Community
4 December, 2024
Making a splash
A $3.3 million contract to build the much-anticipated splash park at Port Douglas has been awarded to Brisbane-based J. Mac Constructions.
The council will defer $1.72m from capital works projects to help pay for the park which has also received funding of $1.5 million from the state government.
Work on the water park near Four Mile Beach behind Port Douglas Surf Club is scheduled to start in March.
The playground at Jalunbu Park behind Surfy Bistro will include a nature-themed splash park with a 400sq m splash pad, new footpaths, picnic shelters, a barbecue area and a carpark upgrade.
The contract was approved at November’s council meeting with Mayor Lisa Scomazzon saying: “It’s quite exciting to have this finally happening.”
“I think the community will be happy once this is finished and I think we will be too,” she said.
Cr Damian Meadows said he was “very pleased” to see the project starting early next year.
He said it was an “amazing” design and would be used by the whole of the community.
Preparatory works are scheduled to start this week with the removal of three clusters of trees within Jalunbu Park.
A council spokesman said an arborist had inspected the trees designated for removal and had relocated several ant plants (myrmecodia beccarii) to an adjacent tree.
“Out of the 66 trees in Jalunbu Park, 11 have been strategically selected for removal,” he said.
The removals will take place over three days, starting yesterday and ending tomorrow, from 7am-6pm.
“Neighbouring residents may experience noise due to increased truck movements and the use of machinery, including wood chippers and chainsaws,” the spokesman said.
“Once the trees are removed, the disturbed areas will be levelled with sand.
“Further work on the project is scheduled to resume in February 2025.”
A council report said the splash park would be on “undulating land, with well-established vegetation in parts and has glimpses of the ocean”.
The council decided to go with a larger design which has cost more than originally expected.
Tenders were also higher than envisaged and two responses were received.
J. Mac Constructions was the lowest.
The council report said the higher figure reflected rising costs in the construction sector.
“Engaging the preferred tenderer, who has extensive experience in constructing specialised splash park facilities, will help mitigate the risk of delivering a product that is safe, reliable, and visually appealing,” the council report said.
“With construction set to start in March 2025 this will reduce wet weather risk to the program and mobilisation costs.”
The report said the operational cost of the splash park was expected to push up rates by 0.3 per cent.
“The splash pad will capture and recycle water to minimise usage,” the report said.
“The Port Douglas Splash Park will be an iconic attraction piece to that will provide entertainment to the local and tourism families,” it said.
“The splash park engagement findings indicated overwhelming local support for a water facility in Port Douglas.
“A new splash park will be an exciting opportunity for the community to bring their families to a safe and fun environment.”
To learn more about the Port Douglas splash park visit https://bit.ly/3CPJZZK
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