Image courtesy of Water Features by Design
Waterparks whet appetite for summer holidays By Grantlee Kieza, Industry Reporter
As Australian accommodation providers gear up for the coming post-COVID holiday bonanza, many are splashing out on water features and aqua playgrounds, whetting the appetite of kids and adults alike for a summer of sun and fun. According to Tony Jones, who runs Water Features by Design, a company based appropriately in Waterford, WA, even properties with a tight budget and limited space can install a water feature to provide “the resort-style ambience that comes with the sound of gently trickling water at a fraction of the cost to install a waterplay facility”. Of course, there are hotels that have the money and the space
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to turn their waterplay ideas into a flood of excitement. The Big4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park at Tweed Heads, for instance, has three waterplay areas including a series of waterslides that emerge from a model volcano. At the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, there are giant inflatable slides and jumping pillows plus jetpack
adventures on a private lagoon. Some of Australia’s other top waterplay facilities include Sammy’s Adventure Lagoon at the Big4 North Star Holiday Resort at Hastings Point in northern NSW, Shipwreck Island that is constructed around a genuine reclaimed ship at the Big4 South West Rocks, NSW, Discovery Park Barossa Valley, in South Australia, that has five splash zones, two slides and
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hundreds of jets and sprays, and the Oaks Oasis Resort, on the Sunshine Coast, that has slides, fountains, splash zones and interactive activities for under-12s as well as an outdoor space with a cafe and shaded relaxation area for parents. Mr Jones, whose company installs waterplay features around Australia, recently oversaw the installation of a 40-metre waterslide at the Mudgee Pool in NSW. www.accomnews.com.au
