Caribbean Gardens

Caribbean Gardens was a 100 acres (0.40 km2) market, gardens and amusement park located in the outer eastern suburb of Scoresby in Melbourne, Australia.

Caribbean Gardens

Caribbean Gardens and Market operated from 1965 when it started with only a handful of traders selling wares from their car boots and Water ski shows. What once was “a handful of traders” grew into a bustling undercover market with over 1000 stall sites. It was known as one of the largest markets in Victoria, occupying a 10,500 m2 pavilion.

On the 1st of July 2020, it was announced that the park would close permanently after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a temporary closure which greatly impacted the park financially. Despite the closure, 'Caribbean Market supporters are calling for the “institution” to be saved'.[1] After the official announcement, the Facebook post on the Caribbean Market's page attracted over 5000 comments of support.[2]

History
A sculpture of a chef's head in Caribbean Gardens

In 1958, whilst overseas, he found the material known as fibreglass and realised its potential in the boat-building industry. Soon after, he established the Caribbean Boat Factory. It soon became necessary to have a lake for the testing of the boats and in the early 1960s, Lake Caribbean was built. It was subsequently opened to the public and developed by one of his sons, Rod Spooner, as Caribbean Gardens.[3]

The site is significant being Victoria's "first local example" of a theme park,[4] with many original features (Japanese gardens, railway, chairlift, jungle cruise & picnic areas) still intact today.

It was noted in the Woman's Weekly, 1966 that the Spooner family 'aims to turn the area into a kind of local Disneyland, and already the shores many islets at one end of the lake are dotted with fl fibreglass crocodiles, elephants, hippopotamuses'. The park also included 'ski kite-riding from the Cypress Gardens' in the US.[5]

The chairlift ride was built by Jack Griffiths and chairlift manufacturer Ron McCallum,[6] originally from Whistlestop Amusement Park[7] in Skye Road, Frankston which closed in 1974.

Caribbean Gardens also has a preserved sugarcane locomotive (1924) from Victoria Mill, Ingham.[8]

The park also has a number of other features including cast iron street lamps originally from Melbourne dotted around the gardens.[9]

References
  1. "Heraldsun.com.au | Subscribe to the Herald Sun for exclusive stories".
  2. Sakkal, Paul (1 July 2020). "'Sad time': Much-loved Melbourne market closes after 55 years". The Age.
  3. "No pirates as Caribbean Gardens celebrate 50 years". ABC News. 2 February 2016 – via www.abc.net.au.
  4. "Survey of Post-War Built Heritage in Victoria: Stage One" (PDF). Volume 1: Contextual Overview, Methodology, Lists & Appendices. 1 (1): 30. October 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46075367?searchTerm=Caribbean%20Gardens
  6. "Australian ski lift directory: details of 500 lifts & ropeways". Australian mountains.
  7. "Whistle Stop Amusement Park". www.onlymelbourne.com.au.
  8. "Preserved Australian sugar cane locomotives". lrrsa.org.au.
  9. "Survey of Post-War Built Heritage in Victoria: Stage One" (PDF). Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. Heritage Alliance prepared for Heritage Victoria. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2017.

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