Bathurst Aqua Park sees excellent visitation over Christmas period

It could have spelled disaster for the park, but the staff were able to carry out some quick-fixes and persevere to enjoy a roaring trade over the holiday period.

Owner Michael Hickey said the patronage was "really, really good", not just at the aqua park itself, but around Chifley Dam in general.

"The whole dam's been busy with people out here on the water canoeing and things. It's been really great out here," he said.

He said people are coming from everywhere to enjoy the park, including from places like Parkes, Cowra and Canberra.

Discussions with the visitors found that many of them were staying in Bathurst, providing some economic benefit to other businesses.

"We always ask, 'Are you staying in town?'. A lot of them are staying in the cabins here, but a lot of them stay in town and they come back out here the next day," Mr Hickey said.

"They're trying to make a couple of days of it. It's great."

Thankfully, the fixes to the two slides that were damaged just before Christmas appear to be holding up, although Mr Hickey described one to be in "a little bit average" condition compared to the other.

"Next season, one of them will probably have to be thrown out," he said, adding it would be a big expense to replace it.

READ MORE: 'It's got me beat': Aqua park owner can't understand why equipment was damaged

Investigations are still ongoing as to how the damage occurred, with vandalism still suspected to have been the cause.

Mr Hickey said he has had conversations with the police and closed-circuit television (CCTV) will be reviewed to see if it can offer any insight about what occurred and who might be responsible.

He said the evidence so far suggests someone potentially used a weapon to slash two of the large inflatable slides.

Mr Hickey said a knife was found up on the bank of the dam and appears to match the cuts in the slides.

Investigations will continue and, if vandals are determined to have inflicted the damage, he hopes to see whoever was involved held responsible for their actions.

In the meantime, he wants to build on the success of the Christmas and new year period and finish off the season well, which will put the park in a position to be bigger and better upon its return in late 2023.

The aqua park will continue to operate seven days a week through to the end of the school holidays, with the opening hours to reduce for the rest of the summer and into March as the season comes to an end.

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