I’m delighted that you liked it so much. When preparing this video, I checked RU-vid and there was almost nothing showing Wobblies World. Such a pity as it had so many unique rides not seen elsewhere.
Fun fact: you can find the helicopter (the one that spins) in a paddock on Frankston-Dandenong Road (or the Dandenong Valley Hwy) in Dandenong South. It’s across the road from the big cemetery. Look it up on google earth, street view
Went there once in the mid 90's. I am sure some of the rides shown had gone by then but remember the simulated helicopter ride (not shown). The W2 trams you could access the drivers compartment and the controller was set in forward (no reverse key) so the throttle could be moved. Not sure if the self lapping brake handle was there or not. With the ATV (and probably all the rides) it was up to the operator not to let one vehicle go until the previous one was just about back at the unloading point. This would prevent a mid ride collision if one vehicle stopped unexpectedly. Brought back a few memories, thank you.
This video seems to have brought back childhood memories for a lot of people. I recall there was a full-size helicopter on the ground which I did not investigate. But the video certainly does include a toy helicopter ride which did a loop around the park on a mono rail type beam. I don’t know if any rides were taken away before closure as I only went there once. I don’t recall looking inside the big tramcars but may have.
That ATV's working rule is very similar to Absolute Block Safeworking, for railway lines. A second vehicle is not allowed to travel where the first is, until it is positively established that the first has left the part the second wishes to occupy.
Went here in the 1990s and loved it. I'm sure many kids have a story here and memories of the helicopter (last seen in Carrum Downs), the old fire truck and just the fun atmosphere. It's now a police station and the land was on the Healesville Freeway reserve. Always takes me back when I drive past there now, was lucky to have lived it.
god it was shit. even as a very small child i recognised how shit it was. worst theme park if you were older than 2... in which case the mcdonalds ball pit would have elicited the same amount of excitement and fun lol it deserved to die, iconic or not...
And thats what made it bad. Most of the rides are things we saw and went on in every day life. Why anyone thought it was a good idea to create an "amusement park" to ride on a tram or pump cart, or a lame helecopter simulation where they cant even be bothered simulating the rotor spinning, ill never know.
Legendary! I went there a few times as a kid....seeing the point of view footage on the monorail helicopter reminds me how scary it was when they sped up. Terrific footage.❤
Glad you liked it. There is not much record of this interesting location on RU-vid. Even as an adult, little lurches on the helicopter were slightly alarming!
I remember this. I went with a friend there. Can't remember if it was just because they wanted to go on a outing or whether it was a birthday party.=/ I remember going on those mini trams as a kid as clear as anything. Also while I didn't remember those whirly helicopters on rail off the top of my head, I certainly remembered going on it when you showed that part of the video. I also remember being disappointed because I only got to go on the helicopter once. I still remember staring at it longing for another go.XD Thanks for the memories.=3
Fascinating and oddly unique park! So different than the 'standard thrill rides' at most parks and carnivals... They had those type of trams on the Seattle waterfront when we visited in 1997, I hear they are in a barn somewhere and developers want to remove the tracks....
Went past there the other day and remarked to my wife" remember the amusement park that was there?" But until I saw this vid I had forgotten what the rides were. Most wouldn't meet today's OH & S rules! Thanks for documenting.
My parents used to work there before having kids- dad drove the fire truck and mum drove a vintage car ride (?). We went there a couple of times as kids and I remember vividly how shaky and unsafe everything felt haha. Still loved it!
I went to St Thomas Moore College nxt door. I recall watching the plane get built bit by bit. We couldn’t work out what was going on. A mate later told me her ran the helicopter ride and got a root in one. How was the fat red haired geezer on that hand cranked device. I never met a person who went there not too sure if it was fun. Looks like a good way to do your back. The G Generation based Pissweek a World around it.🇦🇺👍🍺
Amazing footage..I only went there once but was one of the best days of my childhood..that drop on the helicopter ride was sick..if only I could have bought my son too this park:( was unique there's no where even remotely l like it
While meanwhile the final stage of construction on Forest Hill shopping centre was just starting at around that time and that was nearby from where this park used to be! :)
What a shame it has gone - looks like the "amusements" we used to enjoy as children back in the '70's - simple, no frills fun - would have loved to have seen it, NO computers - lovely. Did the plane have all its seats in it, or was it a café or similar. I hope when it closed - why - (land value)? - the tram went for preservation. I had one of those ATV vehicles - Google ARGOCAT - saves me describing a great vehicle. What was the make of the fire engine, it looked like a Dennis but I wasn't sure. H & S would have a 'field day' their nowadays busy listing all the reasons why virtually all the rides were now not safe. Great video of something lost forever.
Thanks for all your info. It was unique. I never saw rides like their’s anywhere. I don’t know why, but I never went inside the plane and don’t recall going inside any of the trams so I can’t tell you any more. You are probably right about the H&S zealots. Wikipedia gives more detail even if I believe they are wrong about the ATV being petrol powered. There is also comment about likely reasons for its demise. There is probably some fire engine group who would know the model. Hopefully my video will give that unique place a bit more recognition and recollections for those who enjoyed some hours there.
Thanks for your reply. So there was more than just the one tram, I presumed that was the only one there. That ATV was definitely an ARGOCAT, the water would have been no problem for it as they are skid steer and amphibious, the small tractor type tyres provide the push when you are in water. I expect land value caused its closure as you said it couldn't compete with todays 'modern amusements'.
Wikipedia says there were 4 trams there. I suppose that was correct. I thought I said that in a caption in the video. Certainly 2 different ones are shown. While water would not bother the ARGOCAT, the only doubt is whether its power went through the guide rails or on board batteries. I think from what I read that mismanagement rather than land values was the problem.
Oops, sorry I didn't read any bit about the number of trams that were their. Personally I should think batteries would be more likely, you could get some quite big ones in an empty engine compartment and empty they are not very heavy. Mismanagement is quite often used as an excuse (especially nowadays) to close something especially if you are after fiddling the taxman.
Christopher Lovelock This afternoon I spoke to Barry who was there with me. He feels that the ATV was in fact powered by the centre rails. There seemed to be no sign of any mechanical arm or driver intervention to stop the vehicle at the ride end. They would not want drivers to be able to stop the vehicle mid-journey. I think you just sat in it and rode.
I remember coming here as a kid. Then taking my nieces later on. As soon as they started charging extra for rides on top of the entrance fee people slowly stopped going. By 1999 it was practically a ghost town so it wasn’t a shock when it closed. It’s now a police station
colemann76 I got the impression from others that its biggest downfall was poor management. Having to pay for rides after paying to get in would turn off a lot of people!
You've done well to capture this on film. Love to see the size of the camcorder you were getting around with. 🤣 The place was great for little kids, I loved it as a 5 year old. I don't know about teenagers being too keen but mate.. 😳
It in fact was not a camcorder, but a video camera which was not particularly heavy, connected by cable to a recorder which was carried by a shoulder strap. It was a Panasonic A4 camera dating from 1984, nothing to do with a recent model of the same category.
The park was almost opposite Channel 10 studios. I believe the park occupied land set aside in the Greater Melb transport plan for the then proposed Healesville freeway (something actually needed in part) and was always on borrowed time. But I believe they ended up cancelling the freeway and releasing the land and that’s when it became valuable as housing/development land right along the reserved corridor.
Over the years, there have been various comments about this. I think someone said the police station was on or very near to the former site. That might help you pinpoint the location. A couple of other bits and pieces were located scattered around Melbourne, I seem to recall reading.
no-one has commented on the electric bobcat. i've spent some time operating skid steers. i'd have got a kick out of an electric bobcat. i've spent a lot more time operating excavators and i got a big thrill operating the baby electric excavator (with the controls all wrong) moving plastic balls around inside a plastic box at the science museum at spotswood. i had to wait till all the little kids buggered off to get my chance.
@@derhampaul2182 Yes sadly it closed down some time ago. I tend to think that the entry charges were somehow mismanaged, maybe amounts other things. Sadly a lot of things from our younger days disappear for me reason or another. I think someone earlier said that a police station now occupies some of the site.
Thanks for some memories. I used to live in Nunawading, years ago, when the park was operating. Remember the ads on TV as well. They had some full size ex Victorian Railways rollingstock there. Carriage and / or guards van. I wonder what was their fate? Hopefully a tourist railway got them, and not the scrapper. I never did go there, or I would know already.
I know nothing more than what may be on the internet. I don’t recall any rail carriages but at least 2 Ws trams were there. Don’t know where they went.
@@tressteleg1 I will have to do some research. At a distance now as I'm in Brisbane. Hopefully the trams went back to Preston depot. The heritage tram fleet is there.
I really wanted to visit this place back in 1988 but it was just too far away though, no doubt that W.W. really had some of the most unique if not unusual rides around with what seems alot of custom built rigs and mods. But I heard that the entrance fees and for some of the rides were high though and it fell into disrepair in the 90's finally dying in 1999. Doubt those rides would pass the OHS standards now and would only increase the pricage fees late down the line though?! But cheers for the video upload showing just how unique this place was, just abit of regret that I never went there. A real unique attraction now gone.
I think we all have regrets for not making more effort to get to places of interest and the next time we think of it, it is gone. Your assessment matches the general tone of comments of other people and I agree also from what I know. I think mismanagement could also be a factor in its demise.
I took my son there when he was two it was 1995 the park was starting to look a bit run down. We had a good time regardless. That whirlybird ride was a bit scary the track and the post Would shake while you are on the ride
Yes, as an adult, I agree that the whirlybird ride was a little scary, but obviously it had run for many years without problems. It was a unique place - a pity it had to close.
i loved this place as a kid last i saw it was overgrown and parts of the helicopter ride where still there...is the old dc3 still there is a question or was it salvaged??
I can understand you loving it. So many unique rides. As for the fate, over the years a number of people reported seeing various parts of rides in other locations. If you can access old Comments, you will probably find answers to most of your queries.
I guess you must have forgotten to Ding Ding before you started the tram off! If you can think of any other little anecdotes as an operator there, I’m sure people would like to read them.
must've gone there as a little tacker back in the 80's. can't remember anything due to excessive alcohol consumption. but i do still have a Bravery award token coin. its got a pic of a tank on one side and a castle entrance with draw bridge and shit on the other. was there a tank or a castle at Wobbies world?
Even as an adult, I found that ride took the breath away occasionally when it suddenly went over a drop and started to descend. It would have been even more exciting for a little kid. Up in the air with no apparent protection.
Your second comment is in my emails but not showing here. RU-vid is dodgy lately. As to your comment, like nearly every video I present, I went there and took the video myself. I state at the start if the cameraman was someone else.
I have fond memories of this place! I remember going a few times with my family, as a kid, and I remember one of the last new rides they introduced was the Red Baron ride sometime in the mid 90s, a little similar to the little helicopter ride. It was fun! The little helicopter was very shaky and bumpy for kid me, but it was quite the experience, haha.
Spewing i never made it to wobbys world when I lived in Victoria my family took me to leisureland in langwarren a couple of times. I would have been wrapped ridding those rides, they look like a mechanically minded inventor knocked them up and opened his backyard to the public. You wouldn't have got me of the railway trolley.
Unfortunately nearly all of us regret not going somewhere where we have could have gone, only to find out about it after it was no longer in existence.
that "ATV" was probably powered with quite a low voltage (I guess 24 or even just 12 V). That way the necessary electrical clearance is probably just a few centimeters, even in water... (P.S.: Wikipedia says they were powered by lawnmower motors, maybe they ran on gas anyways, and the track was just for guidance?)
As you heard, it certainly sounded like an electric motor, like all the other rides, but battery could have been possible. Maybe a former worker will see this and comment. Don’t believe everything you read in Wikipedia!
wikipedia is wrong I ran this ride during 88, definitely electric. They used to get stuck in the mud and I had to go push them to get em going again. the rail inside the depot was not charged. The timing of launch was critical as they only went one speed. Launch one, wait till it passed a certain spot, you could not see them all the way around, then launch the second and the third (if) the first one came back. otherwise listen for the screams and go find out who crashed. A free go fixed any issues. Now lets talk about the helicopter on the hydraulic hoist :)
Wikipedia is never more than an approximate guide written by people who are not always right. The dates on some of my videos have proven Wikipedia dates wrong. Thanks for your interesting inside information on the operation of these rides. It must’ve been a lot of fun splashing in the mud to get them going again - not! Some of the sudden changes of direction of the helicopter ride were a bit startling until you got used to them! It’s a great pity the place closed, most of the rides were unique and you would never find them anywhere else.
The impression I get from what other people have said is that management’s attitudes towards pricing left a lot to be desired and possibly hastened the demise of this unique amusement park.
12 дней назад
Yeah, it might have been kinda lame but as a little kid it was awesome. And still better than Pissweak World by far.
I gather that it was essentially sold off. In the past, commenting people said that there is a police station there now, but one way or the other, the site just turned into a general usage property. A few people saw various parts of rides here in there around Melbourne, but I can’t remember the details now and comments don’t seem to stay on RU-vid for very long.
The building that was used as the exterior shots as Wentworth Detention centre for the original Prisioner series. Also in the grounds they built a fake holiday resort set for the short lived ‘Holiday Island’ series that I think they reused as Lasseters pub in Neighbours.
@@tressteleg1 I can understand that , we had nothing really like a theme park in Melbourne, not including Luna Park, so I can imagine how hard it was, remember many Theme parks backed by many millions of dollars failed in NSW
Australia’s Wonderland in far western Sydney is the main one I remember closing. Wikipedia gives a list of reasons why, and the writer wonders whether poor management should not be thrown in as well. I guess that the cost of wages and approach of suburban sprawl can affect these operations. I live on the Gold Coast, and there are four major attractions not far away. One thing about Wobbi’s world was that just about all the rides were home designed and consequently unique.
Melbourne Trains Vlogs You have been brainwashed. The same as people saying that train doors that could be left open were unsafe. It was great fun to stand beside an open door but of course hang on.
Melbourne Trains Vlogs Different in the days of commonsense. At the best times on fan trips, the train would stop anywhere scenic, everyone who was taking photos would get out, climb to some vantage point, the train would reverse back then come dashing forward then stop and pick everyone up. They probably chose locations where nobody had to cross the other track, and maybe no train was due either. But nobody ever got run over. Then the zealots took over, and to keep themselves in a job, kept creating more and more petty rules.
Those rides were unbelievably bad. Poor concepts and designs. Especially the "helicopter". A Tram ride in a city with real trams?? With the lack of imagination and the shonky condition of everything there, its no wonder it closed down.
