An iconic New South Wales mid-north coast roadhouse which began as a theme park created by explorer celebrities the Leyland Brothers, has been destroyed by fire.
The Ayers Rock Roadhouse, which was shaped like Uluru, has sat mostly empty next to a service station on the Pacific Highway near Tea Gardens for years.
A video on social media showed the shell of the rock well alight last night.
NSW Rural Fire Service’s Ben Shepherd told AAP 18 crews of about 80 firefighters arrived at the site to find it well alight.
He said crews were trying to prevent the blaze reaching fuel and gas stored in tanks and bowsers at the nearby service station.
The roadhouse, known by thousands for its towering kitsch aesthetic, had been gutted, NSW RFS confirmed.
Crews will remain on scene to ensure the blaze is extinguished.
Fire investigators are expected to tour the site to establish the cause of the blaze today once it is declared safe.
The site was first opened by explorers and documentary makers Mal and Mike Leyland in 1990 and included amusement rides, a playground and roadhouse.
But Leyland Brothers World couldn’t stop the siblings going broke and it didn’t make reserve when it went under the auction hammer just two years later.
Extracted from 9news