The Parkz Update: The construction of Funfields' record breaking Gravity Wave water slide

Funfields gears up for the 2017 season with the addition of not one but two major attractions: the mammoth Gravity Wave water slide and the thrilling Voodoo looping gyro-swing flat ride.

Image: Luke Fazio. The world record-breaking Gravity Wave opens at Funfields this weekend.

Update By Luke Fazio
16 October 2017

With the 2017 season kicking off this Saturday at Funfields, in this Parkz Update we go back and look at the construction of the park's new record breaking ‘Gravity Wave’ waterslide over the course of 2017. The Gravity Wave is 186m long and 26.8m tall; making it the world's biggest, longest and tallest ProSlide ‘Wave’ water slide.

Construction began in January with the clearing of the land and excavation of the splashdown pool.

By June the majority of earthworks has been completed.

Over the next couple months the pool was concreted, retaining walls installed, footers poured and the supports installed.

Keen eyes will notice the large splashdown pool has been built with room for a second major slide. Funfields is definitely planning for the future.

The huge supports tower over the nearby Kraken Racer.

Slide pieces arrived at the beginning of August.

Close-up of the starter tub slide piece.

Next, the wave's 'exoskeletal' structure was constructed.

These steel tubes make up the wave's support structure.

The wave’s structure contains many of these junctions. Crimped ends of steel tubes slot into an extrusion and are then secure into place with a washer either side.

Up she goes!

Slide pieces started to be installed in late August. The wave is now starting to take shape.

The wave element alone is quite big.

These holes at the top of the wave will house water nozzles that will keep the entire wave lubricated with water.

Backside of the wave element.

Do a barrel roll!

Early September saw the first fully enclosed tube sections installed.

The slide is really starting to take shape.

The drop into the wave element.

Following the wave element, riders will fly down one last drop and into a splashdown pool.

Each slide piece is barcoded with a unique part number for identification.

The slide pieces ready for installation. They are over 2m in diameter.

Each tube section is made up of multiple top and bottom half pieces. These are first bolted together on the ground, and then lifted into place; joining the appropriate support and adjacent slide piece.

The beginning of the 630 degree downward helix.

By mid-September the majority of the slide pieces had been fitted.

Prior to the helix riders will snake down a giant, open s-bend.

The launch tower being constructed.

The park’s naturally hilly terrain makes for some lovely views of the Victorian countryside.

Yeah, it's huge!

Parts for the raft conveyor belt.

The conveyor belt will carry Proslide’s famous 4-person cloverleaf tubes to the top of the launch tower.

The conveyor dips below water level to ensure a smooth transition for the empty rafts from water to belt. Small guide wheels along the sides ensure that the rafts don't scrape or get caught on the way up.

The rafts will be fed into this channel and onto the conveyor belt.

Close up of the conveyor belt.

You better like stairs. There’s around 180 of them to climb.

Check out those sexy curves. Gravity Wave is shaping up to be one of Australia’s best water slides.

Gravity Wave opens to the public this Saturday, 21 October. If you want to be among the first to ride, head over to the Funfields website and enter their "First Launchers" competition for your chance: http://www.funfields.com.au/firstlaunchers