China Theme Park to be Built in Wyong Shire

China Theme Park to be built in Wyong Shire. Dear Lord, help us! A consortium of Chinese investors have the go ahead to build a Chinese themed tourist attraction on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. If anyone knows anything about NSW then this sounds like a half-wit plan and doomed for failure from the outset.

For starters, Wyong is a fairly backward town. I would know because my family almost became the only other Asian family in the town back in the 90’s, the others being the Cambodian operated bakery (Hi Lytha!) and the ‘other’ Chinese restaurant (Hi Tan!). The stereotypical Wyong shiresman is the hillbilly racist type that would question me as to why I was ‘Chyneez’, only to not understand the concept of genetics.

While the developers have made the very bold claim that it will give the Sydney Opera House a run for its tourist money, the Mayor of Wyong, Doug Eaton, has claimed that it would turn the Shire into a tourist ‘Mecca’. My biggest fear for this venture is the fate of Leyland Brothers World – No visitors. No cashflow. No more theme park. Leyland Brothers World was a theme park based on the adventures of Australia’s greatest export of the early 80’s (before Crocodile Dundee), two brothers and a camera would travel around Australia showing the dangers that we Aussies faced on a day to day basis. They were instrumental in propagating the widely known ‘fact’ that kangaroos are EVERYWHERE. They do however deserve a nod of the akubra, as they undoubtedly influenced the late great Steve Irwin.

I don’t actually dislike tourism development anywhere in Australia, it is a beautiful country and I think every traveller should check it out at least once in their lives. It’s just that Australia is really only known for its big-themed parks, not ‘other-culture’ theme parks.  Here is a photo montage for your perusal:

Then there is the fact that Wyong is just a pain in the arse to get to. I also fear it might face a similar problem to the Big Merino in Goulburn. the Big Merino is a dedication to the Goulburn area’s merino wool heritage. It was built in 1985 and depicts a stud ram named ‘Rambo’. At the time of it being built, it was the first stop for many on their way from Sydney to the nation’s capital, Canberra. However, due to the growth of Goulburn and national roadworks, old Rambo became stuck in no-man’s land. In the end he had to be moved to another location. No mean feat considering Rambo is made of steel and reinforced concrete!

Unfortunately, Wyong is on the way to nowhere. There is literally no reason to pass through there to any other destination. But I suppose this will give it one now.