Last Monorail Gone

[Richard Youl]

There are nevertheless several Victorians keen to have one - see Comments

Richard

Village Roadshow Theme Parks COO Bikash Randhawa announces the retirement of Sea World’s monorail after 38 years

After years sitting dormant, this holiday favourite has officially been retired – and was the last one in Australia.

Crystal Fox

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less than 2 min read

August 16, 2024 - 1:27PM

Gold Coast Bulletin

32 comments

GOLDCOASTBULLETIN.COM.AU01:37 ‘End of an era’: Australia’s last monorail is retired

 

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On Thursday, Village Roadshow Theme Parks COO Bikash Randhawa announced that, after…

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A vintage Gold Coast attraction has officially been retired, crushing visitors’ hopes it would eventually be reopened. 

On Thursday, Village Roadshow Theme Parks COO Bikash Randhawa announced that, after 38 years of operation, they were calling time on Sea World’s famous monorail. 

“The monorail opened at Sea World in 1986 to become Australia’s first monorail system and upon its closing the last,” he said. 

The monorail has sat dormant since 2019 when it temporarily closed to make way for the construction of the $50m New Atlantis attraction. 

“Our team had planned to return the attraction back to operations, however, due to deteriorating infrastructure and the inability to source appropriate components, the monorail carriages have reached the end of their life,” Mr Randhawa said. 

“We tried very hard to keep the attraction going.” 

Village Roadshow Theme Parks COO Bikash Randhawa announces the retirement of Sea World’s monorail after 38 years.

Mr Randhawa said he and the Sea World crew had “fond memories of all the families who have enjoyed the monorail over the years”. 

He said demolition would start along SeaWorld Drive at the end of the year. 

“We are constantly providing new attractions and offerings to provide our guests with the best experiences including the recent opening of the New Atlantis precinct, featuring three world-class rides,” he said. 

A Sea World monorail driver of eight years, Dale Beer said he was proud to be a part of history. 

“Operating the monorail was awesome. Seeing all the smiles from everyone’s faces,” he said. 

“Happy to have those memories but I welcome the future potential (at the park).” 

Sea World visitors flooded social media to share their “devastation” over the news. 

“That’s such a shame. This is a childhood memory,” Chantelle Spruce said. 

Another visitor said it was the “end of an era”. 

Village Roadshow Theme Parks COO Bikash Randhawa announces the retirement of Sea World’s monorail after 38 years.

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David

51 minutes ago

Let's hope that it can be sold to North Haverbrook and reused.

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Rod

1 hour ago

Goodbye Sea World. No longer worth the visit.

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Dean

1 hour ago

I've got pics on that monorail. Bye bye Seaworld.

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Adrian

1 hour ago

Build a line between Cheltenham, Box Hill and onto the airport ! Straight down the middle of Warrigal Road, left at the freeway and out past Essendon Airport. Announce it just before an election.

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Dean

1 hour ago

@Adrian Vic govt has ZERO money.

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Darren

1 hour ago

Imagine if we had one of these up the middle of the freeway from the city to Tullamarine ? 

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Gnocchi

1 hour ago

Move it between the Casino & Convention Centre

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diana

2 hours ago

Sad!

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Graeme

2 hours ago

Crushing hope lol

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Geoff

3 hours ago

So let’s build one on Box Hill…(said no one but the clown premier)

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Judith

2 hours ago

@Geoff Brilliantly said!

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Oracle

1 hour ago

 (Edited)

@Judith..How is it brilliant?

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Left always get it wrong

16 minutes ago

@Oracle The question is, how is it not.

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Scruff

3 hours ago

Those Monorails should be built in lots of places.Im not talking about that silly little one they had in Sydney,but the one above

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Adrian

3 hours ago

Can it be sold to Springfield?

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Scarecrow

3 hours ago

 (Edited)

by gum it put Seaworld on the map!

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Pieter

3 hours ago

Monorails are the only thing missing from the white elephant park that is Victoria…

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ian Oz

3 hours ago

Last visit there there wasn’t much working at all other than the fish and dolphins🙈 Chief Operating Officer is concentrating on Shareholders and not customers, the decision will be reflected in revenue!

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Watchman

3 hours ago

@ian Oz we had the same experience last year, many of the rides closed for maintenance and others because there was a light breeze. It's a lot of cash for half an experience unfortunately. 

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Annie ruok

18 minutes ago

@Watchman so true and we were there late last year. Luckily my granddaughter had a few rides to go on but the rides were for children under 8. We lined up for a ride for half an hour and just as we got to the gate to go on, it was stopped. It was the only ride open for big kids and adults. Last time there was 2006 and so much to do. 

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Anthony

4 hours ago

I can't work out why they'd close it? It wouldn't be too hard to maintain or operate

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Simon

4 hours ago

Mono = one Rail = rail

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Anthony

4 hours ago

Why not, as everything in the country Is shutting down too. 

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Peter Graeme

4 hours ago

Just another nail in the coffin of the Gold Coast we used to love.

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Jacquie

4 hours ago

I've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook, and by gum, it put them on the map!

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Mathew

52 minutes ago

@Jacquie is there a chance the track could bend 

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Craig

4 hours ago

 (Edited)

Dissapointing for the residents of sea world resort accomodation  , it used to stop at the resort . Its a long way from there to the front of the park

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Linda

4 hours ago

@Craig I agree. We recently stayed at the resort and it's a long way to the attraction bookings with children.

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Kim

3 hours ago

Very true. It was also useful for a short break from walking all day. Also how will those with ability needs get around as easily?

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Mervyn

3 hours ago

that was my thinking too, i have a bad knee that definitely is not up for a full day of walking that my future grand kids are going to want

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Michele

2 hours ago

Think about what they used to have:  

1. Monorail

2. Train

3. Skylift

All of these are now gone.

How are people with mobility issues supposed to get around the park, especially when if you are at the back, it is all uphill to get back to the front?

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Graeme

2 hours ago

@Craig @Kim electric scooters left over from Melbourne

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TheRealJames

5 hours ago

Such a shame.. there are so many functional monorails around the world operating without any issues.

[Mal Rowe]

At Newport most of the stored trams sit on broad gauge rails - so one
flange rides the rail and the other rides the roadway. See attached pic

Does this make it Australia's last monorail?

Mal Rowe - whose tongue is firmly in his cheek

[Bob Pearce]

Probably. Looks a bit "GROOVY" to me.

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[Mick Duncan]

Gday  Mal,All

It looks like a cable trailer on the monorail,what is it ?

Cheers,   Mick

[Mal Rowe]

On 18/08/2024 01:09, 'Mick Duncan' via TramsDownUnder wrote:
> It looks like a cable trailer on the monorail,what is it ?
>

It's bogie cable trailer 192 which was being prepared for transport back
to Bylands.

192 was rescued from a demolition site in Box Hill many years ago.

As you can see in the attached view, it's one of the trailers built by
splicing two old 6 window horse cars together.

Mal Rowe - moist impressed by John Stephenson tramcar construction

[Andrew Cook]

Here's an early monorail. From the Melbourne Leader, 24th December, 1910. Think the bloke pondering if the thing is going to tip over is Winston 'failed in Gallipoli' Churchill, who later redeemed himself by screwing over a really nasty German dictator.

You can always learn from the past.

Cheers,

Andrew Cook.

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Sent: Sunday, 18 August 2024 1:37 PM
To: tramsdo...@googlegroups.com <tramsdo...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Last Monorail Gone

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