Melbourne's Luna Park is getting a much-needed multi-million dollar facelift
The huge moon face on St Kilda Esplanade, aka the entrance to the beloved Luna Park, is one of Melbourne's most iconic sights. It's been there since 1912, making the theme park the oldest in the country – so it makes sense that it's in need of some TLC.
Thankfully, the century-old site is set to get a glow-up with a $22 million upgrade. The restoration works will target the Luna Palace, a building inside the park that's been there from the beginning. Once upon a time, it hosted the Dodgem cars and the Penny Arcade. But after falling into disrepair, it was closed to the public for safety reasons.
Fortunately, the park is now undergoing heritage repairs to bring it back to life so that it can be enjoyed by visitors once again. The palace will even get an expansion, creating the capacity to host exciting events.
Luna Park's entrance towers will also benefit from a makeover to revitalise the facade, with a fresh coat of paint and revamped lighting.
The restoration works are already underway, with the park able to stay open throughout. The revamped Luna Palace is expected to be ready to open in November 2025.
To recognise the value of this heritage attraction, the state government has contributed $5 million in funding through the latest budget. Victorian minister for environment Steve Dimopoulos said Luna Park was an important part of Melbourne's history.
'With the help of this funding it can not only return to its former glory but grow and thrill new generations,'' Dimopoulos said.
'We are so lucky to have places like this in Melbourne, which are nationally and internationally significant and we are proud to make sure it continues to be a family favourite for locals and international visitors to our great state.'
To find out more about the Luna Park restoration works, head to the website.
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