The coast isn’t the part of Sydney offering top-notch leisure activities. Penrith, in Sydney’s west, boasts some of cities most popular recreation outlets.
Aqua Golf – Penrith Panthers
Fancy shooting for a target into the middle of a man-made lake? The latest leisure activity to arrive at Penrith Panthers is Aqua Golf on Peachtree Lake, where golf balls and greens float.
Fast Facts:
- Aqua Golf was introduced to Penrith Panthers in 1991.
- Aqua Golf is just like a driving range but with a twist. Instead of hitting the balls into a grassed area they’re hit into a lake. The golf balls used float and are usually gathered by a breeze and blown into the floating fences where they are retrieved by someone in a boat.
- To make things a bit more interesting, a number of floating targets have been placed in the lake and prizes are awarded for hitting one of them, or for scoring a hole-in-one. Some targets are closer than others and the holes vary in size so just about anyone is capable of winning a prize. During the first ten years Aqua Golf was open a total of $440,000 was paid out in prize money.
- The Aqua Golf Shop has a range of clubs that are available for those that don’t have their own, these are free to use. All sizes are catered for, including left and right handed players
- The tee-off area has recently been covered with a new sail-style awning to allow for aqua-golfing in all weather conditions.
- The made-made lake is 300 metres long x 130 metres wide
- Aqua Golf at Penrith Panthers is open 364 days a year from 8am–12 midnight
- Prices: Aqua Golf costs $6.50 per bucket of balls (55 balls in each bucket).
Directions: Aqua Golf is located directly behind the main Panthers complex. Drive into Penrith Panthers and follow the signs to the Aqua Golf car park. 2004 Australian Air Guitar Championships at Penrith Panthers.
Once again, wannabe rock stars are being summonsed from their bedrooms and living rooms to participate in the 3rd annual Australian Air Guitar Championships. 2004 AAGC heats and state finals are scheduled throughout February and March at venues around the nation. A number of heats plus the NSW State Final will be held at ‘Starlights’ at Panthers World of Entertainment. The Australian National Final will also be held at Panthers on the 2nd April 2004. The aim of the competition is to find ‘the greatest guitarist who never played’ to represent Australia at the Air Guitar World Championships in Finland later in the year.
At the 2003 World Championships, Australia’s representative Mark ‘Roxy McStagger’ Hadfield placed 3rd overall. AAGC criteria and rules are implemented as per AGWC governing body regulations and judges pay close attention to the ‘air guitarists’ showmanship (originality, charisma, artistic impression) and technique (strum and cord synchronisation). Entry is free to all and entry forms are available from participating venues.
Throughout the competition great prizes are up for grabs, including the major prize of a trip for one to Europe to attend and compete in the AGWC, as well as individual trips for State & Territory champs to attend and compete at the Australian National Final. Practice till ya fingers bleed!!
Panthers Competition Dates:
Heat 1: Thursday 5th February 2004
Heat 2: Thursday 12th February 2004
Heat 3: Thursday 19th February 2004
Final: Thursday 26th February 2004
State & Territory Finals:
NSW State Finals: Panthers World of Entertainment - Friday 12th March 2004
Australian National Grand Final
Panthers World of Entertainment - Friday 2nd April 2004
Marvel Parade, Wonderland Sydney
From Boxing Day 2003 until 30th June 2004, you can come and meet your favourite Super Heroes at Wonderland Sydney. The new Marvel Street Parade has arrived and features Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, Elektra, Captain America, The Green Goblin, and X-Men characters Wolverine and Storm. Each day the Marvel characters parade through the Wonderland streets on quad bikes, and finish with an action-packed fight sequence. At the end of the parade, Marvel characters interact with the public and guests can have their photo taken with them.
During non-parade times, the Marvel characters wander through the park interacting with kids, plus there a number of new themed photo-spots, cut-outs, face-painting as well as many more MARVELous moments!
After the parade, guests are welcome to explore the five themed lands of Wonderland Sydney including Old Botany Bay, Transylvania, Goldrush, The Beach, The Australian Wildlife Park and The Outback Woolshed & Restaurant.
The Marvel Street Parade is on each day at 1pm and 3pm (for approx. 10-15 minutes). The Parade is free after general admission.
Wonderland Sydney is open everyday of the year (excluding Christmas Day) from 10am to 5pm.
Go-Karting at Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway
- At a cost of four million dollars, Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway was officially opened to the public on the 6th December 1997. Since opening it’s proved to be one of the most modern and efficiently run circuits in the world, and has 27 different track configurations.
- The circuit has a total of two kilometres of bitumen, making Eastern Creek Karting Raceway the world’s longest track. The racing surface was produced by Boral and is the finest ever laid on a kart circuit. This surface cost almost half a million dollars alone. The entire raceway can also be floodlit to allow for night racing.
- All safety gear including helmets, race suits, gloves, neck braces, and hairnets are supplied while karting. A high-tech computerised lap scoring system which provides an in-depth lap-by-lap analysis printout as the race happens, is also provided. Lap times are also displayed on television monitors.
- It takes 12 full-time and over 50 casual staff to man the circuit daily.
- It is has the most sophisticated timing system of any track in Australia.
- Eastern Creek has the most modern and fastest hire karts available
- The numerous track configurations are designed for general public hire and corporate hire karting, as well as domestic club and international kart racing.
- As well as the circuit you will find many world class facilities, such as the canteen, corporate area and on-site karting shop. As well as the daily running of hire karting, the circuit is also used for Club and professional racing.
Arrive & Drive
For the casual karter, there’s a wide range of track hire options including double karts for a child and an adult, junior karts and senior karts ranging in power from 6hp - 13hp. The minimum driver age for single karts is 11 years and for double karts 6 years with an adult.
Casual kart hirers who like to experience the thrill of high-powered motor racing action can also take part in a Mini Grand Prix. This is a series of quick head-to-head races followed by a Grand Final. The events are great for birthday parties, bucks parties, Christmas parties, work nights out or just for fun with friends. The Mini Grand Prix is an event for 10-20 people and runs for approx. 3 hours.
Arrive and drive is available at anytime during normal operating hours. You don’t have to make a booking for arrive and drive.
Operating Hours:
Eastern Creek Karts is open 7 days a week
Monday to Thursday - 9am to 10pm
Friday and Saturday - 9am to 11pm
Sunday - 9am to 10pm
Kart hire for children is available from 9am-5pm.
Tom celebrates in the fast lane
World-renowned actor Tom Cruise is no stranger to Eastern Creek’s Karting Raceway. Cruise and a group of 16 friends hired the circuit to celebrate the movie star’s 37th birthday. Cruise didn’t just go about beating friends’ Russell Crowe & John Polson, he also took some time out to take son Conner for a few laps in Eastern Creek’s double karts. Tom won 4 out of 5 races against the A-list line up, falling short of the lap record by less than a second.
