Expansions start at Jamberoo Action Park

[Monkeypie]

I won some tickets so I'm thinking we will go down for a weekend in February to try out the Funnelweb! Hopefully it won't be too packed then!

[Lee Burdett]

Apparently the 2 new attractions didn't open today. Glad I chose to go on the monday.

[Jamberoo Fan]

Apparently the 2 new attractions didn't open today. Glad I chose to go on the monday.

Jamberoo Action Park officially opened 'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong' today, Friday the 14th of December 2012, as part of a media event which saw local politicians, the media and employees of Jamberoo Action Park as the first people to try out the new rides. As pointed out by Lee Burdett in the post above, the 2 new rides were not open to the general public today. The main reason for the general public not allowed on the two new rides today was because 2 of the 15 important certifications were still pending. This caused criticism on social media/networking websites such as Facebook by people who visited Jamberoo Action Park today to see the 2 new rides not open to the general public. The two new rides will be open to the general public from tomorrow, Saturday the 15th of December 2012. The official opening media event saw local media such as the Illawarra Mercury, WIN News and ABC Illawarra as well as state-wide media, 7 News, attend the opening of 'Funnel Web' which 7 News described as 'the world's longest water slide'. Jamberoo Action Park though more appropriately described it as 'the largest and longest ride of it's type in the world'. The first stage of the 'Kangaroo Island' expansion cost $14 million in a 5 month construction period with $1.2 million alone for the 6-year development approval process and $2 million being funded by the Australian Government. 'Funnel Web' has approximately 30,000 bolts and nuts holding the 270m Tornado water slide together. Jamberoo Action Park also intends 'Funnel Web' to have ride-on photos. The planned giant funnel web spider theming attached to the side of the funnel of 'Funnel Web' will appear on Wednesday the 13th of February 2013. 'Banjo's Billabong' , the largest interactive water play area in the Southern Hemisphere, didn't receive as much media attention as 'Funnel Web' did but will also be open to the general public from tomorrow, Saturday the 15th of December 2012, after being officially opened today, Friday the 14th of December 2012, as part of the media event. Below are some images sourced from 7 News's TV news report on 'Funnel Web''s opening: Looking down the funnel of 'Funnel Web' as people ride it. 'Funnel Web' being ridden by people as seen from up on the hill of Jamberoo Action Park. The overall finished officially opened 'Funnel Web'. For some on-ride video footage of 'Funnel Web', watch the 7 News TV news report below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIe5w94zUgk Here is an interesting news article from ABC Illawarra which also details 'Banjo's Billabong', the 6-year development process which was taken up mostly by community consultation and Jamberoo Action Park's new competitior, Wet 'n' Wild Sydney:

14 December, 2012 1:59PM AEDT Funnelling Illawarra tourism as Jamberoo unveils new attractions By Justin Huntsdale The Jamberoo Action Park opened its two newest attractions today, showcasing $14m worth of tourism infrastructure for the South Coast. Stretching 270 metres and featuring a giant funnel, the Funnel Web water slide provided an impressive backdrop to today's opening of phase one of the park's Kangaroo Island development. Featuring the huge grey slide, the area will also welcome visitors to Banjo's Billabong, the largest interactive water play area in the southern hemisphere. Funded with the assistance of all three levels of government and local businesses, the slide and play area will boost tourism potential for the park just in time for summer. "We've been here 34 years and developed the park to a state where it's considered a mid size water park, and this is the start of getting it to a park of national significance - it's a milestone for us," park owner Jim Eddy said. "What's been great is it's had such a wide range of support across the board from industry and government and it's a very encouraging aspect of the development." The first thrill-seekers were given an opportunity to test the slide today, which sees patrons ride a group inflatable tube through the slide's tunnel, before being propelled out into the funnel, then again into another tunnel which leads to the pool at the bottom. But the project hasn't been without its setbacks. Mr Eddy said the process of having the development application approved was time consuming and costly, and involved extensive work to address concerns of local residents. "The perception is it's an easy job [to build it] because most people have fun with it and there's not much environmental impact, but we generate people and visitors to the region and that frightens some local residents. "The Planning and Assessment Act gives expectations that all residents will have a say on the impact of the development and how you operate, and that makes it difficult for a person like me and the business." He says there needs to be community consultation for developments like this, but once the consultation is over and the development rules are established, residents 'have to butt out'. Today he lamented the cost of having to hire a consultant to answer as many as 70 community complaints at a cost of $1.2m, only for the development to stay exactly as it was first proposed (with the exception of the ride's colour). He is also optimistic despite water park Wet and Wild set to build a theme park in western Sydney. "It's a complementary development because they'll spend about $2.5m on marketing and that will generate more activity for theme parks. "It develops critical mass and Sydney hasn't had a theme park for a lot of years, so I'm looking forward to it."

More photographs this time taken by Justin Huntsdale of ABC Illawarra sourced from the ABC Illawarra website: The view of 'Funnel Web' from the splashdown pool during the official opening media event. The overall finished officially opened 'Banjo's Billabong'. Another article this time from the 'Illawarra Mercury' newspaper:

First look: new Jamberoo Action Park ride By Angela Thompson Dec. 15, 2012, midnight New rides will open at Jamberoo Action Park today, including a water slide touted as the "biggest of its kind". The Funnel Web is a souped-up version of The Tornado water ride, which operates in 70 theme parks worldwide, including Wet 'n' Wild Water World on the Gold Coast. In a standard model, the rider descends 18 metres from beginning to end but at Jamberoo the lay of the land has made a drop of 30 metres possible. The ride, and neighbouring children's water play structure Banjo's Billabong, were slated to open at an official launch yesterday, but only a select few "test pilots" were allowed on because two of 15 necessary certifications were still pending. The park said yesterday that the rides would open to the public today. In the Funnel Web, riders travel in groups of four in a clover-shaped tube down a 270 metre course. It begins as an enclosed, winding tunnel with a tight doughnut, building speed before the tube is shot up the side of an open-mouthed funnel. The tube oscillates, losing height, then disappears down the funnel's narrow end and into a second enclosed, speed-building doughnut. Park owner Jim Eddy said the course was double the size of some other Tornadoes. "It's the largest and the longest of its kind in the world," he said. The rides represent the $14 million first stage in a four-stage, $60 million expansion, and are expected to attract at least another 100,000 visitors to the park annually. Their opening comes three months after construction began on the $115 million Wet 'n' Wild Sydney, touted as a bigger, brasher version of its Gold Coast counterpart. Mr Eddy said he welcomed the Prospect competitor, as two NSW offerings would win back tourism dollars lost to the state since 2003, when Australia's Wonderland closed and left Sydney without a major theme park. 'Mr Eddy praised his family for their efforts leading to yesterday's opening, but was critical of the planning process, which was prolonged by red tape and complaints by residents. The development received contributions from state and federal governments, and $2 million from the federal government's Illawarra Region Innovation and Investment Fund.

I hope everyone goes to Jamberoo Action Park to try out 'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong' and hopefully stage 2 of the 'Kangaroo Island' expansion will start in the not too distant future! Edited December 14, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[AllegroCrab]

"Longest Waterslide in the World" Gotta love 7 News haha, not bad publicity for the park though. Looking forward to that tomorrow, though I hope there's a hint of light before the drop so I can brace haha. We'll have to see.

[Reanimated35]

^As far as I know, it is the longest in the world (until this one is built next year overseas)

[Gazza]

As far as I know, it is the longest in the world (until this one is built next year overseas)

Fail, the article is dated 2011, so "next year" is 2012, we're nearly at the end of 2012 in 15 days time, oh, and it follows Mammoth already opened in the US summer.

Also, Funnel Web is 270m long. But Wildebeest (Holiday Worlds other hydromagnetic ride) is already 521m long), and Wildebeest opened back in 2010 Edited December 16, 2012 by Gazza

[themeparkgc]

Sounds like it is the longest ProSlide Tornado though...

"It's the largest and the longest of its kind in the world," he said.

[Jamberoo Fan]

'Funnel Web' is not the longest water slide in the world - it is the longest Tornado water slide in the world (according to Jamberoo Action Park). 7News just made it sound better with the absence of the word 'Tornado'.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[AllegroCrab]

7 news called it a "water thrill ride" which does include log flumes and such. But let's not get all technical on their minimal research and their play with words. It is though, the longest tornado slide, which is quite an achievement as they are extremely popular worldwide.

Edited December 16, 2012 by AllegroCrab

[Reanimated35]

Fail, the article is dated 2011, so "next year" is 2012, we're nearly at the end of 2012 in 15 days time, oh, and it follows Mammoth already opened in the US summer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQ_pkfJ5W0 Also, Funnel Web is 270m long. But Wildebeest (Holiday Worlds other hydromagnetic ride) is already 521m long), and Wildebeest opened back in 2010

Oh well, too hot to be paying attention today

[Jamberoo Fan]

Jamberoo Action Park officially opened 'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong' today, Friday the 14th of December 2012, as part of a media event which saw local politicians, the media and employees of Jamberoo Action Park as the first people to try out the new rides. The two new rides will be open to the general public from tomorrow, Saturday the 15th of December 2012. 'Banjo's Billabong' , the largest interactive water play area in the Southern Hemisphere, didn't receive as much media attention as 'Funnel Web' did but will also be open to the general public from tomorrow, Saturday the 15th of December 2012, after being officially opened today, Friday the 14th of December 2012, as part of the media event. I hope everyone goes to Jamberoo Action Park to try out 'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong'.

Apparently, 'Banjo's Billabong' has not opened at all still. Jamberoo Action Park has to still make opening date announcements for it. 'Funnel Web' is currently operational but apparently did have it's first breakdown yesterday, Sunday the 16th of December 2012, due to apparently a bobby pin getting caught in the filter which left 'Funnel Web' closed all day. Hopefully it will be fixed for today, Monday the 17th of December 2012 and the rest of the 2012/2013 Jamberoo Action Park operational season. Edited December 16, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[Gazza]

due to apparently a bobby pin getting caught in the filter which left 'Funnel Web' closed all day.

Who said that lol? Doesn't sound very plausible.

[Jamberoo Fan]

Who said that lol?Doesn't sound very plausible.

A visitor of Jamberoo Action Park made a comment about it on Facebook. They seemed certain that was what happened by what they wrote. Another visitor also said it broke down at 11am that day whilst they waited at the front of the queue but didn't say how it broke down. Jamberoo Action Park have though posted this on their website for both new rides (as of Monday 17th of December 2012):

Funnel Web and Banjo's Billabong is presently on Maintenance Stand By - Monday 17 December, 2012

People are still criticising Jamberoo Action Park on social media/networking websites such as Facebook for the lack of communication on the 'maintenance standby' of these two new rides as Jamberoo Action Park haven't acknowledged on their social media/networking pages that the 2 new rides have closed either because of the breakdown or because the 2 final certifications haven't been approved. It doesn't feature prominently on their main website as they only have put the 'Maintenance Stand By Notice' up on the webpages dedicated to 'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong'. In other news, 'Banjo's Billabong''s height restrictions have been announced with guests having to be 1 m and above in height to use Banjo's Billabong. Guests under 1 m are not permitted to use Banjo's Billabong. Edited December 17, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[Jamberoo Fan]

Jamberoo Action Park have posted this on their website for both new rides (as of Tuesday 18th of December 2012 at 10:12am):

Funnel Web is OPEN - Tuesday 18 December, 2012. Banjo's Billabong is presently on Maintenance Stand by - Tuesday Monday 18 December 2012 @ 10.12am

Edited December 18, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[AllegroCrab]

due to apparently a bobby pin getting caught in the filter which left 'Funnel Web' closed all day. Hopefully it will be fixed for today, Monday the 17th of December 2012

A bobby pin? It also closed on the Monday I was there. I knew I should have gone straight to it and ridden it first. I'm heading back in January though.On their website, it says Banjo's Billabong is open Today. Edited December 18, 2012 by AllegroCrab

[Jamberoo Fan]

A bobby pin? It also closed on the Monday I was there. On their website, it says Banjo's Billabong is open Today.

Apparently. Yeah it was closed on Monday. The 'Maintenance Stand By Notice' for the 2 new rides was posted in this topic on Monday. As pointed out by AllegroCrab in the post above, Jamberoo Action Park have posted this on their website for both new rides (as of Tuesday 18th of December 2012 at 2:00pm):

Funnel Web and Banjo's Billabong is presently OPENED - Tuesday Monday 18 December 2012 @ 2.00pm

So 'Banjo's Billabong' is now finally officially opened to everyone! Edited December 18, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[AllegroCrab]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDD the Funnel Web didn't open again. Maybe this morning?

[Jamberoo Fan]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDD the Funnel Web didn't open again.

When?

Maybe this morning?

'Funnel Web' and 'Banjo's Billabong' are open today at Jamberoo Action Park. Seven Network TV program,'Sunrise', visited the 'Funnel Web' this morning:

Edited December 19, 2012 by Jamberoo Fan

[Gazza]

Anyone else see this vid of what happens when two rafts go down the funnel at once?

Edited February 7, 2013 by Gazza

[GoGoBoy]

Anyone else see this vid of what happens when two rafts go down the funnel at once? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPMFgHRLxIY

Wow, I'm assuming that was a mistake. Dangerous much?

[Jobe]

Dangerous?? I reckon!! I wonder if this was just operator error or system error?? If it was operator error then someone needs to be raked over the coals.... they were lucky no one was seriously hurt!! Looks like it was a near thing!!

[GoGoBoy]

Dangerous?? I reckon!! I wonder if this was just operator error or system error?? If it was operator error then someone needs to be raked over the coals.... they were lucky no one was seriously hurt!! Looks like it was a near thing!!

Good question. The first raft down with all the big blokes in it appeared to be spending too long in the funnel. At the point where it would normally head towards the funnel opening, it instead seemed to go backwards. If the rafts are despatched based on timing, this may have been the problem

[Gazza]

^Ideally you wouldn't send a raft until it had cleared the funnel. Which gets me thinking. They could have had higher capacity on this thing if they had used the hillside, and switched it so there was a short lead up to the funnel, but have the long snaky section at the end. It would mean you wouldn't have to wait as long for the rafts to reach the funnel in the first place. I'm planning on visiting next week too. Presumably you go for the Bobsleds first and ride them a bunch of times whilst everyone else is getting lockers/going on the slides?

Edited February 7, 2013 by Gazza

[JacobSibbald]

But Gazza, if that was the case, loading time would need to be extremely quick and as I have experienced and I'm sure everyone has here, not everyone is competent at loading into a raft. This would just buffer the wait time anyway.

[Gazza]

and as I have experienced and I'm sure everyone has here, not everyone is competent at loading into a raft. This would just buffer the wait time anyway.

^But why not maxmise the speed for everyone? Just because some people load slow doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of the ones who can load quicker. On average, if say only 2 out of 10 people load slow, then things are still quick in the scheme of things. WnWs has the shortest lead up on Tornados, and a raft can be sent as soon as it is loaded generally, due to how quickly the ride clears. Edited February 7, 2013 by Gazza