Funfields

About

Funfields (formerly Alpine Toboggan Park) is a 15.7-hectare (39-acre) theme park located in the suburban fringe town of Whittlesea, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Melbourne, Australia. It is one of four major theme parks in Victoria. The park operates seasonally from November to April to align with Melbourne's climate, attracting over 200,000 visitors per season. Originally established in 1985 as the Alpine Toboggan Park, the site was acquired by the Verga family in 1987. Since rebranding to Funfields in 2005, the park has transformed from a small picnic park into a major attraction. It is noted for its collection of ProSlide water slides, including several that held world records for length and height at the time of their opening. Its newest attractions include the Lava Lagoon lazy river and Cyber Drift bumper cars (both opened in 2024), joining the Supanova water slide (2022) and the heated Volcano Beach wave pool (2018).

Plans for the park were first lodged in February 1984 by local builder Bob Mayo and insurance broker Victor Colosimo. Initially met with some local opposition over noise concerns, the project was approved as the Alpine Toboggan Park. The park officially opened to the public on 2 February 1985, featuring a stainless steel toboggan track with a 650-metre (2,130 ft) downhill run.

In 1987, the park was acquired by John Verga, who oversaw its early development. The park's expansion, which included two in-ground water slides (now known as Splashdown ), was completed for the 1986/87 summer season. Throughout the 1990s, the park operated with a small selection of attractions, including a small "Mini Car" track and the Crocodile Creek mini golf course. The major Thunderdome Go Kart track was added later in 1997.

Insurance Crisis and Rebranding (2000–2012)

In the early 2000s, the park faced significant challenges due to the Australian public liability insurance crisis, which threatened the viability of toboggan parks across the country. In 2002, the park's management provided evidence to an Australian Senate inquiry, highlighting the rapid escalation of insurance premiums for gravity-based rides. This external pressure accelerated the need to diversify the park's attractions beyond just the toboggan.

In 2005, the park officially rebranded from the Alpine Toboggan Park to Funfields. The name change was intended to reflect the park's shift from a single-attraction venue to a multi-ride amusement park. During this period, the park adopted a strategy of acquiring and refurbishing attractions from other Australian theme parks ("ride rescue"). Notable additions included the Blackbeard's Fury pirate ship (purchased from Sea World in 2009) and the Burnout ride (purchased from Dreamworld in 2012).

A major turning point occurred following the installation of the Typhoon water slide in 2013. Despite the significant investment, the ride initially failed to attract the expected crowds. In response, the park engaged marketing expert John Dwyer to overhaul its advertising strategy. The new campaign, which focused heavily on the "world record" status of the park's thrill rides rather than its smaller attractions, was credited with turning the park into a major financial success and funding future expansions like Gravity Wave.

In November 2017, a council audit revealed that the park had been operating in breach of its planning permit for 33 years. The original permit, issued in 1984, had formally capped attendance at just 450 patrons. However, by 2017, the park was regularly hosting over 4,000 visitors on peak days. The error was discovered when park management requested copies of old permits from the City of Whittlesea. Owner John Verga publicly stated he was unconcerned by the technical breach, citing the park's economic contribution to the region. The council subsequently resolved the issue by retrospectively updating the permit cap to 4,600 patrons plus season pass holders to match actual operations.

The park continued to expand its aquatic offerings with the opening of Volcano Beach, a heated outdoor wave pool, in December 2018. The accompanying "Mystic Kingdom" children's area was re-themed in 2019, adding new rides such as Dragon's Revenge.

In 2024, the park undertook its largest single investment to date—a $10 million redevelopment of the central precinct. This project involved permanently closing two long-standing attractions: the Thunderdome Go Karts and the Treasure Cove Mini Golf. The Go Kart site was redeveloped into the Lava Lagoon lazy river and Cyber Drift bumper cars (both opened on 26 December 2024), while the Mini Golf site was cleared to create expanded grassy picnic areas for guests.

The park remains a family-owned business. In 2025, one of the owner's daughters, Lilly Primerano, was appointed Attractions Manager, marking the continuation of the family's multi-generational management.

Plans for the park were first lodged in February 1984 by local builder Bob Mayo and insurance broker Victor Colosimo. Initially met with some local opposition over noise concerns, the project was approved as the Alpine Toboggan Park. The park officially opened to the public on 2 February 1985, featuring a stainless steel toboggan track with a 650-metre (2,130 ft) downhill run.

In 1987, the park was acquired by John Verga, who oversaw its early development. The park's expansion, which included two in-ground water slides (now known as Splashdown ), was completed for the 1986/87 summer season. Throughout the 1990s, the park operated with a small selection of attractions, including a small "Mini Car" track and the Crocodile Creek mini golf course. The major Thunderdome Go Kart track was added later in 1997.

In the early 2000s, the park faced significant challenges due to the Australian public liability insurance crisis, which threatened the viability of toboggan parks across the country. In 2002, the park's management provided evidence to an Australian Senate inquiry, highlighting the rapid escalation of insurance premiums for gravity-based rides. This external pressure accelerated the need to diversify the park's attractions beyond just the toboggan.

In 2005, the park officially rebranded from the Alpine Toboggan Park to Funfields. The name change was intended to reflect the park's shift from a single-attraction venue to a multi-ride amusement park. During this period, the park adopted a strategy of acquiring and refurbishing attractions from other Australian theme parks ("ride rescue"). Notable additions included the Blackbeard's Fury pirate ship (purchased from Sea World in 2009) and the Burnout ride (purchased from Dreamworld in 2012).

A major turning point occurred following the installation of the Typhoon water slide in 2013. Despite the significant investment, the ride initially failed to attract the expected crowds. In response, the park engaged marketing expert John Dwyer to overhaul its advertising strategy. The new campaign, which focused heavily on the "world record" status of the park's thrill rides rather than its smaller attractions, was credited with turning the park into a major financial success and funding future expansions like Gravity Wave.

In November 2017, a council audit revealed that the park had been operating in breach of its planning permit for 33 years. The original permit, issued in 1984, had formally capped attendance at just 450 patrons. However, by 2017, the park was regularly hosting over 4,000 visitors on peak days. The error was discovered when park management requested copies of old permits from the City of Whittlesea. Owner John Verga publicly stated he was unconcerned by the technical breach, citing the park's economic contribution to the region. The council subsequently resolved the issue by retrospectively updating the permit cap to 4,600 patrons plus season pass holders to match actual operations.

The park continued to expand its aquatic offerings with the opening of Volcano Beach, a heated outdoor wave pool, in December 2018. The accompanying "Mystic Kingdom" children's area was re-themed in 2019, adding new rides such as Dragon's Revenge.

In 2024, the park undertook its largest single investment to date—a $10 million redevelopment of the central precinct. This project involved permanently closing two long-standing attractions: the Thunderdome Go Karts and the Treasure Cove Mini Golf. The Go Kart site was redeveloped into the Lava Lagoon lazy river and Cyber Drift bumper cars (both opened on 26 December 2024), while the Mini Golf site was cleared to create expanded grassy picnic areas for guests.

The park remains a family-owned business. In 2025, one of the owner's daughters, Lilly Primerano, was appointed Attractions Manager, marking the continuation of the family's multi-generational management.