The 1958 song Splish Splash by Bobby Darin was about taking a bath, but it was the best analogy I could come up with for a song about Big Splash. The water park that entertained generations of Canberra families has slowly fallen apart while the responsible authorities look the other way. The ACT Government’s handling of the saga has been underwhelming. I chatted with Jo Clay MLA about this debacle recently
Big Splash closed in late 2024 after its owners said that the waterslides needed maintenance, promising they would reopen for the Christmas holidays. That promise was never kept. What followed was a masterclass in bureaucratic hand-wringing. The leaseholder issued an almost identical apology to the community the following November as they had a year earlier — assuring Canberrans they were working with consultants on a plan to upgrade the park. Almost 12 months later, it appeared nothing had been done.
Meanwhile, the facility deteriorated. The site was vandalised, and lenders eventually took possession of the park in January 2026. It had become more like an urban ruin — complete with trespassers posting TikTok videos of their explorations through the abandoned grounds.
The ACT Government’s response has been notable for its lethargy. Big Splash ceased operating in October 2024, yet the first controlled activity order was not issued until December 2025 — a full 14 months later. When Chief Minister Andrew Barr was asked about the situation, he deflected, saying it was not up to the government to decide when the lease had been breached or when penalties should apply — that was for “the regulator.” The regulator in question, Access Canberra, responded by delaying a bit more.
Now, Access Canberra has decided to continue the lease on the basis that the owner has committed to reopening the 50-metre pool by November 2026. The community group Save Big Splash is unconvinced, and with good reason. It was promised to reopen for the 2024-25 summer and didn’t. Compliance deadlines were missed. Save Big Splash is asking the question Access Canberra’s statement does not answer: what happens on 2 November 2026?
The community group has called on the government to terminate the Crown lease and commit to redeveloping the site as part of a broader sports and recreation precinct, with an aquatic facility at its heart.
What is galling is that the powers to act have always been there. Greens MLA Jo Clay noted in the Legislative Assembly that Access Canberra could require the leaseholder to repair the site, erect fencing, and fix vandalism — or do those things itself and charge the leaseholder. The tools exist. The will? Not so much.
Liveability is not just bike paths and light rail — it is the work of making sure community facilities actually function. Big Splash is a test of whether the ACT Government can protect what belongs to the community.
If you care about Big Splash, you might like to attend the community “big hug” around Big Splash on 30 May.
