LUNA PARK

LUNA PARK
By Catherine Woo, City of St Kilda 1991 ©         Footnotes



      Luna Park has been one of St.Kilda's most prominent landmarks since it opened in 1912, and is intrinsic to the suburb's resort character. Melbourne's Luna Park is acclaimed as the worlds oldest amusement park under private management and is possibly the only one of its kind still in operation. It is typical of the kind developed in America in the late 19th century, catering for the entertainment and relaxation of large numbers of people, and which were often situated by the sea.

      Luna Park's direct antecedent was Luna Park on Coney Island in New York, built in 1903. There are strong parallels between St.Kilda and Coney Island- both began in the mid 1850's, developing as fashionable seaside resorts for the nearby cities. Both New York and Melbourne underwent booms in the latter part of the century, which led to expansion, improved transport systems and the consequent encroachment of the metropolis on the resort, resulting in a shift from exclusive bayside suburb to entertainment venue for the masses. 1

      Even though the venue has been in decline for the last 20 years, with a few of the original sites intact, Luna Park is of national significance. The face, flanking towers, and the Scenic Railway have all been classified by the National Trust. As a whole it is regarded as important for its early date, rarity, continuity of use and for its symbolic association with St.Kilda and Melbourne.

THE SITE

      Luna Park inhabits a triangular piece of land bounded by the Lower Esplanade, Jacka Boulevard and Shakespeare Grove. The area was swampland when European settlement began in the 1840's. it was first used as a municipal tip, receiving 11 cartloads of rubbish a day, until the swamp was filled. As Crown land it was reserved in 1884 for public recreation. A photograph from this period shows a large empty triangular paddock. In 1906, when the Foreshore Committee was formed to manage St.Kilda's foreshore lands and the proliferating amusements that were appearing there, Mr Erle Sigismond Salambo applied to lease the land. On November 2, 1906 he opened St.Kilda's first amusement park- Dreamland. Its attractions included Mount Fujiyama, Heaven and Hades, slot machines and a novelty-uniformed band. The whole park was surrounded by an 8ft fence decorated with towers, minarets and pagodas. However with high prices and a certain public apathy, it was destined to failure and within a year Dreamland was abandoned and demolished.

      The site remained unused, despite Council plans for a landscaped garden, until the Greater J.D Williams Amusement Co. proposed to build a steeplechase Park there in May 1911. Similar to the great Steeplechase Park on Coney Island in America, a ride of artificial horsed was to define the Park's boundaries. Other attractions were to include a roller-skating rink, roof garden, a moving picture theatre, and annual Motor and Horse Shows. The Company succeeded in securing a 10-year lease at 400 pounds a year, but the steeplechase ride has to be withdrawn as it was considered unsafe for women and children. It was then that Luna Park Ltd was formed as a subsidiary of the Greater J.D Williams Amusement Co., and alternative plans were initiated.

THE GREATER J.D WILLIAMS AMUSEMENT Co.

      Luna Park was under the personal direction of the American James Dixon Williams who, with the Phillips brothers from Seattle- Herman, Leon and Harold- formed the Greater J.D. Williams Amusement Company. The Co, owned a number of theatres in Seattle and Los Angeles, and Luna Park was just one of the many entrepreneurial and theatrical schemes initiated by the four men. The production of newsreels and short films, and speculating on theatre properties were amongst their earlier concerns. Later they built the Crystal Palace in Sydney, Australia's first theatre to be used exclusively for the screening of films. In Melbourne they build two theatres-the Melba and Britannia, and oversaw the development of the Capital theatre in Swanston St. They were also responsible for the first six day bicycle race in Melbourne in 1910.
      After seeing Luna Park opened in 1912, J.D Williams returned to America in 1913, where he founded First National Films, which would later become Warner Bros. The Luna Park organisation was then left in the hands of Lieut-Colonel J.Monash (chairman of directors), General Robinson and Percy Cook (directors), A C Sutherland (company secretary), and Herman Phillips (amusement director).
      The Phillip brothers, as a team, were to be instrumental in the shaping of St.Kilda's entertainment industry. In 1913 they built the Palais de Danse next to Luna Park, which was converted to Palais Pictures in 1915. A new cinema was built on the site in 1920, and the Palais de Danse was recreated on an adjoining site. In 1926 the cinema was burnt down, and was replaced by a new theatre which seated 3000 people, and remains one of St.Kilda's most remarkable landmarks.
      The manager of Luna Park was Louis A.Corbeille who had spent, many years in the amusement business in America, and whose experience on Coney Island strongly influenced the illusions at Luna Park. Also from Coney Island were the Whitney Brothers who headed a team of 20 American funfair designers and technicians and were the inventors of a while-you-wait photographic system, which they brought to Luna Park. Mr E. Robie was the chief electrician and Mr. V. Churchill the scenic artist.
      The designer and builder of Luna Park was T.H. Eslick, who had previously spent 14 years creating amusement parks all over the world- in Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, as well as North and South America. His outstanding achievements included the first scenic railway in Europe and in Asia, and the great Durbar Exhibition of Old Bombay, created for the visit of King George V to India in 1911. The scenic railway at Luna Park built in 1912 is almost an exact replica on the one built for the Durbar Exhibition.

OPENING NIGHT

      At 8'oclock on December 13th 1912, the Queen of Laughterland threw open her gates, and 22,319 people entered through the mouth of Mr. Moon, his eyes illuminated and rolling. The official opening declaration was made by the Hon. Josiah Thomas M.P (Minister for External Affairs), and speeches were made by the Mayors of Melbourne and St.Kilda, and by J.D. Williams. 15,000 lights were turned on and a life ‘Just for Fun' was begun.
      Luna Park received extensive reviews in The Herald, The Argus and Table Talk. The novelty and the one admission price of 6d. which admitted patrons to all rides, ensured a very successful first year.

THE FIRST AMUSEMENTS

The Scenic Railway defines the boundaries of the park with a track almost a mile long, and the English made cars had carriages originally upholstered in red leather. The weight of the whole train was 1.5 tons. Apart from the Face and the towers, it is only the attraction that remains from the opening days. It is the oldest wooden roller coaster in the Southern Hemisphere and has been classified by the National Trust.

The River Caves consisted of boats which journey through darkness on water, passing illuminated tableaux, including Fairyland, the Polar Region, the Blue Grotto of Capri, the Cotton Plantation, Beneath the Seas, the Aboriginals (a Maori setting) and Happy Japan.

Pharaoh's Daughter, situated close to the exit of the River Caves, was a huge Egyptian style auditorium, guarded by two stone sphinx, where performances of the ancient Egyptian courts were held.

The Palais de Foiles featured a dome of Music where voices of famous singers, including Dame Nellie Melba and Caruso, could be heard.

The Electric Studio of the Whitney Brothers was an early while-you-wait photographic system, where patrons could be photographed in a motor car, a motor boat, as a cowboy, Romeo and Juliet, or sitting on a the moon. These could be brought as postcards as well.

The Terrace Tea Gardens accommodated people for tea and refreshments, and was beautifully furnished with wicker seats and couches. It commanded magnificent views of the Park on one side and the bay on the other.

A list of some of the other shows that existed at Luna Park in the first season may indicate the variety and magnitude of the Company's' investment 2 :
Picture of Illusion Show
The American Bowl Slide
Ring a Duck
Box Ball
Ring a Knife Stall
The Devil's Staircase
Photo Sketcher
Crispettes Stall
Pal Reading Machine
The Indian Dart Gallery
Ferris Wheel
Coney island stall
The Coney Island
HoopLa
Mimic Rink
Wrigley's Pepsin Gum Stall
The Fun Factory
Post Card and Hat Pin Stall
A Cane Stall
The American Refreshment Stall
Crystal Tangle
Comedy Kids
The Carmen Cigar, Cigarettes and Lolly Stall
Music Stall
LIVE SHOWS

      There were also live attractions at Luna Park when it first opened including the high wire performances The Two Savolas, The Human frog, Henderson's Performing Dogs and Monkeys, The Leon Brothers Acrobats, trick cyclists Henry and May, a troupe of midgets called Tiny Town, and Miss Marie Thelin, a Swedish diver, who in 1912 nightly took a 50ft into a 6ft tub of blazing water, with her clothes alight. For the opening attraction of the 1913 season the world's champion roller skater, Harley Davison, gave an open air performance.

CHANGES

      It was important for the continuing popularity of Luna Park that new attractions be introduced each season. For the 1913 season, scenes were changed and added to the caves, including a Japanese Garden, a Red Indian settlement, and a scene of Burke and Will's expedition. New scenes were added to the Whitney Bros. Electric Studio including an aeroplane over a scaled model of Luna Park to give the impression of being 3000 ft in the air, and a Wild West Saloon. Other new attractions for the season included a hoopla bazaar featuring the Canadian Log Walk, Aunt Jemima's Washing Day, The Egyptian Place of Fortune, poker Toss, Ping Pong Pitch, Association High Kick, the Chocolate Derby and the Arabian Dart Game. By the beginning of 1914, Luna Park was drawing crowds between 8,000 and 10,000 on Saturday nights.

      In 1914, the advent of WWI was to significantly affect Luna Park's operations. Alterations were made to the River Caves with a patriotic theme- scenes now depicted naval battles of Great Britain, including the invasions of the Danes, the coming of the Spanish Armada, the exploits of Sir Francis Drake, Nelson of Trafalgar, the Australian Fleet and the Naval review at Spitland. Additions were made to the Palace of Illusions, including ‘the World upside-Down' and ‘The Kaiser's Kitchen' where patrons could hurl crockery at an effigy of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

      Also in 1914, the Crystal Maze was moved, and ‘La Poupee Vivant' (the Living Doll) was introduced. The Palais de Folies was transformed into Merryland with the Turkey Trot, the Inebriated Bridge, the Boston Dip and the 60ft Toboggan. This Palais had previously been converted into The Lounge, where motion pictures were shown. In 1914 the cinema moved to the cornor of Acland and Barkly street where it operated as the Palais Cinema and then later as the Folies, which should not be confused with the Palais Pictures on the Lower Esplanade. 3
      The war made it difficult to import live acts from Europe, so carnivals were presented as a substitute, including the staging of the Carnival of Allies on February 1915. Luna Park closed for the 1915-16 season due to the War and remained closed until it ended, although the Scenic Railway and the front buildings remained open as usual, and the Park opened on occasion for charity events. Shortages and restrictions after the war created difficulties, and efforts to re-open the Park in 1920 were thwarted. This was exacerbated by a dispute over the lease, which left the Park closed until the 23rd October 1923. In August of that year work began to completely overhaul the Park. The Big Dipper was installed, as was The Whip and the Water Shutes, and Noah's Ark was extended. The Carousel, built in 1901 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Co. was introduced to Luna Park, with 60 wooden horses and 6000 electric lights. The Scenic Railway and the River Caves were the only amusements to remain essentially the same, the latter being made to resemble the tropics with coconut palms, monkeys and a huge dragon. Luna Park was at its peak in the 1920s with recorded attendance figures of 1,400 people a day. 4

      In 1926 The Dodgem was purchased, and housed in the French Chateau style Dodgem Pavilion consisting of a fleet of 18 cars, holding two persons each. In 1927 relatively few changes were made as the company was directing its finances to rebuilding the Palais Picture Theatre. In 1928 the Dodgem was enlarged and new attractions included Jack and Jill- a slide on a rattan mat, Goofy house and a new Mermaids Arcade which housed fortune telling machines. The 1928 and 1929 seasons were adversely affected by wet weather, and Depression meant that the public's spending power was limited. The 1930-31 season recorded an unprecedented loss. The Company went into voluntary liquidation to be reconstructed as Luna Park Ltd Incorporated. It was not until 1934 that new attractions were added, which included the Pretzel, the Caterpillar and The Bug. In 1935, Luna Park experienced its first accidental death, occurring on the Big Dipper. In 1936 another man, Harry Maltby, died after falling from a trolley car and wasn't reached before another car hit him.

      In 1937 Luna Park celebrated its 25th anniversary. 5000 balloons were released, the merry-go-round was decorated as a birthday cake, and couples celebrating their silver weddings were invited to a dinner at the Palais de Danse. New attractions for this season included the Ghost Train and the Marionettes.

      During World War II Luna Park's operations were again curtailed and brown-out restrictions meant that the Park lacked its necessary sparkle. Nevertheless, petrol rationing ensured that Luna park and other foreshore amusements enjoyed the popularity of the years before the motor car allowed people to travel further a field for their amusements, and Luna Park in particular was well patronised by soldiers on leave and their consorts. The 1942-43 season was one of the busiest yet.
      The post-war period, however, was a stagnant one for the amusement industry industrial disputes; shortages and stoppages caused further disruption to the supply of goods and services. The enormous decline in profit at Luna park from £21,507 in the 1945-46 season to £1,266 in the 1946-47 season was attributed to transport strikes, lighting restrictions and industrial strife.
      In 1951 Luna Park was again re-vitalized with new attractions and a British Ruston-Hornsby diesel generating plant was installed at great cost as a safeguard against future electricity shortages. The Rotor was introduced consisting of a circular drum, which revolved at such a speed, that when the floor dropped away the centrifugal force would hold patrons fixed against the sides of the drum. The carousel, Dodgems, the Penny Arcade and the whirl were all reconstructed. New amusements mimicked the latest military developments, and in 1952 Bazooka or Atom guns were introduced, which fired rubber balls and the Moon Rocket was installed with cars set at a 45-degree angle on a circular track.

CHANGES, ADVERSITY AND DECLINE

      Despite efforts to sustain Luna Park's popularity, changes in public taste, the advent of television, a series of mishaps and more stringent regulations were to have a dramatic effect on the operations of Luna Park and other similar amusements on the foreshore. The Little Luna Park funfair that was situated next to Luna Park was demolished in 1973 when Marine Parade was widened. In 1977, after 26 years of operation, the Rotor was removed and replaced with the UFO. In 1978 Noah's Ark was replaced by the Scat. In 1980 a passenger was killed on the Scenic Railway. Following a fire in the Ghost Train of Sydney's Luna Park in 1979, which killed one man and five children, safety regulations for St.Kilda's Luna Park were tightened. The River Caves were closed for inspection, considered unsafe and demolished in 1981,making way for the Disco Swing. In 1981 the Shoot-em Gallery was destroyed by arson, also severely damaging the Company's offices and records and most of the Giggle Palace. At that time the Big Dipper and the Scenic Railway were also closed because of the fear of fire, but were re-opened again in 1982. Two more incidents further eroded public confidence: in January 1985 there was a derailment on the Scenic Railway, and in October 1987 two trains collided injuring 21 patrons. In 1989 the Big Dipper was considered unsafe, and despite its heritage importance was demolished in April that year.
      Although Luna Park appears to have changed very little from the outside, having retained its original face, flanking towers and Scenic Railway, the high rate of attrition has resulted in virtually none of the early attractions within its enclosure remaining intact. Most of them have been removed to make way for new amusements, or have been demolished for safety reasons or by vandalism. The Park has changed fundamentally in that most of its attractions, though subject to alteration, were specifically designed for Luna Park and were not to be found elsewhere; today however most of the amusements are trailer mounted and of the kind that will be found at other more temporary amusement fairs. Nevertheless, this high rate of turnover is to some extent in keeping with the ephemeral nature of the Park itself, where attractions were only meant to last as long as their popularity.



Published by Catherine Woo, City of St Kilda 1991 ©





Footnotes         Back to top of Article, or Click on a Number to go to relevant text.

1; Robert Sands, Conservation Analysis, 1992.
2; Burleigh, Barker and Thorpe, Research Report on Luna Park, Palais Pictures and Palais De Danse, Uni. of Melbourne.
3; Robert Sands, op. cit.
4; R. McDonald, Interpretative Plan for Luna Park, Deakin University, 1992.




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