this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2026
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I'm trying to identity a dinosaur theme park/attraction on the Gold Coast in the 80s (piefed.blahaj.zone)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by ada@piefed.blahaj.zone to c/australia@aussie.zone
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Help me out Aussie folk that were around in the 80s. I'm trying to identify a dinosaur theme park on the Gold Coast from that time period.

I have memories as a kid of going to this rather dingy park. It didn't have much infrastructure at all, but what it did have were giant animatronic dinosaurs. They moved around, and I have vague memories that they were actually being driven/controlled by someone inside the dino. I also remember there was a giant red back spider that the t-rex battled with...

It wasn't Dinosaur Island at Sea World, as this predated the seaworld attraction by many years. But other than that, I can't find any record of it.

I wonder if it wasn't a permanent setup, but maybe something that moved around the country like a circus?

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[–] NeedAnotherOne@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

There was Tanawah world on the Sunshine Coast was 70's and a bit of 80's Will see what I can dig up https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/news/backward-glance-the-sound-of-fun-echoes-through-the-years-170120

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The one I went to was definitely on the Gold Coast

[–] coaxil@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I instantly thought of this place, was later called Dino fun park iirc

[–] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Panning from right to left that shot starts off great with the creepy dinosaur smile on the right and ends perfectly with the levitating kid on the left.

[–] TheHolm@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

you missed a bird in the middle.

[–] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

That bird is heading straight for the tracks too. And the driver and passengers are all watching. The more I see the more unsettling this photo gets.

[–] TheHolm@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago

My google-fu failed on this. But it sounds like fun, especially in 80.

[–] Nath@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

I grew up on the Gold Coast in the 80s. I have no memory of such a place, sorry.

I'll grant that we were poor and not exactly visiting the theme parks every week, but I'm fairly certain I got to them all at least once.

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Might be a good question for /r/Goldcoast as there are fare more people there then on Lemmy.

[–] Skavau@piefed.social -1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Red

(This is a test)

EDIT: Solved. I did this at Ada's nudging to test a bug on her instance.

EDIT: Editing at request