Numbers boom at Bay’s water park despite COVID-19 closure
Tens of thousands of people visited the top-rated Hervey Bay venue last year.
Fraser Coast
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WetSide Water Park has proven to be more popular than ever, despite a six-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tens of thousands of people visited the top-rated Hervey Bay venue last year.
Mayor George Seymour said that as well as blitzing figures from previous years between January and March, residents and visitors also made up for lost time after the venue reopened in September.
WetSide visits throughout the school holidays increased 40 per cent from this time last year.
“New statistics show the total number of attendances at WetSide from September 2020 to December 2020 was 71,804, up 5270 from 66,534 for the same period in 2019,” Cr Seymour said.
“The water slides have been a real hit again with 9297 slide passes being sold between September 2020 and December 2020, whereas 8918 sold during the same period in 2019, a difference of 379.
“Between September 2019 and March 2020 when pandemic restrictions closed the venue, WetSide attracted 122,142 visitors, with 15,269 buying tickets for the slides.
“In December 2019, statistics showed 24,000 people had bought water slide tickets since the additional attraction opened at WetSide prior to Christmas in 2017.”
Cr Seymour said WetSide was fantastic place to keep cool and have fun with something for everyone.
“In addition to the slides, there is the water play arena, TotSide for under 5s play and a Fountain Light Show on Saturday nights that is a sight to behold.”
Cr Seymour said WetSide regularly received excellent reviews on tourism websites and magazines.
“WetSide gained global attention in recent years and is currently the top ranked water park in all of Australia.”
Cr Seymour said WetSide and its water slides were all part of the Fraser Coast Regional Council’s plan to build better communities, maintain our unique lifestyle and grow our local economy.
Funds raised by water-slide rides help to offset the running costs for WetSide, which is free to use.
WetSide is open seven days from 10am to 5pm during school holidays, with more information available here.
Visitor numbers at Fraser Coast Regional Council’s aquatic centres are also increasing with swim school enrolments booming in Hervey Bay and Maryborough.
The aquatic centres had over 24,782 teacher and student interactions over 10 weeks in term four.
This equates to over 12,000 hours of teaching children how to feel confident and safe in the water.
Most Fraser Coast children have visited one of the council’s aquatic centres for squad sessions, school breakups, swimming carnivals and WetSide over term four.
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