Luna Park
Back in the day, Auckland had its only version of New York’s Coney Island - a fully functioning amusement park on the waterfront complete with dodgems, a roller coaster, stalls and sideshows. The equipment had come from the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, a world fair that ran in Dunedin from 1925-1926. Held at Logan Park, it was most spectacular in the evening when lights highlighted the growing use of electricity. According to Te Ara , it was the most popular exhibition in New Zealand’s histor y. Note the "scenic railway" to the right in the image below. Image: Comprehensive view of the exhibition at Logan Park Dunedin, 1926. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19251126-43-1. At its closure moves were afoot to take advantage of the sideshows and thus was born the idea of an Auckland Luna Park. Luna Park was in fact the name of the very first amusement park on Coney Island, New York. Reclaimed Harbour Board land was chosen although not ...