The Parkz Update: Construction flies ahead on Wet'n'Wild's newest water slides

Wet'n'Wild are moving forward with construction of their latest collection of water slides ahead of their expected opening in December.

Image: Parkz. Kaboom!, Super Ripper and Double Barrel construction is well underway at Wet'n'Wild.

Update By Richard Wilson
19 October 2021

With the Leviathan wooden roller coaster at Sea World now delayed until April 2022, Wet'n'Wild's newest collection of water slides is set to be the headline attraction for Village Roadshow this summer.

The slides couldn't come sooner. They'll be the first new major slides to open at the park since 2012's Constrictor. It also finally brings Wet'n'Wild into the 21st century, with Kaboom!, the park's first Master Blaster slides, which feature sections of slide where riders are propelled uphill by fast jets of water.

The collection of slides features some much needed filler capacity, with a new pair of body slides, Super Ripper, and the one-trick-pony Double Barrel raft slides.

The area will be rounded out with H2Oasis, a new aquatic play area – much like Sea World's The Reef at Castaway Bay – which is set to be the largest zero-depth play area on the Gold Coast.

With the slides expected open in time for the summer holidays, the construction site is full steam ahead, with 30-odd tradespeople and contractors on site at any given time working on everything from side assembly to plumbing, electrical work, concreters and landscapers.

The back of Wet'n'Wild has become a hive of construction activity as the park prepares for the summer's new slides and aquatic attractions.

Across the hill are several different staging areas where slide sections are stored, assembled and eventually hoisted into place.

The 'Tailspin' element is the single largest component of the Kaboom! Master Blaster. It is being fully assembled on the ground before being lifted into place in one piece.

This one component has taken a crew of five about a week to fully assemble.

The assembly process includes bolting together the prefabricated fibreglass sections, waterproofing the joints. Despite different parts being manufactured in different factories, the process is time consuming but seamless.

Plumbing and pumps to supply the 27 metre tall slide tower with the thousands of litres of water it needs ever minute.

The unique Super Ripper slide features twin body slides that race along a short but twisted course.

A section of Kaboom! awaiting waterproofing. The green masking tape along the top is there to reduce cleanup time once the seal is in place.

Kaboom will feature two mirrored slides. This yellow/orange one, as well as one in light and dark blue.

Even the most simple lengths of slide are comprised of many individual segments that need to be assembled on-site.

The cluster of palm trees over to the right were 'rescued' from the site at the start of the project. They will be replanted once landscaping commences.

The hill up towards Paradise Country is a rainbow of different shapes and sizes of slides.

A central plant room will house all the pumps for the six slides as well as the accompanying play area.

There are different sizes of pumps for different purposes. Some will pump the main supply of water to the top of the 27 metre tower, some will supply water to Kaboom's uphill sections while some will provide water to the water effects in H2Oasis.

Inside the plant room, where all these pumps will soon be located in a neat line along here. The gantry above allows swift removal and replacement of the pumps for servicing.

Beneath the plant room is a large water reservoir, where all the water is pumped from.

One of the filtration units in place. These perlite-based filters offer incredibly fine filtration in a fraction of the space of sand filters.

The slide components need to be installed in a particular order based on how cranes can access the site. Generally this means the lowest sections of slide are installed before those above it.

The 27 metre tall tower is an impressive structure. The top of the tower will be the starting point for the Kaboom! Master Blaster slides.

This gentle sloping section of slide is one of the uphill moments on Kaboom.

These pipe fittings are or the powerful jets of water which will propel guests on inner tubes up the slope.

The starting point will feature a conveyor belt launch to facilitate simple, fast loading and dispatches.

Clear sections of slide offer a bit of excitement to guests below.

The impressive slide tower is slowly coming together. Super Ripper is the purple and blue slide closest, Kaboom! is the blue and yellow pair behind that, while Double Barrel is the green and orange pair over to the right.

The six slides splash down in a neat row.

The Double Barrel slides to the right are a pair of very simple one-trick-pony raft slides that are short, sharp and add some much needed capacity to the tower.

The green slide is enclosed but with an opening halfway for a sudden flash of daylight.

The runoff for each slide is staggered so that guests queuing for each don't get in each others' way.

The queue area for these slides will be found here, where guests will wait for the tubes/rafts they need. It's unfortunately yet another tower at Wet'n'Wild without a conveyor belt to do the work for you, though unlike Tornado with its four person tubes (seen here in the background), the tubes for these slides will be relatively small and light.

The tower structure is quite impressive – and there's still plenty more slide to be installed.

The H2Oasis water play area is ginormous. By integrating it within the same area as the larger slides, it creates a family friendly atmosphere with something for everyone. Including shaded seating for the parents androom for food trucks.

H2Oasis will be shaded when completed. In coming weeks this area will be decorated with dozens of fountains and props.

One thing that was never apparent from the concept art for this new area is just how expansive it is. It fills out the area much more than the old slide tower, and the plan is to fully integrate this entire corner of the park so that it's much easier to navigate both the old and new attractions.

Kaboom!, Super Ripper, Double Barrel and the H2Oasis play area are expected to open in time for the summer holidays at Wet'n'Wild.