Mini Town: Dynamite attraction in small package
Mini Town is one of Durban’s best-loved attractions and gives a good impression of some of Durban’s landmarks, and a walkabout will give you an opportunity to view the city on a different scale.
RUMOURS have been swirling about Mini Town based on the Durban Promenade being re-vamped, however, the establishment’s manager, Desmond Deonarin, says the last time the entire Durban establishment was officially renovated was in 2010. “I suspect that people passing by saw us doing up the place – we frequently renovate the models to keeps them clean and looking good for visitors, so we are constantly working on the place so that Durban residents can enjoy their experience to the fullest when they pass by,” said Deonarin.
According to the Mini Town manager, who has constructed most of the models on display, along with his late father, Brian Deonarin, the niche amusement park receives visitors all year round and Mini Town in Durban is the only one that exists in South Africa.
“There are four Mini Towns in the world. We have the only one in South Africa, so you won’t see anything like this anywhere else in the world. We make the models out of ABS plastics and perspex, with framing timber, brass and stainless steel because we are on the coastline, so we have to be careful about what we use to construct the structures. These materials have proven to be durable against the coastal weather,” said Deonarin.
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Mini Town was built in January of 1969 and exists as a non-profit organisation. The miniature town has a railway track, supermarkets, an airport, a harbour, a distribution centre and many more structures that are all miniaturised. The re-creation of Durban’s coastal city is built to 1:24 of the city’s actual size. It is not an exact model of Durban, but Mini Town does have a number of Durban buildings on display. The harbour at Mini Town contains 212 000 litres of water, which is replaced each time the structure is maintained. The mini Durban amusement park also has a re-creation of the Durban Metro Railway, which runs through the little town with a power system of 32 volts, and is operated from a control tower by trained staff, along with all other mechanisms at the facility.
Mini Town is one of Durban’s best-loved attractions and gives a good impression of some of Durban’s landmarks, and a walkabout will give you an opportunity to view the city on a different scale. It is a great activity for family outings – at a minimal fee!
