Big Splash? Big disgrace more like it as another Canberra icon is left to wither on the vine (2025)

Big Splash has been trashed, with the purported business manager of the Macquarie water park claiming the vandalism means the facility will be "closed for good" and demolished next year.

The claims about the future of the water park have been posted on a new Big Splash page on Facebook, but it's not clear if the page is real or a fake. After The Canberra Times started questioning the so-called business manager via messenger, all posts on the page were deleted on Thursday morning and the manager went to ground.

However, there is no doubt the privately-run-and-operated water park has been attacked by someone.

The front glass windows have been smashed in, the interiors trashed, graffiti sprayed on the pool walls, wheelie bins, furniture and even fire hydrants thrown into the empty pools and one of the large fibreglass animals from the children's pool wrenched from its mounting.

It is shocking to see the main pool, once clean and full of sparkling water, enjoyed by generations of Canberrans, now reduced to a dump.

Numerous large holes are in the perimeter fence allowing easy access to the site. Two teenagers were spotted inside the park even on Wednesday, quickly leaving via one of the holes.

ACT Policing said it had received and responded to two reports of trespassing at Big Splash. Both cases were reported by members of the public.

"In one incident, three young people were arrested and cautioned for trespass," an ACT Policing spokesperson said.

"Police remind the community that trespassing is a criminal offence, no person is allowed to be on private property without permission."

The person posting on the Big Splash Facebook page said he was "Greg one of the business managers" who said he was in Thailand.

When asked how he could have been at the park on Wednesday - posting a video about being there- and still in Thailand and why he hadn't boarded up the broken windows or fixed the holes in the fence, "Greg" did not respond and, then, all posts on the so-called Big Splash Facebook page were deleted on Thursday morning.

The efforts to save Big Splash are now appearing farcical, with no evidence of any repairs or maintenance or even basic security, since the owners first declared trouble with the water park last November.

First, the big water slides were not going to be in action over summer and the season was going to be shorter because the slides needed "major work" done to them.

Finally, in late December, the owners of Big Splash made a public statement - via a letter to Sports Minister Yvette Berry - apologising for not opening the facility and promising that Big Splash would return, better than ever.

The letter said repairs were needed, but the owners were determined to re-open. They even had grand plans of revamping Big Splash so it could be used year-round.

The Canberra Times understands these promises were being made even as the Big Splash owners could not meet their most basic bills.

A Belconnen plumber says he is still chasing more than $30,000 for work at Big Splash which was done more than two years ago.

Translink Management Group Pty Ltd bought the lease to the aquatic park in 2021 for $7.5 million.

Translink's owner is Songnan (Morris) Huang.

The ACT government says its hands are tied because the owners have not breached their lease and the facility is a private business.

Dani Hunterford, the Greens candidate for Fenner in the May 3 federal election, started a petition and in January called on the ACT government to "investigate all possible avenues" for keeping Big Splash open, including buying it and running it as a public pool.

Greens MLA for Ginninderra Jo Clay on Wednesday reiterated the need for more transparency around the much-loved water park.

"Big Splash is a great community asset and it will be a real shame to lose it," Ms Clay said.

"That's why the Greens backed community calls for the ACT government to consider all possibilities to keep Big Splash open during summer. Our community deserves clarity around what is happening with the pool."

The graffiti and broken glass and upturned furniture at Big Splash are a shock - but they do not seem enough to prevent its re-opening.

Nevertheless, the administrator of the new Big Splash Facebook page - "business manager Greg" - posted on April 16 that Big Splash's days were numbered.

"I have unfortunate news to share today: Big Splash has been completely vandalised, and we have closed for good. Demolition will commence next year," the post read.

A member of the public responded with: "Yeah. The vandalism is the reason you can't open".

In an April 4 post, the business manager, supposedly, was still confident of opening in the summer of late 2025, but acknowledged there were money problems.

"We experienced financial difficulties and were unable to clean up the park," his post read.

"We have been working diligently to reopen. I have seen videos suggesting that the park is abandoned, which is not accurate. We are actively working towards reopening this year.

"However, I have seen videos on TikTok that have caused concern, as they show individuals trespassing and vandalising the park. This not only creates additional problems for us but also requires more time and resources. We are implementing enhanced security measures to prevent future incident."

Now, if the more recent posts are to be believed, Big Splash is doomed. Another Canberra icon left to wither on the vine, ready for the next developer? Time will tell.