Jamberoo Action Park is under fire from Kiama Council for storing about 1500 BYD cars in its carpark. Photo: Supplied.
An attempt by a South Coast waterpark to make money during its off-peak season has been curtailed by the local council – but it’s not giving up yet.
Jamberoo Action Park is working on a deal with the local Kiama Municipal Council to allow it to store hundreds of brand-new Chinese cars on site, while it hopes to introduce new rides and attractions with the income.
Like most waterparks in Australia, Jamberoo Action Park (a 17-minute drive from Kiama) is closed during the colder months, from April to October.
Meanwhile, Chinese car maker BYD – which has dealerships in Wollongong and Moss Vale and is in the process of opening a new one in Nowra – needed somewhere to store hundreds of new cars awaiting customer collection.
A satellite view of the Jamberoo Action Park from earlier this year, showing the carpark crammed with around 1600 BYD vehicles. Photo: Google Maps, Screenshot.
Images of rows upon rows of about 1600 SUVs, utes and sedans, with their white factory stickers intact, have flooded the news this week after what happened next.
The Kiama Municipal Council said it had received “several complaints” about the “significant number of new vehicles” being stored in the waterpark’s main carpark and overflow areas over the past few months.
Compliance officers issued the waterpark with an “Order to comply”, citing environmental protection laws and advising that “development consent was required to operate a transport depot” and that this use was “prohibited in rural zones” such as Jamberoo.
In response, the waterpark lodged a development application with the council in September, but this was knocked back on 20 October.
In a joint statement, the Jamberoo Action Park and Kiama Council said they had “met to discuss the recent DA” and “both parties are committed to working together constructively and transparently to ensure the best outcomes for the community and local businesses, while adhering to all planning regulations”.
“Jamberoo Action Park will be lodging a new Development Application that includes the additional information requested by council,” the statement read.
“Kiama Council will consider this application before any further compliance action is taken.
“Jamberoo Action Park and Kiama Council appreciate the community’s interest in this matter and look forward to a positive and collaborative outcome.”
Most of the cars remain on site. Photo: Supplied.
Council director of strategies and communities Ed Paterson told Region that throughout the saga, “Council has had no interaction with BYD”.
BYD Australia did not respond to questions from Region but previously told media that the cars were managed by an “external logistics provider” and that it took its compliance obligation “seriously”.
“In NSW, BYD’s vehicle storage is managed by a storage and logistics partner who oversees a number of locations in the Port Kembla and surrounding regions,” it said.
Jamberoo Action Park has a total of 3000 car spaces over several carparks, with the BYD vehicles occupying about 1000 of those spaces furthest from the waterpark’s main entrance. About 1500 cars remain on site.
Management has previously told media it sought legal advice before lodging the original DA, and blamed “a broken planning system” for the earlier decision.
“If you can’t store cars in a carpark, without impact to anyone, then something in the planning system clearly isn’t working,” general manager Matt George told Channel 9’s A Current Affair.
Jamberoo Action Park wants to add new rides and attractions in the coming years. Photo: Jamberoo Action Park.
Jamberoo marketing manager Grant Wright didn’t respond to a question from Region about how much money was involved in the deal, except to say it was enough to be a financial help.
“Using the carpark during the off-season does help moderate the expense of fixed costs such as staff and maintenance during a time when we receive no revenue,” he said.
“One of our goals is to introduce new rides, attractions and amenities in the seasons ahead. Business opportunities such as [this] potentially enable us to introduce these improvements with more confidence and effectiveness.
“This, in turn, has a positive impact on employment, economic growth and visitation to the region.”
Could there be a lesson in it for other seasonal waterparks, like Canberra’s Big Splash?
Jamberoo Action Park is open most days, 10 am to 5 pm, 31 October to 26 April. Check the website for specific days.
