Luna Park Glenelg
Luna Park Glenelg was a seaside amusement park in Glenelg, South Australia. It opened on 8 October 1930 and ran until 1935.
Plans began in 1928, and in 1929 a scenic railway called The Big Dipper was leased at Colley Reserve. In 1930 the lease was expanded to include other rides, and Luna Park Glenelg Ltd, led by David Atkins and Herman Phillips, built a park based on Luna Park Melbourne.
The park charged for individual rides rather than an entry fee. There were ongoing fights with the council over rent and hours, and some residents felt the park attracted undesirables.
On New Year’s Eve 1932, a woman died after falling from the Big Dipper; the inquest ruled suicide, not foul play.
Facing financial trouble and strained relations with the council, Atkins looked for a new location. In 1934 the company moved to Milsons Point in Sydney, at Lavender Bay, and the Glenelg park went into voluntary liquidation. On 8 April 1935 its assets were auctioned, the rides were moved to Sydney, and Luna Park Milsons Point opened on 4 October 1935. Luna Park Sydney continues to operate at that site.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:54 (CET).