Luna Park is set to undergo a massive transformation, starting with the Big Top.
Sydney’s Luna Park is set to see its biggest transformation yet, with $15 million being invested into upgrading the park into one of Australia’s best.
The transformation is costing $15 million. (Image: Destination NSW)
The reconstruction will begin with the well-loved Big Top arena. The iconic space is set to be completely reimagined into a permanent, technological ‘Magic Box’, which will house a world-first, immersive experience titled Dream Circus. It will be Sydney’s first permanent immersive experience attraction.
Luna Park’s Dream Circus will launch under Sydney’s Immersive Big Top on 22 December 2023.
Dream Circus is promised to be an immersive attraction that allows visitors to follow an awe-inspiring narrative journey, including lovable characters and one-of-a-kind sensory technology.
Guests can expect a 360-degree projection, hologram technology, motion-activated LED screens, spatially mapped audio and the latest in lighting, all projected on a surfaced area of over 3500 square metres. And you don’t have to wait long for it either. Work has already begun on Dream Circus, which Sydney-based specialist creatives and technicians, including Artists in Motion, TDC and Auditoria are building.
The amazing attraction is set to launch on 22 December, making it the perfect early Christmas present for a loved one. Tickets for Dream Circus can be purchased now, priced at $45 for adults and $35 for children.
Dream Circus will be Sydney’s first permanent immersive experience attraction.
Luna Park’s chief executive officer, John Hughes, is already singing its praises.
“For over 88 years, Luna Park Sydney has played an important role in the social and cultural fabric of the city. This year, [it] will reinforce [its] position as a leader in the visitor and night-time economy by unlocking the immense creative capability in this city."
Tickets for Dream Circus can be purchased now. (Image: Destination NSW)
This isn’t the first time Luna Park has been transformed. Following the tragic Ghost Train fire in 1979, the park closed its doors until it reopened in 1982 under new owners. Then in 2021, the park temporarily closed again to see nine new rides installed.
The inspiration behind Luna Park came from the original park of the same name on Coney Island in New York, which was built in 1903. Luna Park in Sydney was built and opened a few decades later in 1935, modelled off similar parks of that had opened in Melbourne and Adelaide earlier in the 1900s.
Luna Park opened in 1935. (Image: Destination NSW)
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Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.
Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.
Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.
Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.
The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.
The Riverina
Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.
The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.
North Coast
Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)
This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.
Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.
Golden West
Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.
Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.
Special event journeys
Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.
For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.
