Luna Park Melbourne opened on 13 December 1912 on the St Kilda foreshore, built by American showman J.D. Williams alongside brothers Harold, Leon, and Herman Phillips. More than a century later, it remains Australia’s oldest continuously operating theme park, still welcoming visitors through the grinning, heritage-listed entrance face known as Mr Moon.
The park’s centerpiece is the Scenic Railway, a wooden roller coaster that has run since opening day in 1912 and holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest continuously operating roller coaster on Earth. It remains one of the few coasters anywhere that still requires a standing brakeman riding aboard each train to help control its speed.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Operator: Luna Park Melbourne Pty Ltd
- Opened: 13 December 1912
- Signature attraction: The Scenic Railway (world’s oldest continuously operating roller coaster)
- Heritage status: Victorian Heritage Register (entrance face, towers, Scenic Railway, carousel)
- Notable ride: 1913 Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel (PTC#30)
A Century of Thrills
When Luna Park opened in 1912, its success was immediate, drawing enormous crowds to the bayside suburb of St Kilda. The park has operated almost continuously ever since, surviving two world wars, economic downturns, and changing ownership, all while preserving the carnival atmosphere and vintage rides that first defined it.
Today the park is jointly owned and managed by a group including Lindsay Fox and family, David Goldberger, David Wieland, and Virtual Communities, who purchased it in 2005 with a mandate to restore its historic character.
Heritage Rides Still Running
The Scenic Railway anchors the park’s heritage appeal, its timber structure and brakeman-operated trains offering a ride experience largely unchanged since 1912. Nearby, the 1913 carousel, officially recognised with a Historical Carousel Award, continues to turn for new generations of riders.
Both attractions, along with the park’s famous entrance face and towers, are protected on the Victorian Heritage Register, ensuring that Luna Park’s earliest rides remain part of Melbourne’s living history rather than museum pieces.
Explore more: Explore more theme parks.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Build a working coaster on the kitchen table and learn why the first drop has to be the tallest. A good gift for young coaster fans.
Luna Park Melbourne FAQs
When did Luna Park Melbourne open?
Luna Park Melbourne opened on 13 December 1912 and has operated almost continuously since, making it Australia’s oldest theme park.
What is the oldest ride at Luna Park Melbourne?
The Scenic Railway is the oldest ride, a wooden roller coaster running since 1912 and recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in the world.
Where is Luna Park Melbourne located?
It sits on the St Kilda foreshore, a bayside suburb a short tram ride from central Melbourne, Australia.
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Photo: Adam.J.W.C. / CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.