The Aussie Pinball Arcade

Aussie Pinball Forums => Photo Gallery => Pinball nostalgia pics => Topic started by: ROLLERBALL on October 02, 2009, 08:51:53 PM

Title: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 02, 2009, 08:51:53 PM
How good was a trip to Manly back in the day....even better when the olds took you to the Pier
Heaps of machines right at the front entrance....and the ghost train that went out the back and felt like you would end up in the water...lol

(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z314/rollerball230967/Manly_Fun_Pier_5.jpg)


(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z314/rollerball230967/Manly_Fun_Pier.jpg)

Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: Wotto on October 02, 2009, 09:33:57 PM
Hey !

You made me remember a place I had completely forgotten about.
That ghost train went out and over the water - right !@#
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: bigdaddy on October 02, 2009, 09:41:11 PM
Imagine the public liability claims from people hitting their head on those shark teeth! Cool pic's of da good old days.
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ddstoys on October 02, 2009, 10:24:28 PM
Imagine the public liability claims from people hitting their head on those shark teeth! Cool pic's of da good old days.

 %.% %.% %.%  Thats the first thing i thought when i seen it lol   %.% %.% %.% %.%
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: illawarra_steelers on October 02, 2009, 11:33:48 PM
Thanks for the trip down memory lane Paul.

There was somthing about that place and as you mentioned all those pins.

Here are some more from the early 1960s  ^^^
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: pinnies4me on October 03, 2009, 12:01:43 AM
You know, the kids sit at home with the X-box and Wii and have friends on line - boy are they missing out on the fun the atmosphere of those places used to have. We had a little place on the beach called Hi-lite Park - rides, dodge 'ems, mini roller coaster - and the Penny Arcade. I loved that place. If I have a spare $10M I'd rebuild it and retire to run the arcade.. ..
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 03, 2009, 12:11:32 AM
You had to be careful with your change for the machines as well....If you dropped a coin some spots just had floorboards with gaps....I lost a couple of coins into the water...would have been worth a swim down there I bet
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ddstoys on October 03, 2009, 01:09:15 AM
You know, the kids sit at home with the X-box and Wii and have friends on line - boy are they missing out on the fun the atmosphere of those places used to have. We had a little place on the beach called Hi-lite Park - rides, dodge 'ems, mini roller coaster - and the Penny Arcade. I loved that place. If I have a spare $10M I'd rebuild it and retire to run the arcade.. ..

Where was this Nick????   Its very strange it may have been before my time but i have a memory from when i was very young with the penny arcade in geelong???  But mum or dad dont remember it???
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: pinnies4me on October 03, 2009, 01:30:54 AM
You know, the kids sit at home with the X-box and Wii and have friends on line - boy are they missing out on the fun the atmosphere of those places used to have. We had a little place on the beach called Hi-lite Park - rides, dodge 'ems, mini roller coaster - and the Penny Arcade. I loved that place. If I have a spare $10M I'd rebuild it and retire to run the arcade.. ..

Where was this Nick????   Its very strange it may have been before my time but i have a memory from when i was very young with the penny arcade in geelong???  But mum or dad dont remember it???

Sorry for the hijack Paul!

Along the foreshore at Eastern Beach (where its all just grassland now). Opened in the 1950's, closed in 1981.
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: JD on October 03, 2009, 07:15:37 AM
Thanks so much for posting these great photos.

Like Wotto I spent a lot of time here in my younger years and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really struggle to understand what the fun police found wrong with this type of entertainment.

I dont recall too much bad element around this place in those days.

Also the point about diving for coins was something else. Those kids were amazing with their dives for 5,10 or 20cents.

J.D.    $#$    @@*    !@#    @.@
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 03, 2009, 11:19:39 AM
Yeah we didnt ever see the bad element around those places..
Oh hang on....that was us...lol..the bad element...no wonder we never saw it..lol
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: FreePlay on October 03, 2009, 01:57:14 PM
Thanks for the shots Paul as some of my earliest pin memories are from that place
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: Cardini on October 10, 2009, 01:19:49 PM
Hi Paul,

great memories, especially so for me as in Jan1985 I worked there for a short time. It was great. first I was on the main rides (Ferris Wheel), then I made the fatal mistake of requesting a move to the arcade. I was to walk around handing out change and to turn off machines not working. I was the last shift on Saturday nights. The general manager/head engineer for all the main rides actually lived under the octopus (you had to see it to believe it - squallard conditions just a blanket and a crappy old mattress on the concrete floor!!!). The whole place had seen much better days.

He doubled as the security guard during the evenings (later in the evening there was a certain bad element that hung around) genuine bloke, he would make the pay up that night and include an amount for a taxi fare home! I would go across to the old Manly Hotel instead.

The front section had the more modern games, mostly videos (uprights) and dedicated games. I remember Black Knight was the main (only!) pinball in that section. I would occasionally sneek a game or two on Gauntlet - I had to have one after that.

The old games, particularly the EMs were all out the back. I remember Volley and Capt Fantastic. The majority were run down and not working.

Only spent a couple of months working there part time whilst on holidays from Uni. I understand there was an auction for all the games around the time that it closed.
Wonderful memories, thank you all for showing off these photos. If you go there today you can only barely make out the way it was.

Andrew
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: Wotto on October 10, 2009, 01:42:46 PM
great memories, especially so for me as in Jan1985 I worked there for a short time. It was great. first I was on the main rides (Ferris Wheel), then I made the fatal mistake of requesting a move to the arcade.

No - no way mate - I heard you used to fill in for when one of the clowns stopped operating....just walked up and stood in its place .....being the perfect height and all  :lol :lol

Oh I am so mean.........thanks for the insight into that place - sounds a little kooky.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/3996321555_b853487436_o.jpg)
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 10, 2009, 04:25:43 PM
Hey Wotto...

Ive even got some pics of the Clowns back in the day...

See if you can spot Andrew in this pic....

(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z314/rollerball230967/andrewclown.jpg)
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 10, 2009, 04:27:40 PM
Oh hang on a min...that was wrong....

I remember different CLOWNS....

Ah yes,,

This is more like it....lol

(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z314/rollerball230967/manlycrew.jpg)
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: Wotto on October 10, 2009, 06:23:44 PM

 :lol :lol :lol :lol !!! :lol :lol :lol :lol
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 10, 2009, 06:52:55 PM
I think that Furball clown may scare away the Kids...
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ajlaird on October 10, 2009, 09:08:34 PM
I think that Furball clown may scare away the Kids...

not just kids, I reckon...
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: bossninja17 on October 10, 2009, 10:26:11 PM
Hi Paul,

great memories, especially so for me as in Jan1985 I worked there for a short time. It was great. first I was on the main rides (Ferris Wheel), then I made the fatal mistake of requesting a move to the arcade. I was to walk around handing out change and to turn off machines not working. I was the last shift on Saturday nights. The general manager/head engineer for all the main rides actually lived under the octopus (you had to see it to believe it - squallard conditions just a blanket and a crappy old mattress on the concrete floor!!!). The whole place had seen much better days.


The old games, particularly the EMs were all out the back. I remember Volley and Capt Fantastic. The majority were run down and not working.

Andrew


Great!!! I remember the pier. Jeez, I wish I could have gone to that auction. Would have loved to get some of the old bits & pieces. And a Volley!
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: Cardini on October 12, 2009, 09:41:53 AM
 ^^^ %$% %$% #*# #*# !^! !^!
Love your work.
I do remember two clowns constantly coming in from the Shire in those days. bad element.
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ROLLERBALL on October 12, 2009, 09:56:25 AM
LOLOLOLOL
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: furballx on October 19, 2009, 01:48:40 AM
I think that Furball clown may scare away the Kids...

Hahaha, at least I had my tounge in when that photo was taken!
Dave
PS, can someone give me a heads up when people are taking the piss out of me?  It happens so often lately I miss the occasional one (like this one).  :lol
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: ajlaird on October 19, 2009, 09:01:00 AM
I think that Furball clown may scare away the Kids...

Hahaha, at least I had my tounge in when that photo was taken!
Dave
PS, can someone give me a heads up when people are taking the piss out of me?  It happens so often lately I miss the occasional one (like this one).  :lol

Just read every second thread - don't know what is going on but they are giving you a real ribbing lately.

Or start a thread where we can link to such threads.
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: delarge on October 19, 2009, 12:13:47 PM
Wow, my first memories of pinball were from Manly....I was born in 1979 and it closed in 1981? I remember that freaky clown on the building out the front and rows of pinball machines. Then years later, we went for holidays and they had Tilt at the Manly Wharf. I remember sinking a lot of tokens into the Toobin machine. Ahhh memories...
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: greenechidna on May 30, 2012, 12:40:59 AM
Pardon the thread necromancy.

I grew up in Dee Why in the 60s/early 70s and spent a great deal of time around  MFP/Marineland.

Does anyone remember the arcade on the boardwalk to the southwest of Marineland? It was something that came and went in the early 70s. Probably about 20-30 machines mostly pins but also some of the very first car racing uprights (Midway Grand Prix?). I remember having a "short day" from school and getting there as they were taking the wrapping off a brand new Glb Duotron....I hung around all arvo to get a go

Very vivid memories of Gulfstream, Klondike, Doodlebug, High Hand to name a few.

Fun Pier was pretty shady in those days, Brookvale sharpies would eat you alive or at least stand over you for money/smokes

The octopus was awesome but I think it ended up killing someone at some point, shutting the entire pier down for a while...it reopened with a facelift at the same time the aquarium got its sharkface.

On Saturdays me and a couple of mates would take our snorkelling gear down to the swimming enclosure (washed away in the '74 storms) and hassle folks coming off the ferry to chuck coins in the water...it was about a 4 metre duckdive to collect but quite lucrative...4 or 4 ferries kept us in smokes/coins/chips for the arvo, supplementing the bottle deposit money/pocket money we picked up during the week

The great thing about pinnies and this site/scene is it reconnects me with those times. It's a cheap, effective form of regression.

Just recounting this and I can smell the chips frying, the chime boxes ring up bonuses, the North Head being chucked into reverse as she pulled in at pier 1, a Charger doing burnouts up west esplanard.

Good times...
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: JD on June 07, 2012, 07:35:00 PM
Hey greenechidna, Re: Dee Why
Do you remember the Skylab and at the laundromat at Dee Why (Pacific Parade) in the 70's or the fish and chip shop opposite the beach (Pacific Pde) with the Gottlieb Surfer?

Those were the days!!!

J.D.

 
Title: Re: I LOVED Manly fun pier
Post by: greenechidna on June 19, 2012, 12:07:43 AM
I left Dee Why in late '74. Cant say I remember the skylab.

My memories at DY beach in 1972-74 was a small pool room with 2 six foot tables and a bank of pins, maybe 5 all up and a juke box.

Gulfstream, Travel Time and Outer Space are what I'm sure of, and maybe Zodiac or some other Williams in a red or purple....

Gulfstream is, as far as I can remember, the 1st machine I ever played and I remember the greeny blue bumpers vividly.

This thing    http://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/texrang.htm    got the first coin I ever dropped .... it would have been outside Marineland in late 1969 or early 1970 along side this   http://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/shelico.htm     .

Its really nice to see all the restos here, especially some of these titles I have  mentioned.

I've just picked up my 1st 2 machines this weekend...Klondike and Superstar....both titles I've played the guts out of in years gone by. Mitch (Mr Pinbologist) did the Klondike resto and it really is a beautiful machine. The man is an artiste. Check out his resto threads

Nino is going to do me a High Hand in 6 months or so ....Whilst not my grail (Outer Space) HH is the machine I spent more time and money on than any other....I'm stoked to be getting a quality resto of this title.


There is a Gtb Surfer being auctioned on ebay at the moment....check it out.