Big Splash (waterpark)
| Big Splash | |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Splashtacular fun for all ages |
| Location | Macquarie, Canberra, Australia |
| Coordinates | 35°15′04″S 149°04′12″E / 35.251°S 149.07°ECoordinates: 35°15′04″S 149°04′12″E / 35.251°S 149.07°E |
| Owner | Beryl Watkins Ron Watkins[1] |
| Previous names | Macquarie Swimming Pool |
| Operating season | November to March |
| Pools | 5 pools |
| Water slides | 9 water slides |
| Website | Official website |
Big Splash is a waterpark in Canberra, Australia. It is located in the suburb of Macquarie and is the only waterpark in Canberra. It originally opened with a 50-metre (160 ft) Pool with a kids pool at the end of it in the late 1960s.
When the pool opened it was Government-owned and known as Macquarie Swimming pool, also often referred to as Jammo Pool. The slides were introduced in the early 1980s.
The pool was sold from government ownership. It was bought by a family and then later sold to the Watkins family in the 1990s.
The current name for the facility is Big Splash Waterpark. It now has a total of eleven water slides - the Family Slide and the Kamikaze slide that extend downwards from the top of Splash Tower, The Hurricane Twins that begin at the Splash Viewing Platform. Big Splash includes a children's area called Splash Island which includes 3 slides and playing area. There was the Yellow Bubble pool for toddlers, which had two small water slides landing into shallow water. However this was removed in the 2014/2015 season and a new playground was installed for smaller children. There is also a Learn to Swim Pool and a 50-metre (160 ft) Pool. Big Splash also has a dry Inflatable Obstacle Course for Children, and wet Inflatable Obstacle Courses for Adults and Children.
Following the 2010 closures of the Speedcoaster and Twister slides at Wet'n'Wild Water World on the Gold Coast,[2][3] Watkins personally purchased both rides for $1.5 million.[4][5] The rides were installed in 2012, but red tape delayed their opening until 2013.[4][6][7] The slides were actually purchased for much less from Wet N Wild however installation costs were high.
For the 2014/2015 season the longstanding historic "yellow bubble" was removed and a new toddlers playground installed.
Big Splash used to run dive in movies, however frequent cancellations with crowd in attendance made them unreliable and they were ceased.
The facility is closed over winter and is open from November to March.[7]
References
- ↑ Knaus, Christopher (5 February 2013). "It's back in the pool for swim-keen schools". Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ↑ "Twister (Wet'n'Wild Water World)". Parkz. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ↑ "Speed Coaster (Wet'n'Wild Water World)". Parkz. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- 1 2 Sharaz, David (23 November 2012). "Red tape wraps up waterslide opening". Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ↑ Irvine, Ashley (22 June 2010). "Twister and Speedcoaster for Canberra move?". Australian Leisure Management.
- ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (6 January 2013). "Heat wave tipped to continue". Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- 1 2 "Open 2013/14 Summer Season from Saturday 9th November 2013 (New Twister Slide Open)". Big Splash Waterpark. 2013. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.