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Vintage 1977 Leyland gets second life as mobile play centre

A retired 1977 Leyland Atlantean has found a second life as the Funpad, a fully mobile soft play centre delighting kids and surprising parents across Melbourne
leyland

What do you get when you cross a vintage double decker bus with a soft play centre? A whole lot of happy kids and one very clever business idea.

The Funpad is a fully mobile indoor play centre based in Melbourne, able to be hired for birthday parties, gatherings and more.

Founded by Gary, the idea came about after watching existing mobile play centres in action.

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“They were great, but every time they had to set up, it took four or five hours. And then another long pack-down before they could move to the next spot,” Gary told ABC.

That sparked the big idea – what if the play centre was already built inside a bus?

A few bus-yard searches later, Gary found what would become the first Funpad, a classic 1975 Leyland Atlantean double decker bus. While it had been sitting idle for years, collecting dust, he saw the potential.

With help from a small army of professionals, builders, soft play specialists, window seal experts, mechanics and painters, Gary brought the old Atlantean roaring back to life.

“The set up was all custom,” he says.

“We had to rebuild the engine, refit the interior and coordinate with different vendors. It took a lot of people coming together to make it happen.”

The business originally kicked off in Perth, before relocating to Melbourne during the pandemic.

From the outside, the Funpad looks like a charming retro bus, but step inside and it’s a whole different story.

“People are always shocked,” he says.

“They see a bus and think there would be no way a whole play centre could fit inside. But when they step inside, they are instantly blown away.”

The space is split into three creative play levels. The top deck is used as a play area, the main level is packed with soft play equipment, and there’s even a hidden tunnel that runs through the former luggage compartment below.

“It’s like a secret hideout,” he says. “Kids love crawling through it and it’s always a big hit.”

Launched officially in 2015, the Funpad has since become a regular sight at birthday parties, community events and even classic car shows.

“We go to retro car events to entertain the kids, but the bus fits right in with all the vintage vehicles. People love seeing it, especially those who remember these buses on the road.”

Now in its 10th year, the Funpad continues to surprise and delight families across Melbourne.

“We’ve had so many repeat customers and referrals,” Gary says.

“The biggest challenge is just getting people to see it in person. Once they do, they get it.”

For a business born from an old bus and a clever idea, the Funpad proves that sometimes the best adventures really do start from the back seat. 

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