Big Splash water park in Canberra will not open for the summer season
Big Splash, Canberra’s only water park in Australia, will not open for the 2026–2027 summer season. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government said it does not consider it possible to resume operations at the facility in November, as its lessee had committed to do.
The water park, which is a private business, has been closed for more than two years and has fallen into disrepair. The lessee had promised to begin work on the main pool and ticketing area while seeking a buyer. ACT Minister for Sport and Recreation Chris Steel said the government would commission a comprehensive analysis of options for the facility’s future, ABC News Australia reports.
Cost analysis and consultations
The government plans to assess the cost of restoring the existing 50-metre pool, building new slides, restoring visitor amenities, and creating other facilities that were not previously there. The analysis will also take into account the overall situation with aquatic sports and recreation facilities in the ACT.
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Authorities confirmed that they do not plan to change the site’s designation for residential development: it must remain an aquatic infrastructure facility. Community consultations will be held as part of the process. The government also expects proposals from interested parties, including potential owners or operators of the complex.
Politicians’ reactions
In June, ACT Labor MP Tara Cheyne called the November 1 opening a mandatory condition and said that preparations would be monitored. She noted that if this condition was not met, powers to ensure its enforcement could be used.
Canberra Liberals member for Ginninderra Peter Cain accused the government of delaying a decision and called for all possibilities for restoring Big Splash to be considered, including terminating the lease. ACT Greens leader Jo Clay said the community was disappointed by the pace of resolving the issue and expressed the view that the government should terminate the lease, return the facility to its control, and then conduct a proper review of options for its future.
