Over the weekend, the Douglas Shire community came together to celebrate the long-awaited opening of the Port Douglas Splash Park at Jalunbu Park — perfectly timed for the Term 3 school holidays.
The project has been years in the making. From early community consultation through to design, engineering and approvals, it’s been a long journey to bring a truly local vision to life. And it’s been worth the wait.
“It’s more than just a place to cool off – it’s a celebration of our surroundings and a space for families to connect, play and make memories,” said Mayor Lisa Scomazzon.
For the team at Atlantis Liquid Dynamics, the last five months of onsite construction have been the most rewarding stage — working side-by-side with partners to transform the original vision into a living, breathing community space.
Capturing the Spirit of Port Douglas
From the outset, locals made it clear they wanted more than just a place to cool down. They wanted something that felt uniquely Port Douglas — a space that captured the rainforest, reef and Mossman Gorge, while providing a safe and inclusive environment for families.
Working in close collaboration with Douglas Shire Council, URBIS , and JMAC Constructions, Atlantis brought our aquatic design expertise to the table to help shape, deliver and fine-tune every detail of the splash park.
What you see on the surface — the sprays, jets and sculptural features — is only half the story. Beneath the ground lies the hidden world that makes the play possible: kilometres of pipework, powerful pumps and carefully tuned filtration systems working in unison to keep the water flowing, clean and safe.
“The beauty of a splash park is that while families are enjoying the fun above ground, there’s this incredible choreography happening underneath. It’s the engineering ‘backstage’ that brings the performance to life,” said Atlantis’ Stu Lierich.
The finished splash park offers a suite of interactive water play elements inspired by the local environment. It’s a place for families to connect, visitors to make memories, and children of all abilities to play side-by-side.
