it was just a Coney Island NY thing. Sydney's had a troubled history theme park wise. Reminds me of Houston. The Expo 88 monorail looks similar to the one that used to run in Sydney. Disney designed the mascot? Nice! But the superior platypus is of course Agent P
Australia loves Luna Park so much they built two, and I don't mean closing and then reopening it, I mean they have two Luna Parks.
There was actually 3 Luna parks built in Australia at one point (built by the same people who built Coney Island in New York ) Adelaide/Sydney Melbourne and Brisbane
Adelaide closed moving to Sydney and reopening as Luna park Sydney Brisbane had one briefly but shut down with a dancehall called cloudland and Melbourne has pretty much kept running on and off since it opened
Nice that you're a platypus fan but Expo Oz is the best. He's wearing an Anzac digger hat, which is better than a fedora
@@missshellybeach Incorrect. The Sydney Luna Park was originally built in Adelaide and relocated to Sydney. The Melbourne Luna Park is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the world. Luna Park's operate(d) in Africa, Europe, Australia, Middle East, Asia and New Zealand.
💯Cook Islands Pavilion ❤️
Sydney's Luna Park is still in operation.
A story I tell everyone: my grandparents were building managers in Brisbane at the time of expo. The Russians stayed in their building, including Putin, who they actually spoke to. True story
Huh, sounded like fun.
THE slogan was together Will show the world 🌎 and we did 👍🦘🐨i still have my rare expo 88 number plates on my hearse Rip SIR LLEW. EDWARDS 🕯️🙏
This reminds me of Epcot
Because Epcot is basically a permanent worlds fair (or rather it was)
Thanks for your efforts in putting this vid . I'd pretty much forgotten Expo 88.
This is _my_ interpretation of how the public saw Expo 88. Could be wrong.
Queensland then was a backwater. Provincial, parochial banana-benders were fiercely proud of Expo as only simple folk with small-town outlooks can be. They rated it very highly.
Interstate and overseas visitors, who tended to be more worldly, more travelled, more sophisticated, were more... "meh". They'd seen similar events, similar shows, similar productions. many of which were better. They rated it a fair bit lower than the natives.
Many found the food very average, not up to the standard expected by international diners and frequent restaurant patrons. Nobody hated it, nobody saw it as a failure. But many saw it as a bit disappointing considering the distance they travelled.
It lost money, but most expos do.
Not knocking it. It put backward, sleepy Queensland on the world map. Queenslanders, few of whom had travelled much, marveled at the scope & colour. Not knowing any better, most gave it a huge thumbs up. More seasoned, cultured visitors from the south and distant lands gave it a pass.
The entire world is poorer for you being in it!
My dad helped build the monorail
I only rem the monorail and concert john farnham
🚨The occultic and esoteric nature of the World Expo events ought to be carefully examined by those possessing an inquiring mind on the matter 🚨
It was not all it was made out to be, rates went up rent went up price of food up and when it was finished nothing no prices went down. South bank wasn't thought out well as the area is a flood bank thats why it was abandoned then they decided make expo which was a good camouflage of the eyesore. They pulled it down fast before it was flood season, and to make things worst they put the museum and the art gallery in that position. Someone made some easy money at the world's expense and the state as the orator talks of excitement and the peoples money spent on cheap thrills lost to the boredom been there done that set in.
I'll always remember how amazing it was.. and sadly how Australia has gone downhill ever since. 1988 was the peak of Australian culture.