Big Banana new attraction

[Jobe]

Visited the Big Banana over the Australia Day long weekend and the family had a ball.

The waterpark, though small, was great for the kids and at sessions of an hour and and a half , never got really  overcrowded.

 

 

 

I had been up Coffs Harbour for work the previous month and noticed a huge stack of slide parts in the ice rink carpark.

 

Thinking they were for a new water slide , I contacted the park and was delighted to receive the following info:

" The slide parts you saw are part of our new attraction opening soon called 'The Racer' which is one of Australias largest and fastest indoor slides. It will be in that large white building on the hill next to the water slides. There are big things happening in our park in the near future with alot more fun attractions to come and exciting additions to the Water Park."

Here is an article about the slide:

http://m.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/an-82m-six-storey-rush/3105474/

You can just see the big white building to the right of my pics, which formally housed their old snow slope.

This is great news that they are continuing to add new attractions on a yearly basis, which is their goal. The park was extremely popular all day and this includes not only the waterpark, but the tobaggan slide, the laser force and of course, the iconic Big Banana itself and the eatery/restaurant behind it. ( Gotta love those Chocolate Frozen Bananas on a stick!)

The park certainly has a good amount of room to expand and if it adds another slide tower and a pool , will certainly be a enticing option to experience for visitors to the Coffs Coast or on their way to Queensland. Adding some more water attractions would make this the biggest water park between the Gold Coast and Sydney- a massive catchment area and ripe for expansion. 

Things are certainly looking positive for the park and I hope they keep their current success to build the park to being a serious player in the industry.

 

Trivial Note: Opposite the water park on the hill there is a disused building that appears to have been an attraction at one time or another. I went up there for a drive to get a good view of the park overall and was astounded to find a Tesla Charging station here!!! Not sure how many there are in Australia, but this was certainly the last place I would have expected to see one. 

[MaxxTheMonster]

Looks like I might have to take the wife to visit her sister in Coffs Harbour now they have moved back over the weekend  

[Brad2912]

Thanks for the info Jobe

Will have to stop in for a look on the way down to Sydney in March.

Coffs IMO has so much potential as a halfway stop for nsw/qld interstate travellers, it just needs some more attractions and gear to see the big banana getting in on the action, they certainly have the land to make themselves a great destination. 

interesting about the Tesla charging station! I actually haven't seen one in operation in Australia. I called up and enquired when I heard they were now available here but quickly moved on when I realised i'd need a second job to pay it off... 

[downunder]

I go up to Coffs tom play sport every year and it's a shame I don't get to really check the BB out. Fortunately, we had a day-off in 2015 and got to do some laser tag at least. 

[Jamberoo Fan]

From The Coffs Coast Advocate:

Quote

Action is the attraction

THERE is some serious sliding going on behind closed doors at the Big Banana.

Anthony Chouri, the sales/marketing manager at the fun, family complex has the best job in Coffs this month as the chief "test slider".

The Big Banana is adding another big thing to its bunch of amusements and at 83 metres long, the bright blue, orange and yellow downhill family slide named The Racer is sure to be a popular ride with park visitors.

"The racer is a giant slide, I've been on it this week and it goes rather fast, which is just so much fun," Anthony said.

Being built on the site of the former snow slope, the racer will be another all-weather activity at the park.

"If it's raining the fun doesn't stop at the Big Banana. We have three big indoor attractions; ice skating, laser tag and now the racer slide."

The area is still a construction zone but when finished will include the super slide, a chill-out zone for spectators and a party room.

"Each of our activities here have a party room; it's a great way to celebrate a birthday or special occasion."

You don't have to be a five-year-old to blow out candles on a birthday cake. Anthony says the Big Banana is also popular with adults wanting to add a twist to their birthdays.

The Racer, which will be held together by 4000 bolts, will be 16 metres at its highest point, almost six storeys tall and just over six metres wide.

"You can fit six people across at the same time and you will be surprised at how high it is, it's quite a climb to the top."

Anthony expects the racer slide will be popular for photos and with GoPro users.

"We have around a million people a year take a selfie out the front and I think the slide will provide people the opportunity for some pretty good video."

Keep checking the Big Banana website for updates of the opening.

If you click the link at the top of this post, you can also watch a video of The Racer in testing.

The Big Banana said on Facebook that The Racer will be open by the 14th of April (Good Friday).

Edited February 22, 2017 by Jamberoo Fan

[mickey_079]

Heading to Coffs this weekend. Was always curious if the park was worth the visit. Especially with how they

operate with sessions.

[Jobe]

Small update for the park that doesnt seem to have been mentioned yet is that the Big Banana funpark has added a 4D Simulator  theatre experience to their attraction roster.

The pricing seems to be quite good with 4 rides costing $22.

There are 4 different simulations to experience.

This looks like another winner for the Big Banana funpark and they have hinted at another new attraction coming soon.

Their water park would do well to add another tower or perhaps a a larger water play structure.

All in all, the future is looking quite good for the park- lets hope they continue to grow and add attractions.

Here is the link:

https://bigbanana.com/rides-attractions/4d-ride-simulator/

 

 

[Brad2912]

They’ll need to have something super impressive to get people to actually deviate off the highway once the bypass goes through in a few years 

[Gazza]

So, was the racer just the old super 8 from WnW but with two lanes removed?

[-nick.white.1543]

5 hours ago, Gazza said:

So, was the racer just the old super 8 from WnW but with two lanes removed?

No, it is especially designed for the Big Banana and it is mat slide rather than a waterslide.

[Gazza]

Yes i know its a dry mat slide

I ask because i never noticed in the pics above the obvious repainting...normally you expect the slide pieces to just be one colour....I mean would it work to use a water slide as a dry slide if you got rid of the flat sections between the dips?

Edited November 14, 2019 by Gazza