Two years after it was listed for sale (again), what’s the story with Fantasy Glades?

What were you doing on 28th April, 2002, when Fantasy Glades closed its enchanted doors?

I’d just turned nine, but already my impression of the fairytale-themed amusement park was enough to capture my imagination for good.

Obviously, I’m not alone. Over the years, multiple articles have been written, each following the other in asking whether it’s possible the park could return to its former glory - even just as upmarket holiday cabins for the nostalgic.

And despite my own ambitious reporting, the Mid North Coaster did not get much closer to discerning its fate. But we did get a sense that the community still hopes for a fairytale ending - of the environmentally-friendly kind - for the beloved site.

Fantasy Glades was magicked into existence at Parklands Close in 1968 by George and Rosemary Whittaker, who quite fittingly met on a national tour of a pantomime version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The park was taken over by new owners – married couple George and Pat Spry, who owned it for decades before announcing its closure due to the “age and ill-health…and economic concerns” of the Sprys. 

Remains in limbo

Since then, the site has had rather dogged luck in reopening, changing hands and plans at least three times. 

The park’s former owner, Jeff Crowe, bought the site in 2015 and said he has “battled the forest, the council approval processes, and the periodic vandalism common of bored teenagers in regional towns” ever since. Additionally, the area is now home to koalas – which locals are keen to protect.

Crowe had been “slowly and painstakingly” bringing the site back to life as an upmarket holiday park when more than 26,000 people signed a petition to urge the Port Macquarie-Hastings council to reject his application to build 11 holiday cabins on the site. 

In early 2023, it was reported that Crowe, who cleaned up much of the site himself, intended to call the site “Fantasy Glades Estate” and have it up and running in around two years.

However, the property was listed for sale once again in mid-2023 and its new owner has not made public their intention for the site.

“Sometimes people do approach us for information about the property,” Debbie Sommers, curator at Port Macquarie Museum, told the Mid North Coaster.

“But lately we’ve heard no whispers. Nothing.”

The Mid North Coaster reached out to the Port Macquarie Council for comment.

“I would be so pleased to see Fantasy Glades restored in a sensitive way sometime soon - Port needs something to get excited about,” a resident told the Mid North Coaster.

“And I would love my kids to have a retro amusement park experience!”

During its heyday, the park was home to attractions like Cinderella’s Castle, a Witch’s Cottage, the Old Woman’s Shoe, and a Crooked House - among many other storybook constructions.

“People of a certain generation have really fond memories of Fantasy Glades and I’m sure they’d be delighted if something happened,” Sommers said. However, she underscored the importance of balancing environmental concerns for the rainforest gully it occupies with the desire to see the park reopen.

For the curious, Port Macquarie Museum is a trove of tourism history including Fantasy Glades memorabilia.

Today, the surrounding rainforest closes in on the Fantasy Glades property - and its koalas. Its state of abandonment gives it a haunted charm. Port Macquarie hasn’t had anything like it since, with the region going without a year-round, family-oriented amusement park since it closed, followed by Peppermint Park a year later.

The next novelty attraction to bite the dust was the Big Bull in 2007.

"Port Macquarie is desperately crying out for family oriented tourist attractions and this unique area could represent the final opportunity to provide something like this near one of our best beachside areas," the site’s former listing agent, Rex Patterson said in 2008.

At least we still have Timbertown close by.

📸 Photo gallery

Here are some images we found in Fantasy Glades’ archive (from the dormant Facebook page). Some things you may remember, some you may wish to forget.

📣 Do you have photos?

We’d love to get a gallery together for the Mid North Coaster.

Please send your photos of Fantasy Glades to [email protected] with your first and last name for credit (or you’re welcome to remain anonymous, just let us know) and any other information you’d like to include.