Now a Water Park for Cairns?

Australia's interest in aquatic leisure is set to continue with plans for a $25 million waterslide park to be built in Cairns.

Plans for the park, to be known as the Adventure Mountain Water Park, have been revealed by an investor group headed by former Cairns councillor and businessman Paul Freebody.

Freebody believes that Cairns "is well overdue for something like this, (we are) an international city and people expect this kind of facility."

The park will be built on a seven hectare site, the former home to the Vic Hislop Shark Show, on the Captain Cook Highway in the Cairns suburb of Smithfield. It will be developed in four stages and feature waterslides, river rides, wave pools, spas and an interactive children's pool. The plans also include a family restaurant, function room and mini-golf courses.

Freebody and his partners are now moving quickly to gain the necessary approvals from state and local government agencies. They anticipate that construction will begin in March next year.