AusLeisure

Like many other market segments - including aquatic centres, cruise ships, recreational campgrounds and parks - a growing number of Australian holiday parks are adding aquatic play and waterpark features.

Seen as a way of differentiating parks from their competitors and a way of attracting families, the HolidaysWithKids.com website  describes how "facilities just keep getting better," with the major reason being "the introduction of ... splash-tastic water-play areas."

Among the top facilities earning accolades from their visitors is BIG4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park which the website's users' named one of Australia's top 10 Best Family Holiday Parks.

Opened in June, the new children's water playground at the Tweed Billabong Holiday Park is themed as 'Australia's Green Cauldron Water Playground' - with a narrative based on the local terrain, an ancient, extinct shield volcano and now encompassing Wollumbin-Mount Warning, the surrounding World Heritage-listed national parks, natural beaches and headlands of unusual volcanic rock formations.

Park owner Andrew Tribe says the addition of the water playground adds even more value for guests because it provides children with both an active and educational experience.

Tribe explains "kids are stuck on their personal devices or computers too much at home and school (so) their holidays need to be an active and fun time spent reconnecting with their parents."

The waterpark has three different areas aimed at different age groups. The Mt. Warning-Wollumbin area includes three enclosed slides that curve down from the peak of the miniature extinct volcano, one of which goes dark for a few seconds as it weaves through the mountainside. The fascinating rocks of Fingal Head are at the heart of another themed area and feature a tipping bucket and slide. The inspiration for the third area is the marine life that lives around Cook Island, just offshore from Fingal Head. It boasts a toddler-play section complete with a frog slide, beached whale, dolphins and turtles. 

With something for all ages the park provides younger guests with hours of entertainment while allowing adults to relax while watching their children play.

Equipping the new area with waterslides from Polin Waterparks, Ozcrete undertook all major works excluding the themed creations (brought to realisation by the Themed Group), using state-of-the-art Andsmart plant room controllers, thermal plastic Nozbart pumps and Steiel granular chlorine feeder from Action Aquatics and a UFF regenerative Neptune-Benson Defender filter system.

Part of the BIG4 Caravan Park franchise which comprises 180 holiday parks across Australia, Tweed Billabong provides a range of high-quality accommodation options from powered ensuite sites for caravan and motorhomes to luxury cabins. With consistently high expectations across all its parks the company is known for setting a high standard for holiday park experiences and is recognised as the industry leader.

Researching guests' interests, BIG4 Caravan Parks have identified a clear trend in the increase of waterslides and other water-play features on cruise ships, at recreational facilities and at traditional campgrounds. As a result, the group has looked to make the most of these amenities.

After investigation, other BIG4 sites have partnered with Turkish company Polin Waterparks and Coffs Habour-based Swimplex Aquatics to add waterslides and similar attractions. This has included two other Queensland BIG4 holiday parks - Capricorn Palms Holiday Village in Yeppoon and at Cania Gorge Caravan and Tourist Park in Cania Gorge - and the BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park in Alice Springs. 

Click here to contact Action Aquatics/Ozcrete via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory. 

Click here to contact Polin Waterparks via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory. 

Click here to contact Swimplex Aquatics via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory. 

18th May 2015 - SWIMPLEX INSTALLS POLIN WATERSLIDE AT NOBBY BEACH HOLIDAY VILLAGE

5th March 2015 - SWIMPLEX AQUATICS TO DEVELOP $1.6 MILLION BIG BANANA WATERPARK 

4th February 2015 - POLIN REBRANDING HIGHLIGHTS WATERPARK EXPERIENCE

2nd December 2014 - NEW SWIMPLEX AQUATICS INSTALLED POLIN WATERSLIDE OPENS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

29th May 2013 - FLOODS SHOW THE WORTH OF DALBY AQUATIC CENTRE’S ELEVATION

Article amended 11am 13th August 2015.

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