Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
Moments in a longer story.
Selected milestones in the history of Dreamworld.
On this page
Land, rides and wildlife
These dates describe the place you can learn about here. They are not a company timeline for Apollonaut.
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1974
The land
John Longhurst buys the land at Coomera and begins about two years of excavation.
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15 December 1981
Opening day
Dreamworld opens, with the Dreamworld Express running around the park.
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1987
Koala Country
Koala Country opens.
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1995
Tiger Island
Tiger Island opens.
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1998
The Giant Drop
The Giant Drop opens, lifting riders 119 metres.
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December 2006
WhiteWater World
WhiteWater World opens next door, replacing the Blue Lagoon water park.
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October 2016
A tragedy
Four guests die in an accident on the Thunder River Rapids Ride, which is closed permanently and later demolished.
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November 2019
Tower of Terror II closes
The Tower of Terror II coaster closes on 3 November.
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15 December 2021
Steel Taipan
The launched roller coaster Steel Taipan officially opens.
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July 2022
The railway returns
The refurbished Dreamworld Express reopens on a shorter track.
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December 2024
Rivertown
The jungle-themed world of Rivertown opens.
Follow the stories behind the dates
A timeline is a beginning. The longer history introduces the people and places; the sources below provide further context.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.