Miniland Coonabarabran TV advertisement

It started off mini, it ended up huge. When Peter Zorgdrager began Miniland in a gravel pit in Western New South Wales, his first intention was to build a world in miniature, but he ran into problems when his pet peacocks started eating his creations. The peacocks didn’t have a chance with his next efforts: giant animatronic dinosaurs made on chicken-wire frames. Even though the scale of his brainchild had ballooned, Zorgdrager kept the name.  

The park opened in 1969; this TV ad from 1989 shows why it became a favourite stop for road-tripping families. Miniland had clearly developed over the two decades: it now boasted a museum, a castle, electronic cars, BBQs, rowboats and a long metal slide (whose lack of safety barriers might give parents pause these days). The ad has a home-made feel that matches the adorable DIY vibe of the not-so-fearsome dinosaurs. The Brontosaurus dribbled real water into its pond; the Tyrannosaurus’ fearsome roar was based on a recording of a plastic lawnmower.     

Miniland survived into the ’90s. After its closure the dinosaurs rusted in place until the whole site was razed by a bushfire in 2013. It’s remembered fondly by generations of children who begged their parents to stop there.