Earliest Memories.  
Around 1971. I was 10 and starting to move out of my immediate neighbourhood. Saturday mornings meant swimming at the promenade that ran between Manly Wharf and Marineland.  Piling into Andre’s mums tiny Isuzu Bellet, getting stuck to the scorching vinyl seats and driving to Manly from Dee Why. This always smelled like rubber due to our snorkelling gear which is the first thing I ever saved up to buy. Mid mornings we went up to Marineland where there was a vending machine that cooked chips similar to Maccas fries. Very different smell from the local chippie and the whole concept was irresistible. This was probably my earliest coin in a slot experience and it didn’t take me long to notice other, even more interesting stuff further down the boardwalk.  At this stage we were barred from venturing down to the arcade at the end of the boardwalk because of “the wrong type”. Same with the Fun Pier adjacent to Manly Wharf…..Too late though, I was already compromised by that copter. We would walk up to the entrance and check out the “wrong types” and the glowing, dinging, clicking things they were playing.

First time I dropped a coin in a proper pinny was a few months later at The Forum at Collaroy, which was a squash/spa/sauna/indoor pool done in a Roman theme….so it was a day of firsts for me….It was a Gulfstream and I’d been given a whole dollar for lunch/lollies
 So 15 games later I had learned a thing or two about  pinnys and my addictive personality. I matched a free game at some stage and thought I’d broken something but someone passing said “Lucky Number eh? I must have looked worried or confused because he pointed out the credit window and explained the knocker…… The hook was sinking deeper and deeper . That day is a golden memory for me and just seeing those cool, bluey green Wiliams bumper caps brings it all back…..

Northern beaches in the 70's, especially Manly was a hot spot of pinball. You had the Fun Pier, west pavillion over at Marineland. Totem Bowl at Balgowlah. Most of the beachside suburbs had a poolroom/cafe setup somewhere near the beach and every second fish shop/ milk bar had at least 1 machine.

I moved to the Blue Mountains in '75 and again, machines everywhere....Senic Skyway, Echo Point, In my home town The Hydro Majestic hotel had 3 great machines (Flying Carpet, High Hand and 4square)


here's a Youtube of the gattling gun...I just found this and its the 1st time in 40 odd years Ive looked inside this....magic!


And here's the helicopter....