Village Roadshow advances plans for Sunshine Coast water park

Village Roadshow Limited (VRL) has submitted a Development Application to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to build a new water park on the site of VRL's recently acquired Aussie World attraction.

A VRL statement explains that "the rustic and rural character of the Ettamogah Pub and Aussie World will be enhanced with a world class water park costing an estimated $70 million initially with the potential for further water park expansion into the future as per the application."

VRL has acquired the 23 hectare freehold Aussie World property, conditional on achieving the required approvals. To be known as Wet'n'Wild Aussie World, VRL also stated that "this is the only site of its size not prone to flooding on the Sunshine Coast which has tourism designation and is conveniently situated on the Bruce Highway for easy commuting by Brisbane day trippers, as well as being directly accessible via the Sunshine Motorway for local residents and overnight visitors."

VRL see the opportunity to create a new attraction on the Sunshine Coast, anticipating that Wet'n'Wild Aussie World will initially attract 550,000 guests each year. When fully developed VRL aim for Wet'n'Wild Aussie World to be one of the top ten water parks in the world at 850,000 guests per year.

VRL plans to employ around 400 people on the Sunshine Coast once the further water park expansion is completed. The construction and operation of Wet'n'Wild Aussie World will generate increased economic activity which will create over 3,000 jobs, generate direct expenditure of over $300 million and incremental expenditure of $550 million within a decade of the full development.

VRL aim for the design of Wet'n'Wild Aussie World to be unique to the Sunshine Coast. It will include Australia's first all-weather year-round water attraction, an 8,000 metre² indoor Billabong while also aiming for water self sufficiency, harvesting rainwater for attraction establishment/replenishment and recycling grey water for irrigation. VRL also plan to create a local biosphere by protecting three hectares of native bushland, retaining a high percentage of native trees within the water park area and establishing extensive new plantings of native vegetation throughout the developed areas.

Australia's myriad waterpark developments have been explored in the article Water Fight in the July/August issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

1st August 2008 - VILLAGE ROADSHOW TAKES ON ARIZONA WATERPARK

7th July 2008 - VILLAGE ABANDONS VICTORIAN PARK PLAN

23rd May 2008 - VILLAGE TO BUY AUSSIE WORLD