Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
A fairground by the sea.
An introduction to the St Kilda foreshore, where Luna Park has stood beside Port Phillip Bay since 1912.
On this page
Read the foreshore
Luna Park sits on the Lower Esplanade, with the bay on one side and trams passing its gate. Across Cavell Street stands the Palais Theatre, a separate building of the 1920s.
A city guide can give context without turning a neighbourhood into a backdrop. Notice how the park’s towers answer the palms along the foreshore.
Timber, paint and light
The Scenic Railway runs on a white timber frame around the park, and Mr Moon’s painted face is lit at night. A carousel of carved horses has turned here since 1913.
Begin with a detail and ask how it was made and maintained. A photograph alone cannot tell you who built a ride or repainted a face, or the conditions in which they worked.
A Luna Park chapter
Luna Park shows a playful side of Melbourne: a seaside fairground that has kept its historic gate and rides while adding new ones.
Look at the meeting of the two: the timber and paint of 1912, and the steel of the newer rides.
Make room for context
Pair this reading with the park’s history and the Journal. This is an introduction for visitors, not a claim that our team manages these places, commissions their restoration or represents their makers.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
