Canberry Fair - Where'd it go?

I saw Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons there once a squillion years ago.

Canberry fair used to be in Watson out on the federal highway behind the petrol station at the big round about. It has been closed I think for quite some time now however…

I love how the sign for the ol’ Starlight drive-in is still there near all that new development.

My poor kids suffer through the stories of ‘I remember when….’ each time we drive past it.

Hopefully they won’t rip that down.

D2 said :

It’s a damn shame that it never worked. The buildings were beautifully put together and it seemed to be well-run. I have fond memories of playing music there in my band.

I saw Uncanny X-Men play there in 1985, I had forgotten it changed ownership/names a few times, but surprised to learn that someone was riding the rollercoaster in 2002. I though it had closed a decade or more since then.

Rollersk8r said :

What’s left of it is still there. It’s in what is now the new area of Watson, or just beyond. Right next to the Formule 1 hotel at the start/end of the Federal Highway.

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

It was only open for a few years in the mid 80s, its been more than 20 years now.

jayjay said :

On a side note, RiotACT is the only site I visit to keep up to date on news in Canberra. CT website is terrible and Win news seem to have given up on posting anything interesting on their website.

Couldn’t agree more. The CT web site is a disgrace and WIN’s audience is the under-5s.

I’m glad that you’re keeping up to date here. 🙂

It was a great venue, before its time I guess. Agree re the well-built buildings, lovely timber in them. I worked functions at Clancys from time to time. Remember a great New Year’s Eve bash there, Goanna was the headline act, might have been at the end of 82?

Thanks for all your responses. Unfortunately for me, I can’t visit. I live in the UK now. I do remember the starlight drive-in and vaguely remember the heritage village signage on the highway.

Again, Thanks to all for your responses.

On a side note, RiotACT is the only site I visit to keep up to date on news in Canberra. CT website is terrible and Win news seem to have given up on posting anything interesting on their website.

Cheers

Its being levelled, and redeveloped into houses.
http://www.allhomes.com.au/ahda/property/photo/2010/09/10/1e98cbbda6970dbd217c8a99a4c143ae_l.jpg

Brought to you by cooperation between the Stanhope Government, and the Village Building Co.

It’s a damn shame that it never worked. The buildings were beautifully put together and it seemed to be well-run. I have fond memories of playing music there in my band.

Message to self – I must remember to scroll down the postings BEFORE adding my bit.

Rollersk8r said :

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

From memory it changed name and continued running albeit with a few less attractions. I remember riding the rollercoaster there in 2002, it was called ‘Australian Heritage Village’ by then though I think.

Up behind the servo on the Federal Highway (up from the old Starlight Drive-in). Not much left these days however.

Canberry Fair is/was located on corner (roundabout) of Northbourne Ave and Antil Street Watson – behind the petrol station and the cheap hotel heading out on Federal Highway. Better go have a look soon – the developers are preparing to bulldoze the remaining buildings and landscaped park to squash in a bunch of townhouses very shortly. The building the developers are currently working out of is magnificant – with a beautiful colonial handcrafted wooden staircase and bannister rarely seen in the Canberra.

In it’s hayday, there were restaurants, the pub, craft markets (including ‘resident’ artists/craft workers like saddlery, wrought iron work etc), function (weddings etc) amusement rides for the kiddies and much, much more. Unfortunately, it never really made a profit and changed owners (and names) a number of times. Now that Canberra actually has a larger population, especially in that area of North Canberra, there might have been a chance for it to actually make it … but the developers and the ACT government had other ideas.

In the ACT government’s wisdom, they have decided an amusement/recreational/heritage park is surplus to Canberra’s requirements, including an perfectly good functions area, unique buildings and the old pub (was Clancy’s). The multitudes of North Canberra and Gungahlin weren’t deemed interesting enough to warrant having such a facility (because they have Gold Creek no doubt). We can’t have too many places to have fun in Canberra!

I believe someone was recording “recollections” of the Canberry Fair/Colonial Village/Australia Heritage Park era. If you google it, you’ll find a number of references to the park – including previous discussion, including its sad demise, on RiotACT.

up the highyway just past EPIC – I suspect it may now be housing…

What’s left of it is still there. It’s in what is now the new area of Watson, or just beyond. Right next to the Formule 1 hotel at the start/end of the Federal Highway.

I think it would be 20 years since it closed.

It was on Federal Hwy and Antill St. Have a search around here, it’s come up a few times. Someone had some pictures of the derelict rides and stuff. I remember the remote controlled boats and the gravatron – we screamed so loud one day as it spun down that the operator let us have a double turn!