Fury as 'Chinese Disneyland' images fuel bitter row over abandoned Old Sydney Town, but developer insists the vision was scrapped years ago

Detailed summary

The now-vanished renders depicted a futuristic tourism playground featuring rollercoasters, laser beams and sprawling waterfront attractions across the Somersby site.

Published: 04:45 GMT, 15 November 2026 | Updated: 04:50 GMT, 15 November 2026

Renders showing rollercoasters, light displays and futuristic buildings at Old Sydney Town have fuelled a bitter row over plans for the abandoned attraction.

Although the concept was scrapped in 2020, campaigners remain furious over the developer’s current proposal for tourist attractions, a hotel, restaurants and about 256 homes.

Developer World Cultural Tourism Village (WCTV) said the extraordinary images do not reflect what it describes as a substantially scaled-down proposal now before planners.

Kariong Progress Association president Lisa Bellamy branded the abandoned vision a 'Chinese Disneyland' and questioned whether WCTV could deliver the tourism precinct now proposed.

A WCTV spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the label was based on obsolete concept material that did not reflect the current proposal.

The revised plan remains controversial after Central Coast councillors voted to progress it to the NSW Department of Planning despite council planning staff recommending that it not proceed in its current form.

The Independent Local Planning Panel also recommended against the project as it currently stands.

A WCTV spokeswoman told Daily Mail the 'Chinese Disneyland' label was based on obsolete concept material that did not reflect the proposal before planners.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Mail. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.