A determined Canberra teenager is rallying the community in a fresh battle to preserve the beloved Big Splash water park from being demolished and replaced with a large hotel.
A Lifelong Connection Sparks Action
Eighteen-year-old Amelia Tattam, a lifelong Canberran, is spearheading the renewed push to keep the Macquarie icon open. She is joining forces with established community groups like Friends of Manuka Pool and Save Phillip Pool Community to give a voice to the many young people who cherish the facility.
"I've grown up going to Big Splash every summer, with friends, family, and for swimming carnivals throughout school. Like many people, I was impacted by its sudden and ongoing closure," Ms Tattam said.
The Sudden Closure and Redevelopment Plans
The popular water park, which operated successfully for decades, was purchased in 2021 by the Translink Management Group, led by Songnan "Morris" Huang. It was abruptly shuttered in December 2024, with its website taken down, phones disconnected, and office abandoned, leaving the unstaffed site vulnerable to vandalism.
The park remained closed last summer and is again shut this season as the owner pursues redevelopment. Tentative plans suggest replacing the outdoor pools and slides with a large hotel and a single indoor pool.
Ms Tattam argues that Canberra cannot afford to lose this vital public space. "To me, Big Splash represents summer in Canberra. It was a place where people of all ages could come together to connect," she said.
More Than Just a Pool: A Community Asset at Risk
The student and part-time grocery worker emphasised the broader social value of the park. "Losing Big Splash means losing more than just a water park. We lose a shared summer space, affordable recreation, and a place where people can go to connect with one another," she stated.
She highlighted its role in promoting community wellbeing, especially during extreme heat. With temperatures forecast to hit 39 degrees Celsius later this week, the closure is particularly acute.
"During periods of extreme heat, access to public cooling spaces becomes a real health issue. Big Splash provided a safe, affordable, and fun place for families and young people to cool down," Ms Tattam explained. "Having it closed during increasingly hot summers really highlights the gap that its absence has left."
Her ideal outcome is for the site to be "reopened or redeveloped into a version of what Big Splash was" – an outdoor aquatic park featuring a 50-metre pool, slides, and social spaces designed for the whole community.
"The concern is that once you lose public recreational space, it's very hard to get back," she warned. "Canberra needs more outdoor community spaces for people of all ages, and we deserve a clear commitment that this land will continue to serve a public recreational purpose."
