Actually, I am revisiting the Footrot Flats Theme Park. Also known as the Footrot Flats Leisure Park, and Footrot Flats Fun Park.
In April of this year, I discussed Murray Ball, author of “Footrot Flats”, “Bruce the Barbarian”, and “Stanley.” I recently came across some items from the Footrot Flats Theme Park from a February of 1986 visit.
But first, a new website devoted to all things Footrot, courtesy of Murray Ball and family: http://www.footrotflats.com/ Check it out.
The park had started out as a driving course where young New Zealanders could practice driving. The course made up a large portion of the park. At the time of my visit, the ‘cars’ seemed to be converted golf carts. Certainly not Go Kart variety.
From a publication, Cartoon Quarterly, Volume 1 Number 1, Winter, 1988, we have an article by John Cawley about animation in New Zealand. He talks about Murry Ball, the Footrot Flats strip, and a recent (then) animated movie, Footrot Flats—a Dog’s Tail. At that time it was the highest grossing film in New Zealand’s history. It opened in 28 screens, and in twelve days had taken in over $1,000,000. Since the article appeared in a US publication, and used a dollar sign in front of the amount, I assumed it was in US dollars. Since this blog is mostly about the theme park, I am enclosing part of one page of the article, which shows the front of the theme park. In this photo, it is called a “Fun Park.”
I have a short video from my trip in February 1986, which shows the entrance sign stating, “Footrot Flats Leisure Park.” See the following frame grab.
During the visit I was told that they had great plans to make the park into a destination attraction. As you can see in the video, they had marked off areas for future development. I did a quick and dirty cut on this video to meet the fifteen minute Youtube limit. I probably spent more time on the cars than was necessary, at the expense of some of the other rides. However, I think you will get a feel for what was there on our visit.
There were two gentlemen working at one of the rides who related their experience driving on an LA freeway, and losing a tire. There they were, searching for lug nuts as the traffic whizzed bye. Guess it helped them later in the frantic pace at the park.
I came across a reference card from the Auckland Libraries, indicating that in 1988, “Safari Land” was moving to Footrot Flats Fun Park. I could find no further reference to “Safari Land”, either by itself, or rolled into Footrot Flats Theme park.
Today, the only record of Footrot Flats Theme Park is its entry in defunct amusement parks. Footrot Flats Theme Park is one of three listed for New Zealand. ‘Safari Land’ is not mentioned as one of the defunct parks. I wonder where it went, or if it is still in existence.
Interesting legal wrangling over the area in and around the old theme park. Evidently in the 1950s, the land was ‘acquired’ from various owners for a port, but never developed. The document mentions (Discussion item 8) that at one time in the 1980s, part of the area was used for the Footrot Flats theme park. It makes no further reference to the park. It goes on to say that in the early 1990s portions of the land were developed for housing with the rest held for recreation. From this, I surmise that the park went out of business late 1980s to early 1990s.
There was a website for Footrot Flats memorabilia. Just like my old Mad comic books that my mother threw away when I was off somewhere. Don’t you wish you still had yours. Look at the prices now for Footrot Flats stuff. Unfortunately, this link is no longer active (thanks to Chris for this information) but if it becomes active in the future I will re-link it. (updated 1/1/13)
There is a website which purports to be site for Footrot Flats theme park photos. Well, there are a few, you just have to wade through the site as anything with ‘theme’ in the title shows up there.
Courtesy of my obligatory visit to the gift shop, I have place mats, a birthday card, and a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt is interesting as it is mostly black, with the dog and Wal in white outline. The Dog has a red tongue. Unfortunately, over the last 26 years the sweatshirt has shrunk. Of course, maybe it didn’t shrink, maybe I filled out. Anyway, it fits my wife, so here she is with the shirt.
And, from the visit the the gift shop here are various items.
Cooch, gotta love ‘im.
I could just never bring myself to use the card for anyone.
On the wall of my office–
I have another one of Cooch, holding a flounder in his toes. At least I think it is a flounder. However, two posters is enough.
Now, on to the place mats. If I ever entertained formally, I would have these bracketed by the six forks, stemware, and napkin rings. However…
Well, I hope that those of you who visited this park during its short existence enjoyed this brief visit to that time.
Ted
PS. The Gisborne Herald has an article on the town’s efforts to erect full size Footrot Flats statues. You can see a photo of a scale model of Wal and the Dog in the article.
PPS. On July 29, 2014, 3news in Auckland, NZ, had an interesting story by Tristram Clayton, a reporter for that station, on Grisborne’s statue effort. Sounds like the project is moving ahead.
PPPS. See also comment posted 14 May 2015.
PPPPS-A followup on the Grisborne statue effort. Interesting story. Beautiful sky.
PPPPPS-A story in scoop independent news, on how the sculptures were made.
T.
PPPPPS
And another news article, this one with a photo of Murray Ball’s grandchildren standing with the figures. Interestingly, the photo was by Pam Ball.
T.
This is a late post. I received photos from Kurtz Hardie showing the cars from Footrot Flats Theme Park.
Unfortunately, and through no reason on Hardie’s part, they went to the bozone.
I have now recovered them and present them along with his comments. Thank you Kurtz Hardie.
First his comments:
Got a email from Visual Humor and bought me back to this page, Don’t know if i did end up sending you these photos or not, If not here they are anyhow i believe this is the 1st Footrot flats drivers town jeep lookalike kart. as its got a pretty original looking number 1 decal on windscreen, hope this is helpful for your knowledge and collection, its powered by a 10hp Honda stationary motor with electric start and a centrifugal twin belt clutch going down to a shortened ford escort diff, battery under the seat and i believe at some stage it had working wipers lights and indicators. its also a soft top, in that video you posted they were hard tops
And now the photos.
Thanks again, Kuriz.
By the way, the plate is a vintage Nebraska plate. If you google “94-A000”, you will be brought to a link for the seller. Got to wonder how a vintage plate from the flat lands of Nebraska found its way onto a car from Footrot Flats Theme Park, some 7800 miles and an international date line to the southwest. Kuriz?
T
And lastly, this sad news article:
RIP
visualhumor 
Thanks Ted
I’m a current resident of Te Atatu interested in the past use of this land, so the video was interesting. Its amazing how quickly things disappear, it was only 1991 that it was closed. It’s hard to find images of the park so your video was a real find.
I miss the driving, it was great. Maybe our kids would be better drivers if they could have got their licence here first?
Thank you Kerry-Sue,
My kids enjoyed driving the course. My daughter wanted to, but had to ‘let’ her mother drive for her. My daughter remembered riding the roller coaster, screaming the whole time. My son said the cars were original wooden from another ride. I don’t know about that. I had to cut that part out of the video due to the time constraints. Anyway, he sat in the front with the video camera. We had the ride to ourselves that day.
Ted
hi.great video.any chance someone still has a lisence from the park ,i would love to add one to my footrot flats collection.
Hi fiona,
Thank you for the comment. I am not certain what a ‘lisence’ would be. Do you mean a ticket stub, or some such item? In any case, since I never throw anything away, it is possible I have something from my visit to the park aside from the items mentioned in the post. If I come across a stub or receipt, I will let you know.
Ted
As a former staff member I believe Fiona means the small paper licences we used to give out for Driver’s Town .. I haven’t seen one of those in many many years and would love the old memories if anyone found one and took a scan.
Danual Newton, would you have any information on the vehicles in “Drivers town” then ??
I can inquire with an estranged (step)brother-in-law he actually worked on that section for a small time while he wasn’t on the cats .. before moving onto the Auckland Zoo.
But I have no real information on them besides that they were a load of fun and very square I believe they may have been 2 stroke motors but I’d need to check on that.
The Fiona mentioned was more paper-ish licence that folded in half and had Driver’s Town on the front with some details in the middle..
I recall more than a couple going through the wash 😛
If you want the info on the cars themselves I can check with the (step) in-law and find out or direct him here.
As mentioned previously.
Mahon amusements in ngarawaihia use to own the rides there….. they still have at least one of the cars in their storage.
Could be worth asking them directly if they could share photos and info….
Regards
Danual Newton if you could find out some information that would be great, i also emailed that place and they said they had no clue as the apparently didnt supply them with those.
Hi Ted,
I never got to see this Park in person (as I live in Oz), but I have always been a very big fan of Footrot Flats and of course Murray Ball. So I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you have taken to share this rare info with us all. I am a big collector of all things Footrot Flats and have even created a Facebook page (Footrot Flats by Murray Ball) documenting all things Footrot that I have come across, including a Footrot Flats Leisure Park “Driver Town” pamphlet (pic on site). However, you have some things showing here that I hadn’t even seen before, which was great. As a side note, unfortunately the elswhere merchandise site you linked to is no longer operational due to various circumstances with it’s operators health, so rare Footrot Flats merchandise is so much harder to come by now. Anyway, thanks again for your great info.
P.S. (Please let me know if you ever wish to sell the “Paws” poster or the birthday card, as I have not come across either one before… or anything else that maybe rare. Thanks)
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your comment and the facebook page information. That is truly a great site.
As for this post, I will correct the now busted link you mentioned.
On parting with the poster and or birthday card, I will keep it in mind. I acquired multiple copies of the early Footrot Flats books, with an eye to marketing them in the US. That went no further than my plan on marketing “Swamp” cartoons. Or “Cliff.” But that is another story.
As I mentioned in one of the Murray Ball posts, I first learned of him by picking up a copy of “They’ve put custard with my bone,” in a used book shop. Half way through, I understood the relationship of all the characters. I was hooked.
Again, thank you for your comment.
Ted
The Safari Park, I believe was the “Auckland Lion Safari Action Park” home of the half-mile-down-hill-scream machine
Hi Graeme,
What an interesting comment. I wonder just where it was located to get a half mile drop. Or, was it half mile in length, with various climbs and falls? Any additional information would be appreciated.
Ted
I was a Game Warden from 1981-1983 at Auckland Lion Safari Park. Danual Newton was indeed a 4year old boy living on the property in a red bus with his Dad, Alec Newton.. Who had a background in horse wrangling, shearing and a qualified Horse Farrier.. And I can say Alec and myself spent a week getting spat, kicked and bitten by the Camel’s as we became the first people in the country to break them in for Camel Rides LOL. The half mile ride was made by a German Company.. A stainless steel Tobaggan Run.. Fabricated in Germany and shipped here. I hold the speed record. Centrifugal brakes were added after my record.. No one could beat it. The 3 nearest times ended up with broken bones.. So they put the speed brakes in for public safety. I’m known for doing the Mad Dare.. I rode a bicycle through the Lion Compound with 2 Prides of Lions eyeing me up for dinner. Yup. Young and Dumb 😉
Alright, Spencer Faulkner!
Man, you just could not make up stories like that. I hope you have put them in a book, or at least a story.
Young and dumb. Yeah, but we are still here. I won’t even mention the things I did as a kid. Don’t want my grandchildren to get ideas…
Any photos of the Tobaggan Run? Or for that matter, you and a Camel?
The more I learn about this area and the succession of parks the more interesting it becomes.
As I said, you, or someone, should write a book. You could open with the undeveloped land, and the battles to keep it from being taken for a port. Then the first park, and attractions, then the successor parks, and then finally the land covered with homes.
Interviews with one-time workers, and historic photos could be sprinkled throughout the book. Possibly an interview with a current homeowner standing in her yard, pointing at a rose bush and telling us that that was where the main gate to the park stood.
Yhadda ya say. Up to it?
Ted
Spence is actually an AMAZING artist .. I think he could do a number of art pieces on the crazy things.
The Lion Safari park was located at Red Hills Road in Massey. I have a feeling it may have been the paddocks down the long drive (as it certainly was) beside the Tao Qi Gong Health. Don’t have a car at the moment otherwise I would go on a safari myself to check.
Hi Mary
I took a look at google maps for that area, but nothing looked familiar. Ditto with street view. However, it has been a quarter century…
I thought google earth, with their ability to view historic maps, at least in the US, might help but loading google earth on my xp machine just crashes it. Sigh.
Anyway, thank you for the comment update.
Ted
The old site is still there but dilapidated…
I have a mug from there
Would you consider posting a photo of it?
Hi Ted and posters ..
I actually used to live on the Auckland Lion Safari Park .. My father was the head animal handler at the time and both he and I lived in a bus.. a lot of good unclear memories of the place… I was very young and now not so young..
In “88 or ’89 when the Lion park was closed we were moved to join with FootRot Flats .. my father stayed on as Animal Handler and groundsman .. I spent many many a day sweeping the small paths and walkways of the FootRot and remember it all very fondly..
I’d meet Murray Ball a couple of times as promotional things for the park.
If you or anyone here ventured onto the horse rides I was likely the kid that lead the trek..
Sadly in 2009 my father passed away .. otherwise I would have pointed him to this site.. Some of your posters having been in the area may even recall him .. Alec Newton was his name.
I tried looking for pictures or video and yours was all I found.. and 86 seems before my time there… though I remember it all so well.
I don’t recall what I was doing as a kid then or why I don’t really recall the park closing but I was sad to read that almost nothing remains of the old park .. I didn’t realise that both Futron and Tiger Island were gone too and its been a good decade plus since I moved to Australia.
Thank you for the fond memories.
Hi Danual,
And we all thank you for sharing your memories.
Ted
Hi Danual, would I possibly be able to email you a few questions about the lion park?
apparently I missed this comment .. a year ago. And certainly though I was a kid at the time and beyond basic interactions (and being on the NZ Herald a couple of times) with the animals I would have little to share but am always happy to answer what I can.
Spencer Faulkner on the other hand was employed and worked along side the animals and my father. I am sure he could have a few more details not hazed by childhood.
Hi there – I have some video footage of my family at the Footrot Flats Theme park from 1986…will try and dig it out. A day with all the rides busy and everything. My Dad got a few shots of the various rides. Love this nostalgia!
I hope you can find it, and are willing to share. Many people are interested in what the theme park was like, and would enjoy experiencing the park for the first time, or reliving the park through your video.
Hi Ted
I am so pleased that you have a video footage of the theme park. It brings back a few memories for me..as when I was younger I remember the roller coaster. .and the big slide..but sadly don’t have any photos. Those memories mean alot to me as my dad took me to the park that one time. . I am still living in Te Atatu North, I was raised and grew up in Te Atatu. Its just sad to see that the land was sold to have more homes. I really wished that we still had the theme park.
Thanks again. And I have put a link of your article on to my Facebook page because I know alot of my friends and family would want to see your video.
A BIG THANKYOU
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had to cut it to fit you tube so left out the ride on the roller coaster, and other items. I probably should have cut out more of my family and left in more of the park, but I think I got the important stuff.
Ted
I love your video of the park, I think it’s hypnotic and wonderful and thank you so very much.
Would you consider uploading the footage from your video that didn’t make the first YouTube cut? It’s fantastic stuff and I’d love to see more. Thank you.
Hi Jonny,
The video on the cutting room floor, as I remember, has us on one of the rides, and walking around the park, and looking around from an overlook. I probably got the flavor of the park with what I posted. However, I will dig out the footage and see if there is more of the park, sans family, that might be of interest.
Thank you for your very nice comments.
Ted
The park started as leisure land, then changed to Footrot flats and then had another couple of name changes…. i think adventure west and then someplace different?… the gondola system they had there which cost 1 million sold at auction for only a few thousand dollars (needed LOTS of repairs) there was a rumour that it was going to go between henderson square (west city) and the old k mart plaza before the up grades). Some of the lights on poles used around the park were purchased by carey park Christian camp in henderson valley and they have them on their drive.
I’m a 37yo Australian, who moved to Auckland when I was 28. I’ve always loved footrot flats, and enjoyed the film as a child. I’ve always wondered where the eipcentre for Footrot flats was when the boom hit. I figured it was a north island since all the cues from the comic strip fit. I wondered whether it was Tirau, since there is a big sheepdog there. I looked up Murray Ball on the wikipedia to see if there was any little monument in his home town. Then I noticed that there used to be a theme park on the footrot flats wikipedia page, so I search for where is footrot flats theme park, and ended up here. It’s funny that it was in Te atatu north.. Only last year I was looking at buying a house there (I now live in eden terrace). Murray Ball’s home town (Fielding or whatever) should at least build a statue to him while he’s still alive. I still have the newspaper clipping of when his last sheep dog died in 1999 (Jess or whatever). That still makes me sad.
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the comment. The town of Gisborne has been kicking around the idea of FF statues for some time. Here is a link with more information.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3090509/Footrot-Flats-could-come-to-life-on-Gisbornes-streets
Ted
Anyone know of Dog “Footrot Flats” fame hanging on to the old year with the caption: I haven’t had enough yet! It was a picture I saw at an exhibition in New Zealand in 1990. Any suggestions of how I can get a copy?
Hi Ted,
Many many thanks for posting this and the video.
I worked at Leisureland as it was first known when it first opened (just drivers town and a few other rides) during my school holidays. I then re-joined about the time your video was shot and helped build the roller coaster during my university break, these showground rides are still in action today around the fairgrounds and Auckland Easter show as part of Mahons amusements. The park had a couple of the name changes from Leisureland to Footrot Flats and finally to “Something different fun park” in a last ditched attempt to stay afloat following the stock-market collapse of 1987 (and avoid paying Murray Ball any commission). Yes The Lion Safari park was integrated into the park at this time, on a shoe string as was common at the time, and eventually met its demise in the late 80’s. I could write a book on the reasons for its failure but really owe it a hell of a lot… I met my wife there (she used to be the dog and horse the cat) and learned much of the philosophy I use today in running my business there, many many friends and lots of stories… like the day the roller coaster crashed…
Ted many thanks again you have made my day!
Phil,
So, why don’t you write the book?
I assure you that I am not the only one who wants the stories. You could at least share the roller coaster crash…
I can see a blog in your future. “Things I learned that my parents never knew” or something along that line. WordPress.com will get you started.
Ted
thanks Ted!
Might make a nice job when I retire!
I linked your video on face book and have had a bit of nostalgic interest! Nice to be able to share with the kids, who have heard the stories but never seen the pictures…
Phil,
Don’t wait. You don’t have to spend hours a day pounding away on the keyboard. Jot notes now on file cards, put them away for future reference. Even if you don’t publish, your kids will appreciate it.
I wrote my first book over a span of two decades. I finally just shoved it onto kindle where it lives on the 99 cent shelf. It uses areas in which I worked many years ago, and tells an improbable story. The second book I wrote over a span of a year, mirroring events at a job. It also keeps company on the 99 cent shelf with the first one. Both books are works of fiction, and in no way are representative of actual situations at either job. Both books were fun to write, in that I could kill off people in fiction, who while they may have needed to be killed, would have landed me in prison if I had done it in real life.
In your case, I do not think we are talking fiction. Many people are truly interested in the theme park, and the comic. Your book would be a welcome read for all those people.
Of course, you could fashion a novel with the background of the theme park(s).
In any case, give it some serious thought.
Ted
Ted, thanks so much for the information and video. I went to the park whilst working in NZ in 1985, can’t remeber the month but it was something between June and December. A lot of the stuff you show on the video was not there. I think it was in transition from Leisureland to Footrot.
The driving course was there but they had single seat go karts. Petrol engines mounted behind the driver. The cart was surrounded by a metal plate that was mounted with springs. So when you hit the kerbs or other carts no damage was done.
There was also an Omni theatre. There were no seats so you had to stand up. It added a whole new experience to roller coaster and helicopter through canyon films. We all used to lean over or sway side to side with the movie.
Thanks for the memories.
And I thank you for the comments and memories. I don’t think I have ever heard of a stand-up Omni theatre. The Go Carts sound like motorized Dodgem Cars. Must have been a hoot to drive (and hit other drivers…).
the ‘omni’ theatre is what is known as the cinema 180. Rainbows end in Manukau Auckland has one as well. It was also built in the 1980’s…. so must have been ‘all the rage’. The drivers town cars had metal ‘bumper’ type triangle shape steel above each front wheel. that way if you hit the curb, you would get stuck on it. A ‘tow truck’ would come and rescue you. I dont think the bumpers were there at the begining.. but i guess too many people were driving off road. Also located there was the worlds largest tree house. that was just above the drivers town. Mahons Amusements useto have a number of their ‘portable’ rides set up there pretty permanently, including at some time, the graver tron, cinema 180, dodgems, cannonball run (rollercoaster) sizzler, superloop, massive truck slide, etc. very cool.
I recall the car speeding through Italy was one of my favorite shows of the cinema when it was still going.
Its always interesting checking back and reading the new posters comments so many memories to be had as FootRot and the Lion Park played such a HUGE part of my life and my Father’s.
I miss all the animals we had at the Park and then at FootRot.
I recall as head animal handlers we had the first litter of cubs that the Lioness had at home in the living room teaching them human contact.
Or the Horses and the treks out along the water edge in Te Atatu and back onto FootRot.
Thank you all for the great memories..
I remember the park quite well, had a roller coaster, gondala, drivers town, little lake with kayaks among other things.
I went back to the area around the late 90’s when I was playing paintball and found that the paintball owners had leased the grounds of the old F/flats park – I confirmed this by tripping over the mini golf course (well overgrown) many times and found the old “lake”. Bought back many memories….
Thanks for the comment/update.
Kind of sad. I wonder what is there now?
Ted
What’s there now?…. houses and more houses. Mahon amusements use to have the rides there. I spoke to the owners son a few months ago about it. He said they still had bits and pieces left over from footrot flats which they have in storage at their base in ngarawaihia.
Thanks for the information.
Houses and houses. Hum. Should be an interesting aerial photo. What is the development called?
Ted
Hi there.
Check out
https://www.google.co.nz/maps/@-36.8456967,174.6550393,18z
that’s where it was.
Have a great day
Hi Mark,
I thank you for the information, and I know all the other readers also thank you. You have to wonder what interesting ‘stuff’ people find in their gardens and excavations. Somewhere on google maps I found an option to view earlier maps. I can’t find it now. I even tried a place that I had been able to ‘go back’ but there was no option to do that now. If the aerial photos existed it would be interesting to see the progression from park to subdivision. In any case, I did spend a lot of time looking at the current map, and thinking about what had been there.
Thanks again,
Ted
I uploaded a photo to some site of the stage area from 1991. Did you see that? It was a photo of me and my bro kneeling next to a sign when we were dressed up as clowns. We had been hired to work there.
Unfortunately, not to this site. Any idea which one? Would be interesting to put in in this post with the date on it. And, of course, your names.
Ted
Hi, i have stumbled apon one of those jeep looking karts from footrot flats im yet to pick it up next week but im wondering if i could get some info on them and if there are still any more around, if you are interested ill upload some pics of it next week. 🙂
Hi Kuriz,
Sorry, I do not know much about them. Just that they were noisy, and from looking at the video, at times obstinate when it came to starting. That said, I am willing to guess that some readers out there could quote you chapter and verse on the care and feeding of those ‘cars’. I think it would be wonderful if you could upload a photo of your car, when you get it. Kind of a before and after photo session.
Thanks for offer of the photos.
Ted
Hi i have just picked it up today, how do i send photos can on here?
I know I have received photos of cartoonists from their family in the past. I don’t remember how. Maybe they just emailed them to me at my email address. Let me think on it a bit.
Ted
Me performing as jiggles the clown.co.nz  ( and still do) back in 1991 I think by this time it’s name was adventure west.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
hi there, I tried to upload a photo, it doesnt appear to have worked. ?? whats the email address t send it too? thanks
Try, ted_bryant@hotmail.com. If that doesn’t work, I seem to remember that dropbox has a way to upload photos from non-dropbox users.
I’d go with the email.
I hope it works.
If it was Adventure West, how long did that venue operate?
Thanks for offering the photo.
Ted
I lived in Te Atatu North (as was) between 86 and 88 and went to the park on a few occasions, though my main memories are of driving past it every time we headed to Auckland proper. Of the park itself, it’s quite hazy as I’d only have been six or seven. I remember loving the bumper boats and shooting air rifles, and not that many few Footrot themed things. I loved cars and was desperate to go to Drivers Town, but usually I was either too small or we couldn’t afford the surcharge for it. I think my dad might’ve taken me round on his knee, once.
Phil’s memories chime with my own – I seem to recall the park closing down and changing name before we left Te Atatu, brought low by the financial crash that also claimed Heritage Park (home to what the 7 year-old me thought was the best crazy golf course in the world. There was a little ferry you had to hit your ball into to cross a pond and everything).
Your pictures of the Footrot Flats memorabilia also bring back a lot of memories. I had that Paws poster on my wall (as well as on a beach towel) alongside a genuine Murray Ball original! Murray came to a summer holiday event at the Te Atatu Intermediate school and drew a poster with a poem and a little dog character (not Dog, though, from something else). I was the first kid to recite the poem in full from memory and got to keep the poster. Sadly, it was done on flipchart paper with a marker and didn’t weather very well, so my mum eventually threw it out. Would’ve been a great thing to share now.
Yeah, mother’s are like that. My mother threw out all my Mad comics, including a 3D issue. Also the first Panic comic. That will teach me to run off to the Marines…Anyway, thank you for sharing your memories. I now wish I’d taken more footage.
Ted
Heritage Park mini golf was in Ellerslie. St Johns ambulance brought it as their base for years. It had an artificial ski slope (also a massive one was up in Albany). It had a pirate ship n the lake. But yes, the best thing was the mini golf. It was ‘around NZ/ minigolf. Your first hole was putting along 90 mile beach. All the holes were different parts of NZ. Thru long tunnels, over cook straight ferries – there and then back after doing the south island. Even hitting into the base of a volcano and it ‘erupting’ throwing your ball out the top…… always seamed to be very temperamental thou.
Our thanks to Mark for his memories of Heritage Park mini golf. Sounds like it was a hoot. Much better than putting through a windmill.
Ted
Wow thank you much for posting that film…my friend and I spent many a weekends in the 1980’s at Leisure Land then Footrot Flats and our early teens on those cars…I can still recall driving the wrong way round one of the roundabouts and getting told off !! happy memories.
Shame it never became what they planned for…all housing now but happy memories.
Thanks again.
I featured in the advert shot on site for footrot flats park. We loved going there and were approached while there to star in the advert. Wish I could find that!!! Loved that park and oh my being able to drive! I was 10-12
I wish you could have found it also. It would have been a great to see. When was it shot? Still or motion?
Thanks for sharing.
Ted
i have a copy of this advert, and was also on the TV one. I’m not sure how to upload it here so feel free to email me if you’d like a copy. This was from prior to its opening as leisureland
@footrotflatsthemepark on facebook.
a google search should also find it…
Hi Christine could you send it to me phil@cambrianplastics.co.nz OR drop it on to my facebook page @footrotflatsthemepark
Hi there, we went to both Footrot Flats and Safari Land in Jan 88. Safari Land aka Auckland Lion Safari Park, there is a bit of info about it if you Google. In case you still care lol, I see that this is a fairly old post. Have more pics of Safari Land than Footrot Flats, but funnily enough I am currently drinking out of the FF plastic cup that we got as a souvenir! (As were all the rage in the late 80’s/90s!!) Safari Land was one of those drive through in the car parks, they had a cage where the guy was feeding lions thru it, and the lions were jumping all over it and the ute that was towing the cage. Pretty cool memories!
Oh, it was out at Massey 🙂
Hi Ted long time no talk
Have set up a Facebook page foxtrot flats / leisureland… lots of cool photos to view
Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Phil,
Good on you.
I enjoyed paging through it. You are correct, the photos are cool. Even Boris…
I hope others post photos, memories and comments.
Thanks for taking the time and effort.
Ted
haha yes long time coming!
Just need to work out how to include a BLOG so I can start writing the history and employee lists… need to talk to some teenagers.
Phil
Hi Phil,
Now that sounds like a real ambitious project.
I don’t know about teenagers, usually tech support asks if I have a grandson in the house…
You could always go to Word Press for your blog, but that would be kludge, shifting from one platform to the other.
However you do it, the history would be interesting.
Maybe you could put up a plaque in someone’s yard saying that ‘on this spot, stood the ticket booth for Footrot flats theme park’ or some such item.
I look forward to the blog.
Ted
If I could get a link to the page that would be great to.
There are just so many spam sites and stuff its hard to see which is the intended.
Still miss the park every so often as it was such a large part of my childhood so any new interest in the place is always interesting to look over.
I live in Scotland these days and in all the years I lived in NZ Murray Ball and Footrot Flats were one of the highlights. A few years back I was at a car boot sale and came across some Footrot books on a table. I asked the people where they got them from and with my asking they thought the books were illegal. Seemingly some friends had visited NZ and brought them back for them.
I explained to them that Footrot Flats and Murray Ball are icons of NZ society. They were quite relieved that they weren’t in trouble with some sort of authority. Great books and film.
Those books do get around. The first one I saw was in San Diego, California. As I mentioned in another post, after reading about a quarter of the book, I understood the relationships of all the characters.
RIP Murray.
Remember either visiting this place or knowing about this place as a kid.. almost forgot about it until the other day. Great read, good video
I grew up in Tat North. Safari Land never joined Footrot Flats as far as I can remember, but I was about 10 years old or around abouts when it closed
Well, couldn’t prove it by me, one way or the other. Anybody else have a thought on Safari Land vis-s-vis Footrot Flats?
The owner of Lion safari park in Massy took over footrot flats and the park became “something different fun park” unfortunately is was back in the day where You could promise you had money to spend when you didn’t have any and the park couldn’t survive the 87 stock market crash with leisure land corporation having spread its self too thin.
I see that there is something called ‘Footrot Flats Leisureland” at this link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Footrot-Flats-Leisureland/194696133912189?hc_ref=ARTfVU50HA6VEmgH_uq1c3FHGZ0Zp2WdRmd15qqXKV6nsn6z23m4okVK8YbzwaZJS0o&fref=tag&__tn__=kC-R
But that is now, and I am fascinated with the various snippets of history on this park that readers supply. Thank you all.
Ted
Hi Ted, my thoughts reflect that I worked at Leisureland while at school, then left Uni to work at footrot flats, eventually as operations manager, then was made redundant by something different fun park in 87, (when the lion safari park owner made promises of cash investment but just turned up with hungry lions) In 1986 the park was successful in that it made an operational profit but the end was caused mainly by the stock market crash tying up people’s recreational dollar, including the owners of the time, Leisureland corporation, they also owner waiwera pools, and mt Hutt ski field and we briefly operated the Orewa miniput. The face book page you highlighted is one I manage and is a collection of personal photos, and those shared by other staff and guests of the time. Several other staff are friends on the Facebook page and many still live locally.
Enjoy the face book page and if you have any questions it’s a good place to post them as most of the old team will be happy to share their memories….like the day the roller coaster got stuck, or futron or Canadian log rollers, or the day Disney visited.
Thank you for the very interesting background. Also for the facebook lead.
Ted