Water park, new rides part of $50m Gumbuya Park boost

Popular but ageing family fun park Gumbuya Park will receive a $50 million facelift in a bid to make it one of Victoria’s best tourist attractions.

The Tynong facility, which has operated for nearly 40 years, will be renamed Gumbuya Oz-Venture Park and upgraded with a host of new rides and attractions.

Among the upgrades is a water park, 4D adventure theatre, ropes course, drop tower and a helipad.

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The water park will feature a lazy spring river ride and a ‘Walking with Dinosaurs’ attraction.

Gumbuya Park was bought late last year for $4.65 million by a syndicate that included Jayco Caravans owner Gerry Ryan, carsales.com.au director Wal Pisciotta and industrial developer Adam Campbell.

In a boost for Victorian jobs, the number of staff at the park will jump from around 50 to more than 500, with many to be hired from the state’s declining auto industry.

Gumbuya Park business director Ron Weinzierl told Leader Newspapers that the park would also welcome overnight guests, with a bush resort with cabins, camp sites, hotel, motel and function centre.

Weinzierl told Leader they hope for Gumbuya Park to be recognised as the “Disneyland of Victoria”.

The park will be closed from July 16 to December while the upgrades are completed.