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An epic $65 million tourist attraction and resort to rival theme parks on the Gold Coast has been greenlit in one of the areas hardest hit by job losses in Queensland. THE pandemic has secured the future of the Sunshine Coast’s first major themed tourist attraction in more than three decades – a new $65 million water park and eco-resort expected to be finalised in coming weeks. While jobs and investment are in turmoil due to the virus, the outbreak has provided a timely boost to the business case for the long-awaited project earmarked for a 14ha site at Glenview, 90km north of Brisbane. Proponents told The Courier-Mail that an economic analysis predicting a trend of “cocooning” – or short stay domestic holidays – had given them the perfect platform to launch the attraction, first considered in 2014. Actventure, featuring a host of free fall, raft and tube slides up to 14m high and 25 thrilling rides - some not seen before in Australia - will be the third-largest water park in the state after Wet’n’Wild and WhiteWater World. Construction of the park and its integrated “multi-generational’’ tourism resort, called Invigorate, on Steve Irwin Way, is hoped to start later this year and it could be open by the end of 2022. It is anticipated to attract more than 220,000 visitors and 50,000 room nights annually, as well as generate 300 construction jobs, 200 full-time equivalent positions once operational and $41 million per annum for the local economy. It will be the Sunshine Coast’s first new major themed attraction in 31 years, with the history of Aussie World and Sea Life Mooloolaba dating back to 1989, the Big Kart Track to 1983 and the region’s biggest and most awarded gem, Australia Zoo, to 1970, when it was known as the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park. Privately-owned development and investment company, Sanad Capital, which has strong ties to Dubai, is behind the project. Sanad’s managing director, Bradley Sutherland, said he would work through the remaining conditions with council in the coming weeks and this would finalise the groundbreaking venture and allow it to get under way. Mr Sutherland said the pandemic had made the attraction even more relevant and the time was right to advance it. “The market demands this. The ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on domestic and international travel means we’re seeing a resurgence of support for local tourism, and the rising need to complement existing holiday offerings with exhilarating and refreshing experiences to fulfil the needs of Australian travellers and allow them to escape the ordinary.” Mr Sutherland said Actventure’s family-oriented water park and Invigorate integrated tourism resort complex would offer 161 self-contained family-friendly one to three-bedroom villas (269 beds), local farm to table experiences, open-air cinema, sports club, water-based activities including stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking, plus the massive water park. Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford said Actventure and its integrated Invigorate resort would be an excellent fit for the region. “Now, more than ever because of the coronavirus, we need appropriate, high-profile attractions like these that complement our brand, which encompasses water, beaches, rivers and the amazing Glass House Mountains,’’ he said. “We get development, and the need for growth, but must maintain our extraordinary landscape. Attractions can be created but have to fit with the brand like this does.” Sunshine Coast Council’s planning spokesman James Ruprai said the Actventure water park proposal had a lengthy and complex development approval history dating back to 2015. Mr Ruprai said that in December 2019, the applicant lodged a development application for a new Stage 1 comprising a resort complex (160 villas) and a revision to the tourist attraction (water park). That application was now under assessment by council officers. The Courier-Mail understands the lengthy process is close to being finalised. https://www.couriermail.com.au/business/65m-actventure-water-park-and-eco-resort-to-boost-sunshine-coast-tourism/news-story/513c71f7120170946f13a762c4bd3e7d

My editing skills are non-existent and this is a pipe dream, but if Dreamworld invested money into a new plaza with another world-class coaster and flat ride (I chose Batman: The Ride clone and a Mondial Top Scan). And in the future when they remove Sidewinder, as mentioned previously, a shoot-the-chutes to make Ocean Parade feel like it has an ocean theme.I added a scaled down shoot-the-chutes but even if it is small, it'll add a family water ride which will complete the line up at that point.

Coronavirus Gold Coast: When theme parks will reopen as demands grow for answers Demands are growing to reopen the Gold Coast’s theme parks as fury grows over the gates remaining closed to the city’s economic engine rooms. VILLAGE Roadshow’s boss is calling on State Government to explain why the Gold Coast’s famed shopping centres can host thousands of customers but the city’s renowned theme parks cannot. Village CEO Clark Kirby, while praising the state’s $50 million theme park stimulation, is baffled at why theme parks like Movie World and Sea World – which he called “shopping centres without a roof” – were not in the same category. Under a State Government road map, theme parks can have a total of 20 guests at a time from June 12 and 100 people from July 10. But Mr Kirby said yesterday: “Essentially if Westfield and Harbourtown can have thousands of people through, we are essentially – if you look at our thoroughfares – a shopping centre without a roof. “We’re actually far better prepared to monitor social distancing than a shopping centre,” he said. “It does not make sense for us to open our doors unless we can have about 5000 people through the gates.’ Mr Kirby said despite meetings with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Tourism Minister Kate Jones on reopening the sticking point was how many patrons would be allowed. Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista backed his call, saying the best assistance would be a reopening date for the parks and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary: “These venues rely on large group[s but at the moment there is no road map for them to viably reopen. “It is important we get them open.” When the Bulletin asked Tourism Minister Kate Jones’ office what the difference was between malls and theme parks, the query was fobbed off by a spokesman who said it was a Queensland Health matter. https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/business/coronavirus-gold-coast-when-theme-parks-will-reopen-as-demands-grow-for-answers/news-story/36f9eb09cb6500835ad15ae078c6e066

Its a great article, and i know he put a lot of effort into it. I certainly would. 👍

So I now Give a thumbs up every time I see @Slick?

noahjohnstone on YouTube, has uploaded another drone overview video of Dreamworld, but this time, It's the Blue Lagoon area.

A little look into Shanghai Disneyland since opening after covid.

The proposal for the sale of VRL has an additional offer price of an extra 12c per share if the parks are open 3 days prior to the sale. Could this be one of the reasons why Village are pushing so hard to open sooner and the other operators are somewhat quiet in comparison?

Yeah well, MW and DW both have a similar coaster built or being built... so the obvious recipient is SW.... I'm sure you didn't think I thought that was the case... but if funding is approved - it doesn't matter if its cash - its just the rules around how it can be spent. Of course gov advertising funding can't be used to buy a new ride, but god damn it'd still be a better use of the money...

This was the proposed 'stage one' of the park, released back in 2017 I believe?

My inlaws live in beerwah. Its such a pain to drive past that site all the time and just see grass grow. Same for Aussie World with SX360 just... hanging out..

A Log flume like the one at Phantasialand would be perfect.

I don’t know how hard this would be but I think it would be really cool if they could relocate some of those amazing looking large palm trees around the park maybe in ocean parade or find space for them around Main Street. It would look really nice and provide some decent shade.

I would have gone with Steel Taipan Grey

Sounds like perfect Capacity for DW then

That would be a poor and shortsighted decision if they went that way. They haven’t shown to be adverse to running a water based ride post-TRR, they did run RHLR after the accident. Given WWW is back to be being a separate gate, they need a water ride of some sort in the main park. Summer on the Gold Coast doesn’t equate to not having any water attractions

But Leviathan isn’t/wasn’t the final phase of the Atlantis development... maybe Trident has been scrapped due to the economic downturn and diminished revenues...

Im not even sure if Premier offer the product anymore, and the two (!) they sold have both been removed by the parks that bought them. My question is, how do you message to the public that it's a ride with underwater tracks and therefore its safer...The same local general public that had people thinking Vortex was the same ride as Wipeout.

Yes and no, both had squeduled opening dates but only one opened on time. Lols just give Dreamworld the W and enjoy the new watersides.

Im very impressed with Dreamworld getting fully 6 opened in time unlike SeaWorld .

If they have honey chicken, sweet and sour pork and a special fried rice in them, then it’s my dinner from last night that UberEats “lost”....

I think the comments containing personal attacks (even if directed at public figures) or unfounded accusations should be removed, and any subsequent replies to those comments (sorry @Skeeta ). But have to agree overall the thread should remain, a lot of members contributed.