POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Luna Park coupon books

Luna Park coupon books

Object No. 2008/48/3

These coupons have significance because they help to document the rich history of Sydney's Luna Park, an amusement park that has been a site of recreation and leisure since 1935. With its spectacular harbourside location, Luna Park is key element of Sydney's identity that has provided fun and excitement for generations of children. For adults who visited the park as youngsters, it is a powerful symbol of happy memories. For showies, artists and casual workers, it provided employment for seven decades. The park's controversial history of sustained operation, possible destruction, neglect, tragedy, closure, restoration and reinvigoration is important in terms of urban development and community response. It was saved from annihilation by citizens devoted to preserving its unique brand of magic and in recent times its fortunes have remained a focus of community concern. Luna Park's gateway is the laughing face of popular culture, the antithesis to the highbrow culture found at the Sydney Opera House diagonally opposite. Its rich history is now well recorded in photographs and print, but many significant artefacts and ephemera have been dispersed or lost. Sydney's Luna Park had its origins at Glenelg in Adelaide where it was established in 1930 but forced to close due to problems with residents and the local council. Luna Park's contents were shipped to Sydney where, under the supervision of Ted Hopkins, it re-opened in 1935 on a site that had been recently vacated by the Sydney Harbour Bridge construction project. Luna Park's festive atmosphere has always been augmented by fine examples of fairground artwork. Arthur Barton, the park's resident artist until 1970, designed murals and panels full of humour and whimsy. The park was revamped in the 1970s with the help of the artists Martin Sharp, Peter Kingston and Richard Liney. After the fatal ghost train fire of 1979, Luna Park was closed. A new leaseholder, Harbourside Amusements, took over in 1981, adding new attractions but doing away with many of the older rides and artwork. After the park closed again in 1988, public protests and lobbying by Friends of Luna Park, a community organisation, persuaded the state government to prevent a proposed high rise development, ensuring that the site would be reserved for public recreation, amusement and entertainment. A reinvigorated Luna Park re-opened in 1995 but was forced to close due to complaints by residents about noise from the new Big Dipper. It re-opened in 2004 with a new Big Top, a refurbished Crystal Palace, alongside traditional attractions like the Rotor, the Wild Mouse and Coney Island.

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Summary

Object Statement

Coupon books (3), for three denominations of 'Lunas', paper, maker unknown, made for Luna Park, Australia, 1982 - 1988

Physical Description

Three booklets containing coupons for Sydney's Luna Park and representing the three denominations of park money - 50, 100 and 400 'Lunas'. The 50 Luna coupons are green, the 100 Luna coupons are pink and the 400 Luna coupons are yellow, with the iconic Luna Park 'face' or gateway repeated on the front of each coupon. Each coupon has a transfer number and bears the text 'This Coupon is not transferable. It entitles the holder to request the Luna Park Redemption Centre to exchange the coupon for goods selected by the holder' printed in black.

PRODUCTION

Notes

The coupon books were made for the proprietors of Luna Park between 1982 and 1988.

HISTORY

Notes

These are samples of the coupons that were used as tickets for rides at Luna Park from 1982 to 1988, when the park was run by Harbourside Amusements. They were obtained and preserved by Sam Marshall, author of the book 'Luna Park Just for Fun' (Sydney, 1995 and 2007), during his long association with Luna Park in which he has documented its history and worked for its preservation.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Gift of Sam Marshall, 2008

Acquisition Date

10 March 2008

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