Fairytales Come to Life at Australia's Fairy Park

By Cheryl Wright, Freelance Writer

May 2007

As children, fairytales and nursery rhymes become part of a staple diet; we hear the same tunes, the same words, over and over until they are so familiar we can recite them, almost without thought.

I remember as a small child, being taken to the fantasy world of my dreams - a world that stayed in my memory for years, until, as a young mother, I was able to take my own children to that same fantasy place.

Now, as the grandmother of many, it gave me much joy to take my grandchildren and my mother to the wonderful place that occupied my thoughts and memories for a very long time – around forty years.

Fairy Park is located in Anakie – near Geelong, and is around an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s Central Business District. It sits atop “Elephant Rock” which provides an abundance of breathtaking views. We decided to turn the day into a family picnic, and took along sandwiches, fruit, drinks and snacks. There is a kiosk on site, so this is not a necessity. We did, however, avail ourselves of the hot coffee, which was sold at a reasonable price.

From the car park and picnic grounds we could see castle towers, waterfalls, and the tops of some exhibits. The children were antsy, and did not want to wait until after lunch to start their big adventure. But they were hungry so begrudgingly obliged.

The paths are all paved and very safe. They are steep, however, and the management only recommends taking wheelchairs if you provide your own ‘muscle power.  However, my mother used a walker and managed quite well, only requiring assistance on the steepest paths.

In addition to two and three year olds, we had fourteen month old twins with us, and found that we had to fold the twin stroller and carry it only once – at a narrow walkway.

Jotted along the pathways are mushrooms, fairies of all shapes and sizes, and various other fantasy creatures. Popp the dragon is certainly larger than life, and the gigantic shoe-house, as inhabited by The Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe, had the twins, as well as the older children, in awe. The colours are brilliant and all exhibits meticulously made.

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs also appealed to the kiddies, with each dwarf undertaking a separate task while Snow White fluffed out a pillow. Sleepy on the other hand, snored in one of the seven bunk beds while the others worked.

Jack and the Beanstalk was a sight to behold, with the giant looking down at Jack as he tried to reach the base of the beanstalk to cut it down. When the giant began to bellow, the older children wanted to move onto the next exhibit!

As we worked our way along the paths, the children became more and more excited. The Seven Goats exhibit particularly enthralled with one goat bobbing up and down in the grandfather clock, and another hidden in a cupboard, which opened and closed. Little Red Riding Hood visited her ‘grandmother’ with a very friendly-looking Big Bad Wolf in disguise. A distressed Hansel was locked behind bars, while the very ugly, very wicked witch fattened up Gretel. The gingerbread and cookie-covered house was also a hit with the children.

The waterfall, with its multitude of frog statues was popular as well. A number of taps sat along the ledge (at child height) allowing children to turn them on and off as they pleased. Each frog had a tube protruding from its mouth, and occasionally there was a near miss as water splashed our way.

After a number of hours, finally completing the tour, the adults were exhausted and ready to leave.

Not so the children. From the downward path, the children’s playground was clearly visible, and the excitement began all over again.

Camelot, as the playground is named, looks to be a castle – from the outside, and in some ways this is true. Part of the perimeter is a castle wall, with its own walkway, stairs and secret tunnels. The dungeon bars look out over the playground (at ground level), providing photo opportunities. There is also traditional equipment such as a merry-go-round, swings, seesaws and slides. Continuing with the theme of castles and a bygone era, the playground boasts a multi-coloured horse, headless woman, stocks, and colourful murals as well as a toddler’s playground - ensuring the little ones are not trampled by the bigger kids.

At the tall tower, a guard looks down upon intruders. There is a sign on the door warning not to push the nearby button ‘or you’ll be sorry’. More often than not, a curious child (or adult) cannot help themselves and ends up with a face full of water.

With a long drive ahead of us, at around 4pm the grown-ups decided it was time to leave, much to the kiddie’s dismay. We’d just about given up hope of a tearless retreat when a few sprinkles of rain brushed our faces. Not keen on getting drenched, we were able to prise the two and three year olds away, while the twins were easier to control.

Back in the cars, we’d only just finished strapping everyone in their child restraints when heavy rain pelted down. The children slept all the way home, and so did a few of the adults...

 **All photos by Cheryl Wright

If You Go

Fairy Park

2388 Ballan Road

Anakie, 3221, Victoria

Australia

Tel: (03) 5284 1262

Email: info@fairypark.com

Open everyday of the year, except Christmas Day    between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Prices:

Adult: AUS$12.00

Child:  AUS $6.00

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