Luna Park Melbourne celebrates 110 years of history

Luna Park Melbourne has marked its 110th anniversary with a celebration event held last night.

The oldest amusement park in Australia, Luna Park Melbourne staged a community event for guests, neighbours, local schools, charities and stakeholders.

Also marking the milestone, the Melbourne landmark launched a new summer soundtrack with This Is Where I Fun, performed by Australia’s Got Talent star Greg Gould, who co-wrote the track with Melbourne-based marketing strategist Tony Chilvers.

Officially opened on 13th December 1912, Luna Park brought a new type of fairground experience to Australia – with rides, sideshows and high-wire artists, husband and wife juggling act The Tossing Testros and acrobats Lovina and Franz who held one another by their teeth.

More than a century on, locals and visitors alike continue to enjoy Luna Park’s modern thrills and historic attractions - creating a world of fantastical fun that has created delightful memories for generations.

Commenting on the anniversary, Luna Park Melbourne Chief Executive, Mary Stuart stated “it’s lovely to see a new generation of children and adults making memories at Luna Park. It’s a part of Melbourne’s history, but it doesn’t belong behind glass.

“It’s a living museum in many ways, where you can enjoy attractions virtually unchanged from 110 years ago, while also experiencing modern thrills.

“We encourage everyone to share their most memorable Luna Park moments with us; the wild, the unforgettable, the exhilarating.”

Among Luna Park’s historic attractions, its Carousel, restored between 1999 and 2001, l is a grand example of carnival arts, with 68 magnificent horses each boasting an elaborate design. At the heart of the carousel is a large band organ made in Paris around 1909, the only one of its kind in Australia and one of only five in the world.

The Great Scenic Railway is the oldest continuously operating wooden rollercoaster in the world, persisting still when the Luna Park reduced operations during the First World War and as it operated under blackout conditions during the Second World War.

Welcoming guests, Mr Moon’s gaping face has been restored several times over the years.

Originally made of chicken wire, hessian and cement, the current Mr Moon is made of fibreglass, but, when being restored, used the original ‘bone structure’ as a guide, a process that involving the painstaking chipping off of six tonnes of concrete.