Location Dreamworld Attraction 2 Opening date 11 December 1986 | Attractions 2 total Roller coasters 1 Theme Australian gold rush town | |
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Replaced Gold Rush Country (1986–2011) | ||
Australian ghost town of gold rush days 1963
Gold Rush Country is a themed land at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It currently provides a link between Main Street and Rocky Hollow.
Contents
History
The Gold rush Country opened on 11 December 1986. The area featured the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride and the Thunder River Rapids Ride. In 2006, the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was decommissioned due to safety concerns. In the middle of 2011, Gold Rush Country was refurbished with shops being relocated around the area in preparation for its conversion into the Town of Gold Rush. On 17 September 2011, Gold Rush Country officially reopened as the Town of Gold Rush to match BuzzSaw's backstory.
Eureka Mountain Mine Ride
The Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was a wild mouse roller coaster designed by HyFab. The ride has not operated since 2006 due to safety concerns.
Helicopter Joy Flights
Helicopter Joy Flights allowed park visitors to take helicopter flights taking in views of Dreamworld and the Gold Coast. Visitors could choose from five different flight paths. Joy flights incurred an additional expense. The helicopter tours have not resumed since June 2009 when a helicopter crashed in the carpark of Dreamworld causing only minor injuries. The launch pad now forms part of BuzzSaw's area and the sales booth is now a beverage outlet named Jack's Watering Hole.
Thunder River Rapids Ride
The Thunder River Rapids is a river rapid water ride which features floating rafts holding up to six people floating down a foamy, turbulent river reaching speeds of up to 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph). Riders can end up quite wet due to waves splashing over the side of the raft. The ride opened in 1986 in conjunction with the opening of Gold Rush Country. The ride originally featured a rotating platform which allowed riders to board and dismount the 6 person boats without the need for stopping them. This functionality has since been decommissioned due to safety concerns. The ride continues to be the park’s most popular ride.
On 25 October 2016 four patrons were killed when the ride malfunctioned. On 9 November Ardent Leisure chief executive Deborah Thomas announced that the ride would be permanently closed and demolished.
BuzzSaw
BuzzSaw is a Maurer Söhne SkyLoop roller coaster in the Town of Gold Rush. The roller coaster begins with a vertical chain lift hill to a height of 46.2 metres (152 ft). Riders, restrained by only a lap bar, are then pulled slowly back over on themselves before the train is released into a full heartline roll. A steep drop returns riders back to the station.
Kelly's Showdown
Kelly's Showdown is an upcharge shooting gallery themed to Ned Kelly. The shooting gallery was originally located in the Rivertown and Gum Tree Gully area where it existed until the construction of Wiggles World in 2005.
Shopping & Dining
Snack food and drinks can be purchased from Jack's Watering Hole while various forms of Gold Rush themed merchandise can be purchased from the BuzzSaw Mill General Store, Old Time Photos and Thunder River Rapids Photos.