The Port Douglas Splash Park has been crowned Queensland’s best new major play space, taking out a prestigious parks and leisure accolade at a recent awards ceremony.
The iconic foreshore attraction won the Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Queensland Award for Projects Over $1 Million, recognising excellence and innovation in the design and delivery of community recreation infrastructure.
The project will now progress to the 2026 Parks and Leisure Australia National Awards in December, where it will compete against three other state-winning projects from across Australia.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the award recognised a project that had become a landmark community facility and visitor attraction.
“From the outset, we were conscious of not delivering a cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf splash park. We wanted to create something that genuinely reflected our region, our lifestyle and our community,” Mayor Scomazzon said.
“We invested in a high-quality design that creates a memorable experience for local families and visitors, and that commitment has clearly paid off.
“The Splash Park has quickly become one of our most popular community spaces, attracting people from across the shire and beyond.
“It encourages children and young people to step away from screens and enjoy the outdoors year-round, while creating a welcoming place for families and friends to gather and connect.
Located just a short walk from Four Mile Beach, the Port Douglas Splash Park has transformed a local park into a destination play space. It features three themed zones, The Canopy, The Gorge and The Tides, which draw inspiration from the unique meeting of the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
The main construction contractor for the Port Douglas Splash Park at Jalunbu Park was JMAC Constructions. Aquatic equipment design and supply were delivered by Atlantis Liquid Dynamics, while Urbis provided landscape architecture services.
