THERE'S something fishy about a proposed $750,000 water park at a New
South Wales caravan park.
Work is well underway on the sprawling castaway-themed attraction at the
award-winning BIG4 Sunshine South West Rocks Holiday Park.
Its centrepiece will be an old 50ft fishing trawler which is being
transformed into a replica wrecked and partly submerged tall ship in a
lagoon-style pool.
The somewhat worst-for-wear trawler was rescued from the shores of nearby
Port Macquarie.
The water park will feature a rock waterfall and two crows nests ... one with a tipping
bucket and the other where children can climb the rigging. There will also
be an array of slides.
Chief executive Tony Mayn hopes to have the water park completed for this
year's Christmas school holidays.
Admitting that the ambitious project might not be the easiest way to
create a water park, he said this is what makes so special.
"Swimming through and playing on, above and below this grand old lady is
bound to awaken the child in us all," he said.
"If this doesn't drag kids away from their electronic screens, nothing
will."
The castaway theme was chosen because it was timeless and invoked a sense
of adventure for young and old alike, he explained.
Children would relate to modern pirate movies while parents and
grandparents would be reminded of great adventure classics like The Swiss
Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe.
Staff at the park have already embraced the theme and can be seen wearing
pirate and period costumes as they go about daily duties, much to the
children's delight.
Mr Mayn has even engaged a former movie set builder to consult on the
project to ensure the water park and pirate ship look as realistic as
possible.
"We want to create things that inspire a child's imagination and let them
get lost into their own fantasy, allowing them to dream in real time as if
they are there, so it has to look and feel real but still be safe," he
said.
"The list of different consultants involved in this project is crazy."
Mr Mayn said Australia's holiday destinations were diverse and constantly
evolving.
"We already boast facilities and activities that rival most hotels and
this water park is the icing on the cake," he said.
"I don’t see us as just an accommodation provider, we're creating
unforgettable holiday experiences."
He said that as parents became increasingly time poor, the park's aim was
to provide a fun-filled atmosphere for families to reconnect and create
memories they could cherish for years to come.
"Holidays aren't measured by campsites or cabins, even though ours are
awesome," he said.
"How do you put a value on the joy in a child's face and the memories you
take with you. That is our purpose."
Mr Mayn hoped the new castaway themed experience would attract new guests
to the area and further position BIG4 Sunshine South West Rocks as one of
Australia's number top holiday experiences in one of the country's
favorite tourism hotspots.
