Our History
OUR PASSION FOR THE CARNIVAL ALL STARTED WITH ONE MAN.
The Wittingslow legacy began with our founder Thomas George Wittingslow. He was an apprentice at a Melbourne fun parlour, before working small shows and fairs in country Victoria. Thomas’s life-long passion for carnival rides and games was ignited at his first Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show. His ‘Guess Your Weight’ game was a big hit, and he was ready to share the joy and exhilaration of the carnival with others.
Watch Moomba Belonged to My Grandfather, a video on the history of the Wittingslows.
WE BROUGHT CARNIVAL FUN TO AUSTRALIA IN THE 1940’S
In the 1940’s Thomas and his son Des toured country fairs with their carnival games, and introduced the some of the first thrill rides amusement rides to the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show. It’s thanks to their pioneering amusement ride vision,that our Australian love affair with the merry-go-round carousel began.
By 1948 Melbourne’s Moomba Festival saw the Wittingslow’s bring a new generation of thrill rides to Australia, and more thrilling amusement rides and carnival games from England, Europe and the United States to Australian showgrounds, country fairs, major events and carnivals.
WE CREATED THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA CARNIVAL TRADITION IN THE 1950’S
Since the 1950’s millions of visitors to the Mornington Peninsula have enjoyed summer holiday fun at the popular Rye and Rosebud Summer Carnival.
WE PIONEERED RIDE DESIGN
We haven’t stopped with just offering a selection of rides, we also invented them, Wittingslow Amusements Australia have pioneered ride design and construction at Queensland’s Sea World Roller Coaster and our smiling clowns are familiar faces at Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide Agricultural Shows.
WE’VE MANAGED MAJOR FESTIVALS ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Since the 1990’s, Wittingslows commitment to outstanding festival management has produced some of Victoria’s finest events such as:-
AusDay Festival
WE WERE THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN COMPANY TO TAKE OUR RIDES TO ASIA
In 2002, Wittingslow’s became the first Australian amusement company to take our rides to carnivals throughout Asia – in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok and Seoul they were squealing and smiling on Wittingslow rides.
WE’VE STARRED IN THE MOVIES
In 2004-2005, Wittingslow Amusements Australia won the contract to produce the Country Fair scene for the Paramount Pictures filming of the classic ‘Charlotte’s Web’, released in 2006. A huge and exciting event requiring considerable organisation and co-ordination, it was yet another platform to be able to successfully deliver an event of high quality.
WE’RE PROUD OF OUR CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN HISTORY, AND OUR BUSINESS SUCCESS
We’re proud of Thomas Wittingslow’s legacy. You can check out our carnival ride story for yourself in the National Gallery of Australia’s Eternity exhibition (we’re very proud of that too!)
