Remember when the silhouette of a rollercoaster used to dominate the skyline heading into Canberra from Sydney?
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As a kid in the 1980s, Canberry Fair was the ULTIMATE. You'd go with your family, on a school excursion or - if you were lucky enough - for a birthday party.
Canberra's very own theme park opened in December 1981 and was part historical village, part zoo, part theatre and dining precinct. The Uncanny X-Men, The Cockroaches and even John Farnham played there over the years. Canberry Fair relaunched as Australia Park in 1987 and sadly came to a close in 1991.
Check out the images of Canberry Fair we found in The Canberra Times archives.
![Heather Carter from Randwick, Sydney, left, and Rebecca Johnston of Reid on the Red Baron aircraft ride at Canberry Fair. Photo: ACT Heritage Library/The Canberra Times Collection Heather Carter from Randwick, Sydney, left, and Rebecca Johnston of Reid on the Red Baron aircraft ride at Canberry Fair. Photo: ACT Heritage Library/The Canberra Times Collection](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/a5fb0ae4-72da-439c-ab56-02ddf6de45ae/r0_0_600_481_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)