Australian Amusement Fanatics

The question is never asked.

How many dodgem tracks are there in Australia ?

I believe there is probably nearly fifty. This is alot considering the number of shows, festivals and fetes that are on every weekend especially during the warmer months. Some operate in just one state while some do the rounds. Many are never seen in cities. An increasing number operate at one day festivals and fetes. During the winter many are mothballed.

Every year i see a track i havent seen before. Some are the traditional ground mounted - build up types while most of the newer ones are foldups. Many are basic with older cars but most of the newer ones have flashy cars and modern colourful lighting and front ends.

Its an interesting topic during a relatively quiet period. I look forward to your comments.

Bell's two tracks

Mcgee's fold up

Full list as provided by AAF Members (Updated 13th June 2010)

ROAD MODELS

Aaron Pink (2 Tracks)
TPA Shows
MacGregors
Lauries
Shorts
Evans (Hollywood Drive)
Durkin Amusements
Millers Amusements
Small's Amusements
Jubilee Entertainment
Dragon City Amusements
Show West (3 Tracks, 2 Portable, One Fixed)
Joylands Better Amusement Hire
Blades Amusements
Bells Amusements (2 Tracks)
McGee's Amusements
x2 Amusement Hire Services
Fosters Amusements
Watkins Amusements
Gill Bros Entertainment
OFA Showstar
Pavier Amusements
Townsend's Amusements
Youngs Amusements
Amusement Services
Mitro Enterprises

30 Tracks

PARK MODELS

Dreamworld
Warner Bros Movie World
Adrenaline Park (Surfers Paradise)
Timezone (Surfers Paradise)
Aussie World
Luna Park Melbourne
Luna Park Sydney

7 Tracks

x2 Amusement Hire Services (John Phelan)
Foster's Amusements
Watkin's Amusements (Paul Watkin's)
Gill Bros Entertainment
OFA Showstar
Pavier Amusements
Townsend's
Young's Amusements

I remember years ago Lauries used to have a couple of tracks both ground mounts.
May not be the case now though.

Show West x2 portable, 1x fixed at the showgrounds
Amusement Services x1
Mitro enterprises x1

Great question Tilt. Here's another 'work in progress' list. As always if you can add info or more units, please post, and I will keep re-editing.

ROAD MODELS (32 and counting)

Amusement Services (WA-based?)
Blades Amusements
Coney Fair
Dragon City Amusements
Durkin Amusements
Evans (Hollywood Drive)
Foster's Amusements
Gill Bros Entertainment
Joylands Better Amusement Hire
Jubilee Entertainment
Laurie
MacGregor
Miller's Amusements
Mitro Enterprises
OFA Showstar
Pavier Amusements
Phelan Amusement Hire I
Phelan Amusement Hire II
Pink I
Pink II
Shorts
Show West I
Show West II
Show West III Perth Showgrounds
Small's Amusements
Townsend's
TPA Shows
Watkins (Paul)
Wittingslow I
Wittingslow II
Wittingslow III (kiddies size)
Young's Amusements

PARK MODELS (9 and counting) See also defunct

Adrenaline Park, Surfers Paradise (QLD)
Aussie World (QLD)
Dreamworld (QLD)
Luna Park Melbourne (VIC)
Luna Park Sydney (NSW)
Magic Mountain, Glenelg (SA)
Pipeworks Market (VIC)
Timezone Surfers Paradise (QLD)
Warner Bros Movie World (QLD)

I am including another list of Defunct Park Models, as I can think of quite a few (only VIC at this stage)

Mini-golf Centre, Rosebud (VIC) - removed ~1990's
Rainbow Park, kiddie sized, Braeside (VIC) - closed ~1995
Sidetracked, Oakleigh (VIC) - removed ~ 2003
Timezone, Knox City (VIC) - removed ~2005

Park Model

King Carnival Mandurah

Hass
Tony Dolan
3 tpa

FUN LAND ULLADULLA

Dizzyland amusements have a park at Salt Ash near Nelsons Bay. They have a portable fold up set thats perm there now.
Defunct dogems wonderlands dodgems.

Wonderland sydney had a dodgem track too. Oh and Movie World has a kiddie sized Zamperla Dodgem set.

Yeh think John Phelan owns the cars that used to run the on the Wonderland track

Some other tracks are;

Carls(?)
Davis (?)
Bob Lawrences Majestic Unit from the USA
Leightons also from South Australia
Oneills
Pattersons Funland from NSW Southern Highlands
Roberts
Smans from South Australia
Verfurth
There are also some hire units in Qld. Anybody have some info?

Defunct permanenet locations.

Manly Pier( I think disappeared about five years ago)
Dodgem City -a site in George Street City in the early eighties with a very large track of Reverchon floor pickup cars. The track was built inside an old theatre.

Yeh Carl's is the Davis track.
Funstuff Events
PNC Amusements

i got a track, as well as kay dee promotions have a majestic track and party time amusements also have a track

The funstuff track is also the hass and dizzyland track.

Does Tony Dolan operate under the name Tony Joes ?

Do Gardners still have a track ?

I thought AI from Campbelltown also had one as did Xtreme rides in Tassie.

Recently there was a track advertised for sale in NT. I thought it may have been Bells old one.

I am guessing there will be a lot of duplication and replication on this list. Clearing it up could go on forever. Maybe I will put owners on the one line if there is observations of it being the same track.

I am fascinated by Dodgem City, Tilt. I struggled to find much more than a few great memories in people's comments and blog posts. Sounds like it had one massive games arcade too. Unfortunately the games / pinball arcade is a by-gone era. Such a pity. Nowdays people just stay in their loungerooms in front of their computer or tv game console.

paul watkins used to have 2 tracks, one of which is now mine, also party time amusements have a track, it used to be owned by terry nilon

I understood the Dodgem City Reverchon cars went to Queensland. I think there was about 24 of them. It was a big track. The manager told me they were the owner's pride and joy. In those days there were large amusement parlours all down George Street.

Brad Girdler from SA has a new track built in Mildura by Hesco Engineering and new cars imported from China

max stewert has 2 tracks in the n.t

A total of 63 tracks are listed (give or take a few) - anymore tracks or info?