Gold Reef City, Historical amusement park in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Gold Reef City is an amusement park on the site of a former gold mine in Johannesburg, South Africa, featuring rides and reconstructions of Victorian-era settlements. The park covers about 18 hectares and includes roller coasters, family attractions, children's carousels, and themed areas that recall the mining era.
The site was an active gold mine until 1971, opened during the 1886 Witwatersrand gold rush. The park was built decades later on the closed shafts and uses original mine structures as part of the scenery.
The park takes its name from the Witwatersrand gold rush and reflects South Africa's Victorian heritage through reconstructed buildings and workshops. Visitors can watch craftsmen melt and pour gold into bars, a technique used in the region for more than a century.
The park lies south of Johannesburg's city center and is accessible via well-signposted roads. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes, as parts of the grounds are uneven, and allow enough time to experience both rides and mining exhibits.
One of the main attractions takes visitors on a rapid plunge through a reconstructed mine shaft, with the cars reaching among the highest g-forces of any roller coaster worldwide. The ride simulates a free fall into the depths of a historic mine.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
