What is Luna Park Sydney?
Luna Park Sydney is a heritage-listed amusement park at Milsons Point on the north shore of Sydney Harbour. It opened in 1935 and is famous for its giant smiling face entrance.
The park was built by the team behind Melbourne's Luna Park, which opened in 1912. Its site, beside the northern end of the Harbour Bridge, had been a workshop area during the bridge's construction.
Over the decades the park has closed and reopened several times. A tragic fire on the Ghost Train in 1979 killed seven people, and the park later faced disputes over noise and redevelopment. It reopened in its current form in 2004.
Rides and history
Visitors enjoy classic rides such as the Ferris wheel, carousel and Coney Island fun house, plus newer thrill rides. Entry to the grounds is free, and visitors buy passes for rides.
Luna Park is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, and its art deco Crystal Palace and Big Top building host functions and concerts. The face at the entrance has been redesigned several times since 1935.
Did You Know?
Luna Park Sydney's Coney Island building, with slides and rotating barrels, dates from the park's early years.