Murray Bridge | Developments & News

[The Scooter Guy]

I've been to Puzzle Park when I was probably about 8! There were Go-Karts, a miniature train ride and even pedal-boats! Don't know any others as to why!

[pushbutton]

I've always thought it would be great to have on-site (or adjacent) accommodation at Greenhills - similar to the resorts alongside theme parks in queensland (such as Nara Resort next to Sea World). Generates more income which can in turn be used to provide more theme park amenity...

Excellent point, and I couldn't agree more! There's already growing demand for accommodation at nearby Victor Harbour, so I can see no good reason why they couldn't capitalise on that. They could start fairly small with say 50 units, and add more each year until they have a few hundred. They could offer value packages whereby if you stay in the accommodation you get free access to the park facilities.

As you say, that would bring in more money which they could reinvest.

Better still, why not consider building a conference centre there too, for the same reasons?

[fabricator]

I found what all ye seek

http://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/ ... 16073.aspx

MURRAY Bridge council has given in principle support to a redevelopment planned for Puzzle Park.

Developers plan to construct 320 houses on the site as part of a lifestyle village, which is expected to be known as Murraylands Life.

A series of meetings have been held between Murray Bridge council and the developers to brief council on the plans for the former amusement park site.

Council resolved on Monday to give its in principal support to the concept of the development, which is expected to feature state-of-the-art environmental credentials.

Part of the project has already been approved.

A $3 million plan to build 180 tourist cabins on part of the Puzzle Park site was approved in 2007, but construction has not yet commenced.

The developer has until February to begin work on the cabins, which it plans to integrate into the larger redevelopment.

[Wayno]

..plan to build 180 tourist cabins on part of the Puzzle Park site...

good to see they listened to my idea - even though i just thought of it this week!

[Shuz]

Seems like Puzzle Park is actually no more;

...plans for the former amusement park site.

Tragic, really.

[monotonehell]

"Lifestyle Village" either means aged retirement or time share.

Which one will it be?

Google fight says:
"lifestyle village" retirement 2260 hits
"lifestyle village" time share 606 hits

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?la ... time+share

That's not good news.

[pushbutton]

Hmm. So one of the 2 fairly average attractions in Adelaide (being the two best ones we had) has bitten the dust, in favour of a retirement village.

Kind of cements the stereotype of Adelaide being one big retirement home really. How sad.

I was hoping obviously for an improvement to Puzzle Park, and was quite optimistic. Seems poor little old Adelaide can't even manage to support something on that pathetic scale.

Sorry to be so negative but I'm actually passionate about the POTENTIAL Adelaide has to be a fantastic exctiting place to live and a true international tourist region. I'm angry to see that potential go unfulfilled yet again.

[monotonehell]

Speaking of Adelaide and theme parks, how rude is this little Google honey pot?
http://www.goldcoast-australia.co.uk/ho ... elaide.asp

In a nutshell, anyone who searches for almost any Australian tourist destination with "theme park" will get:
"Obviously xxxxxx is a fantastic destination for a Theme Park . But before you make a final decision you might want to check out the alternatives." The alternative(s) being the Gold Coast.

What cheek!

[pushbutton]

That's a very strange site you linked to monotonehell! It basically has nothing to do with theme parks but I can only assume it was written for the exact purpose you stated, to get anyone thinking of coming to Adeaide to go to the Gold Coast instead!

Oh, well. I can't honestly say I blame them given that there's nothing in Adelaide for them to do!

[Will]

That's a very strange site you linked to monotonehell! It basically has nothing to do with theme parks but I can only assume it was written for the exact purpose you stated, to get anyone thinking of coming to Adeaide to go to the Gold Coast instead!

Oh, well. I can't honestly say I blame them given that there's nothing in Adelaide for them to do!

I am amazed that you actually think that people would come from overseas or even interstate to visit puzzle park? Having gone there when I was a kid it was quite lame.

Theme parks will not work in Adelaide. We do not have the climate to support them. And this has got nothing to do with the fact that we are a 'backwater'; theme parks have also failed in Victoria and NSW, and I doubt you would claim that those places are a hole. Furthermore theme parks are tacky and better suited to the Gold Coast.

[pushbutton]

Fair enough if that's your opinion Will I can respect that, but I disagree on all counts.

I wasn't suggesting that international tourists would come to SA to go to Puzzle Park, but rather that Puzzle Park has / had the POTENTIAL to become an internaitonal tourist attraction.

I also believe that we DO have an excellent climate for theme parks. Hell England has several excellent ones and SA has a way better climate than England!

Thirdly I know some theme parks are tacky, but they don't have to be. Sea World if quite beautiful, and some theme parks I have seen overseas (like Alton Towers in England) is nothing short of stunning. In fact I would not be exaggerating if I said the gardens and scenery in Alton Towers theme park is the most utterly breathtaking scenery I have seen anywhere in the world, by far. Certainly not tacky!

I just think some people in Adelaide don't see the potential it has, and think that we have to settle for being a very low-key place where the best examples of 'tourist attractions' we have are the barossa valley and our beaches and national parks. In my opinion those places, whilst naturally beautiful, are not enough to make international tourists want to come, when there's other places in Australia with so much more to do.

Of course, it's not only the international tourists I'm concerned about. I'd love to be able to go to a theme park or water park on my days off or annual leave, without having to go to the Gold Coast. Adelaide really lacks fun things to do like that.

Oh well! It will happen someday!

[Nathan]

The problem with a theme park, is that there's nothing about it that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Why on earth would someone from say, Europe, come to Adelaide on holiday - to visit a theme park, which had 90% of the same kind of attractions as one in another European country?

Having long since left behind the age of 10, I can assure you that the Barossa and it's kind are far far better attractions than anything Disney Inc. can dream up. (and I say this having been a keen theme park rollercoaster lover).

International tourists go to the Gold Coast for the beaches, the "weather", and easy access to the Barrier Reef. Australian tourists go there for the theme parks. Whilst you could argue it being something to do for locals, realistically - how often would you go to such a place? I'd say once a year, tops, until you've been 3 or so times and the novelty completely wears off.

Adelaide needs interesting things to do. Not manufactured things to do.

[Will]

Fair enough if that's your opinion Will I can respect that, but I disagree on all counts.

I wasn't suggesting that international tourists would come to SA to go to Puzzle Park, but rather that Puzzle Park has / had the POTENTIAL to become an internaitonal tourist attraction.

I also believe that we DO have an excellent climate for theme parks. Hell England has several excellent ones and SA has a way better climate than England!

Thirdly I know some theme parks are tacky, but they don't have to be. Sea World if quite beautiful, and some theme parks I have seen overseas (like Alton Towers in England) is nothing short of stunning. In fact I would not be exaggerating if I said the gardens and scenery in Alton Towers theme park is the most utterly breathtaking scenery I have seen anywhere in the world, by far. Certainly not tacky!

I just think some people in Adelaide don't see the potential it has, and think that we have to settle for being a very low-key place where the best examples of 'tourist attractions' we have are the barossa valley and our beaches and national parks. In my opinion those places, whilst naturally beautiful, are not enough to make international tourists want to come, when there's other places in Australia with so much more to do.

Of course, it's not only the international tourists I'm concerned about. I'd love to be able to go to a theme park or water park on my days off or annual leave, without having to go to the Gold Coast. Adelaide really lacks fun things to do like that.

Oh well! It will happen someday!

You are assuming that tourists travel to go to theme parks. Although you personally may like visiting theme parks, let me assure you that there would be many people out there, including myself who would ahve much more often visiting the Barossa Valley than wet and wild or Australia Zoo.

Your post highlights one of the major problems that Adelaide has as a city. We don't know what we are and what we want to be. As a smaller city we cannot be 'experts' at everthing. We have to find our strengths and build on them. The Gold Coast is already the capital of theme parks in Australia. Why compete with them?

[Omicron]

The problem with a theme park, is that there's nothing about it that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Why on earth would someone from say, Europe, come to Adelaide on holiday - to visit a theme park, which had 90% of the same kind of attractions as one in another European country?

Having long since left behind the age of 10, I can assure you that the Barossa and it's kind are far far better attractions than anything Disney Inc. can dream up. (and I say this having been a keen theme park rollercoaster lover).

International tourists go to the Gold Coast for the beaches, the "weather", and easy access to the Barrier Reef. Australian tourists go there for the theme parks. Whilst you could argue it being something to do for locals, realistically - how often would you go to such a place? I'd say once a year, tops, until you've been 3 or so times and the novelty completely wears off.

Adelaide needs interesting things to do. Not manufactured things to do.

+1

[Wayno]

Having a quality theme park simply adds to our diversity.

Families are tourists too - and vacation destinations are often held to ransom by their kids. They might not visit SA (or QLD for that matter) with the intent of spending large chunks of time at a theme park, but may be more motivated to visit SA if places exist that will keep the kids entertained for a full day or more...

Ask my 11yo daughter what she loved the most about our 2months in Europe. She'll say riding a segway in paris, horse riding in tuscany and the kids club on the cruise. She appreciated the other cultural stuff too, but she's just a kid!