Thunderbolt, Steel roller coaster at Dreamworld in Gold Coast, Australia
Thunderbolt was a steel roller coaster at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, featuring two vertical loops, white track and golden accents. It ran two trains, each made up of six cars, carrying riders through the full course of the layout.
The ride was built by Japanese manufacturer Sanoyas Hishino Meisho and opened in 1982. It ran for more than two decades before closing in 2003.
At the opening of the ride, a dedicated song was recorded by Scottish-Australian singer John Paul Young just for this attraction. It was a rare gesture that showed how much the park wanted to mark the occasion as a special event.
The ride is no longer in operation, as it closed in 2003 and no longer exists on the Dreamworld site. Visitors to the park will find other attractions in its place.
After closing, Thunderbolt kept the record as Australia's longest roller coaster for another 14 years before a larger one was finally built. This shows just how rare comparable rides were across the country during that time.
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