IndustrialTue 06 Feb 18

Old Sydney Town Theme Park Listed for Sale

Old Sydney Town, near Gosford, was an historic theme park – recreating Australia’s first English colony in 1803. Fifteen years after its closure, the theme park has been put on the block.

Property buyers have the opportunity to get their hands on a slice of history in the form of a 120-hectare mega site on New South Wales’ Central Coast. The land is divided into three portions: Old Sydney Town, the Australian Reptile Park and a surrounding farm.

Its proximity to Gosford and the Sydney expressway will likely make it an attractive proposition for property developers.

The property comprises five adjoining parcels, including the Australian Reptile Park across 54,000 square metres and former Old Sydney Town on 250,000 square metres. The remaining 890,000 square metres wraps around both sites and is utilised as a primary production farm.

CBRE’s Peter Vines, who is part of the team responsible for marketing the property, said its sheer size and public recognition could create the perfect melting pot of opportunity for a developer with the right vision.

“This site offers an unprecedented landbank opportunity to secure more than one million square metres of premium land,” he said.

As an attraction, Old Sydney Town wasn’t particularly popular and closed in 2003. The site has since been used for events and as a set location for historical movies.

The Australian Reptile Park, however, remains a popular destination, with a long-term lease in place. The reptile park was established in 1948 and has been operating from the Somersby site since 1996.