Big Splash’s owner has revealed plans for a 25-meter indoor/outdoor pool and outdoor splash park. Photo: James Coleman.
“Big Splash in Jamison will not reopen this summer.”
In a statement released today (14 November), the owner of Big Splash Waterpark has finally said what we were all thinking.
“While we understand this will disappoint many families and swimmers, our client remains committed to ensuring the site continues to serve the community in a meaningful way.”
The ACT Government has indicated that Access Canberra could go after Big Splash for lease noncompliance as its mid-November deadline for reopening passes.
The statement was issued by Purdon, a Braddon-based urban planning consultancy, which has been contracted by Big Splash’s owners, the Translink Management Group, to “develop a proposal that meets current zoning requirements, is financially sustainable, and retains recreational uses”.
“Plans under consideration include a 25-metre indoor/outdoor pool and outdoor splash park, ensuring water-based fun remains part of the site’s future … There are no plans to rezone the site.”
ACT Minister for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry has also previously hinted that the plan includes “indoor recreation” options and a hotel.
The owner blamed “significant vandalism” and the “escalating cost of repairing aging infrastructure” for making the reopening of the existing facilities “prohibitive”.
“We know Big Splash has been a much-loved part of the community for decades and we regret that we can’t reopen the pool this summer,” the owner said.
“Our goal is to create something that continues that legacy, keeping recreation at the heart of the site while making sure it’s viable for the long term.”
Construction fencing is the only change at the site in the past few months. Photo: James Coleman.
Unlike previous months, where media and government have struggled to receive any word on what was going on at the site, Purdon CEO Dan Steward said this, too, will change.
“We’re committed to keeping everyone informed and creating opportunities for the community to help shape a future proposal,” he said.
“We no longer want to see it languish as an eyesore, so we look forward to working with all stakeholders to create a proposal that delivers a better community outcome.”
The statement comes after it was revealed the ACT’s Territory Planning Authority has been sitting on a redevelopment proposal from Big Splash for the past “six to eight weeks”.
Big Splash has a meeting with the ACT Government’s National Capital Design Review Panel at the end of this month. Photo: James Coleman.
This drew ire from Canberra Liberals leader Mark Parton over how it squares with the government’s plans to penalise the owners for failing to reopen for a second season with “regulatory action” – including fines and termination of the site’s lease.
But the officials insisted it was an “early meeting”, and ACT Planning Minister Chris Steel added it was part of a normal process and didn’t imply anything was greenlit.
“The Territory Planning Authority treats proponents fairly if they come forward to seek information,” Mr Steel said.
“They will be provided with information about process and guidance about how they can potentially do a range of things under the Planning Act. Whether they would be supported is a different question.”
Big Splash has a meeting booked with the ACT Government’s National Capital Design Review Panel at the end of this month to “gather feedback” on preliminary concepts.
“We will then share these concepts with the community before Christmas, and commence formal consultation and engagement in early February 2026,” Purdon wrote.
“In the meantime, further work is being undertaken to ensure the safety of the site and to deter further vandalism and damage.”
Attorney-General Tara Cheyne is not yet convinced by the plan. Photo: ACT Government.
In a Facebook post, Attorney-General and Ginninderra MLA Tara Cheyne said the news was hopeful, but she was “disappointed” by the late notice.
“For the owners to wait until the eleventh hour, 14 November, to officially confirm what anyone could now plainly see – that Big Splash was not in a position to open, not least because no action had been taken since their advice to government – is disheartening and, frankly, below par,” she wrote.
“These actions alone are not the way to establish trust with our community, let alone if the planning representatives hope to soon ‘consult and engage’.”
She added she has “no idea what this concept includes” or “how the proponent intends to meet the current zoning requirements”.
“Without wishing to prejudice what occurs from here, the ‘efforts’ promised this past year feel hollow-hearted at best,” she said.
“In my view, the statement doesn’t do a lot to rectify that … They have their work cut out for them.”
