Fairy Park this year celebrates its 60th anniversary of bringing timeless children’s classics to life in the beautiful rolling countryside of Anakie.
Many Geelong parents and grandparents have grown up visiting the park and have returned with their little ones.
“A lot of people have those early memories and come back for that nostalgia,” says park manager Garry Mayer.
“It’s just the mystique of fairy tales that fires the imagination of young children.
“And to see their story books come to life just makes it a memorable day for the young ones.”
Garry’s grandparents Peter and Elisabeth Mayer voyaged from Germany to Geelong with son Helmut before opening the park on St Nicholas Day, 6 December 1959.
Peter and Helmut supplemented their day jobs by making garden gnomes but the clay figurines’ popularity prompted them to put them on public display.
From this grew Fairy Park, an enchanting medieval wonderland with fairies, elves, hippogriffs and even dragons!
Set upon a 1.5 million-year-old volcanic granite outcrop, Fairy Park features castles, Himalayan Cedar gardens and incredible 360-degree views, making it a perfect place to escape with family and friends.
The park features three main areas: Fairy Tale Land, King Arthur’s Rock picnic grounds and Camelot Adventure Playground, which Garry says is unique in Australia.
“I think children spend more time in Camelot Adventure Playground than anywhere else,” he says.
A magical, timeless place packed full of attractions, Fairy Park is a world dedicated to bringing classic children’s stories and legends to life.
And this year Garry opened the Hungry Knight Eatery, which makes tasty treats including delicious snitzel wraps.
“You can’t go wrong with that,” he says.
Fairy Park is a wonderful place to relax with the family and take a walk down memory lane.
Suitable for the young and the young at heart, Fairy Park will delight, entertain and intrigue all ages.
