With more than 20 years in play and aquatic design, Shane Vardy knows how to turn a blank site into something truly memorable. In this conversation, originally recorded for the Aquatics Only podcast, Shane shares his approach to creating immersive aquatic spaces—from custom-built rotating buckets to narrative-driven sculptural elements.
Below is an edited Q&A capturing some of the key insights from the episode.
Q: Shane, for those who don’t know you—how did you get into aquatic design?
A: I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years, originally in playgrounds. About seven years ago, I shifted focus to the aquatic side, and that’s when Atlantis Liquid Dynamics really took shape. We’re proudly Australian made—designing, fabricating and delivering everything here, which gives us the flexibility to respond quickly and creatively.
Q: You mentioned flexibility—why is that so important?
A: A lot of international manufacturers don’t offer much in the way of customisation. We found that limiting. What we really value is being able to respond to local stories, local needs. So, if a council or landscape architect comes to us with a concept, we don’t want to say, “choose from this catalogue.” We want to co-create something that fits.
Q: Can you give us an example of that in action?
A: Petrie Mill is a great one. The whole design is based on the old paper mill and the nearby Pine River. The water play area actually mimics the shape of the river. We made a rotating tipping bucket out of acrylic, so you can see the water rise. The shelters reference the old paper processing lines, and later on in the project we added LED-lit fountains so the space could come alive at night for community events. It’s a really immersive space, day or night.
Q: That sounds incredibly site-specific. Do you get to do that kind of work often?
A: Definitely. Another great project we’ve delivered is at Toogoolawah in the Somerset region. The main feature is an upside-down milk can tipping bucket to honour the region’s dairy history. Even small rural communities deserve a splashpark that reflects who they are. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be thoughtful.
Q: Let’s talk about the technical side. What happens between concept and install?
A: We prototype. If we’re developing a new element, like the Eagle Ray sculpture for Adelaide Aquatic Centre, we build a sacrificial version in carbon steel, test it with water flow, tweak it, then move to final fabrication in stainless. It’s not glamorous—there’s forklifts and video tests—but it ensures what we deliver actually works and creates the effect we want.
Q: Last question—what advice would you give to councils or designers planning an aquatic space?
A: Don’t be scared to push the boundaries. You don’t have to do what’s been done before. We’ve seen regional councils transform whole towns with one well-designed space. The Winton Aquatics Centre is a great example. What started as a creative design turned into a huge drawcard for tourism and community pride.
Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to Shane’s episode on the Aquatics Only podcast (25 minutes)
Download the Atlantis Lookbook for more aquatic inspiration
Shane Vardy
Aquatic Specialist
Shane partners with architects, councils, developers and design teams to deliver custom aquatic playspaces that balance creativity, compliance and long-term performance.
With over 20 years’ experience across fabrication, construction and commercial design, Shane brings deep technical expertise to every project—backed by a hands-on understanding of what makes aquatic environments both safe and spectacular.