About
About Us
Jamberoo - part of the Eddy Group of Companies
With a long and colourful history in hospitality and entertainment.
Jamberoo Action Park / Steamers Bar & Grill / City Beach Function Centre / Longboard Cafe are part of the Eddy Group of Companies – which are all family-owned and operated businesses. We take pride in what we do and we aim to provide an outstanding guest experience. For more information, please see below or give us a call to find out more (02) 42360114
Jamberoo Action Park
Just an hour south of Sydney, NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park, offers world-class rides and attractions in an impeccably maintained, natural setting between the mountains and the sea. There’s something for everyone at Jamberoo…where you control the action.
A sustainable approach
Did you know that Jamberoo Action Park collects, treats and recycles all the water needed for park operations? Get the inside scoop on water management at NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park!
Steamers Bar & Grill
On the beachfront at South Beach, Wollongong, Steamers is a multiple award winner of the best contemporary Australian restaurant. Steamers Bar & Grill gains inspiration from world cuisine, delivering remarkable menus updated frequently by our award-winning executive Chef. Our farm-fresh produce, wood-fired grill and absolute beachfront location delivers a group or individual dining experience unlike any other in Wollongong.
City Beach Function Centre
Also on the beachfront at 1 Marine Drive, Wollongong, City Beach features 2 classy rooms with the ability to cater to events from 20 – 300+ people, City Beach Function centre offers personalised or packaged arrangements for all kinds of gatherings. Weddings, corporate events and celebrations of any kind – our dedicated event coordinators will help plan and manage your occasion, while you and your guests enjoy the moment.
Longboard Café
Right next to the surfclub at South Beach Wollongong, Longboard Café delivers premium coffee by the beach and leverages the expertise of Executive Chef Paul Hamilton when it comes to amazing food. With a selection of café favourites and innovative new menu items with a strong plant base, Longboard Café offers classic café eats & drinks with a focus on whole foods.
About Us
Our History
About Us
Our History
How a dairy farm became NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park
Jamberoo Action Park…where you control the action!
In 1974 the Eddy family bought a dairy farm in Jamberoo Valley.
The farm was only marginally profitable and shortly after, the Minister for Primary Industry, Mr Don Day reduced the milk quotas on the south coast. The farm as it stood became no longer commercially viable.
Various other agricultural options were investigated but proved unsuitable as 25% of the land is very steep and has only light soil cover. This limited the potential for commercial success and profit.
But the Eddy family were all keen snow skiers and their imagination was triggered by a television ski show, “Green Snow”, which featured the Italian Olympic ski team training on grass slopes during the European summer.
They contacted Rolka, the manufacturer of the Italian grass skis which were being used at the time and decided to purchase 10 pairs to trial on the grassy slopes at Jamberoo.
The skis were a great success amongst all who tried them and it was decided to continue to pursue this recreational pastime and its potential as a commercial venture.
Another 20 sets of skis were ordered, a tow rope built from steel cable and powered by a Holden car motor was set up to swiftly take skiers to the top of the mountain and a disused farm shed was used as a kiosk from which guests could hire out the equipment.
Early in 1980, the Eddy family decided to develop operations further with an amenities building, restaurant, car park and importantly – the Chairlift.
This marked the commencement of Jamberoo Recreation Park – evolving later to Jamberoo Action Park, is it is known today.
The Chairlift started its life in the Snowy Mountains as part of a grand scheme to link the Chalet at Charlotte pass to the Alpine Way at Thredbo. This venture was abandoned after high winds and repeated heavy snowfalls rendered it inoperable.
The Eddy family bought the chairlift which was located inside a national park, where off-road access by vehicles was not permitted. So it was disassembled into pieces and transported to Jamberoo by helicopter!
Once in Jamberoo the Chairlift was upgraded and erected by experienced contractors from the snow. The drive unit required a new motor, the sheave assemblies were redesigned, the cable was replaced and new chairs were built around the frames of the originals. The remainder of the Chairlift, including the towers and bull wheels, were in good order and erected without modification.
The first stage of Jamberoo Recreation Park was completed in time for the staging of the 1980 Australian Grass Ski Titles with final safety checks just one day prior to the event. To ensure that the chairs were safe, two 200 litre, drums of water (at least 400KG of weight) were attached to each chair on the uphill side of the lift. The brakes were then disabled and the Chairlift allowed to build up speed. Staff then stopped it successfully by winding on the handbrake.
The Chairlift is still in operation and the only way to get to the famous Bobsled ride. But even if you don’t want to ride the Bobsled or join in the other water park activities, the ride up the mountain and back is worth it just to see the amazing view. There are not many things to do like this just a short drive from Sydney.
SPLASHOUT WATERSLIDES
The Splashout Waterslides were built in 1981 by Waterslides Australia and were the first water ride feature to go in at Jamberoo Recreation Park.
They were also only the third waterslide to be built in Australia at that time!
There are two tracks – 100 and 90 metres long and are as popular today as the first season they were built.
Each slide delivers 40 litres of water per second down the flume.
THE BOBSLED/MOUNTAIN TOBOGGANS
The Bobsled ride has long been voted as one of the most popular thrill rides at Jamberoo Action Park and features two tracks – offering something for everyone.
The Blue track was imported from Germany in 1983 and built by Weigand Leisure. It is the faster of the two tracks and darts a thrilling 800m down the mountain.
The Green track was built in 1988 and was a welcome addition because it reduced the queuing times and provided an opportunity for younger children and families to enjoy the ride and take in the wonderful views traversing the 1km down the mountain.
The vertical drop from the top station and the start of the Bobsled ride to the bottom is 150m.
SPEED BOATS | RACING CARS | THE ROCK
The Speed Boats and Racing Cars were both introduced in 1986 and renovated a couple of years later in 1988. They were seen as very valuable additions to the park, providing a new and unique theme park-style experience – with guests controlling the action!
In 1988, 16 new cars were added to the Racing Cars attraction and the track was extended by 200 metres.
1988 also saw the introduction to a challenging water jump feature named The Rock – this is a 5m jump into a 5m deep lagoon – where guests can watch while jumpers pluck up enough courage to take the plunge. It is also a great photo opportunity and offers a 3m jump and slide plunge features for everyone to enjoy.
The park did not have any further development during the period 1988 to 2000 because of the impact that public liability insurance was having on the profitability of the business.
Looking forwards, park management conceived a master plan in the year 2000, which was designed to shape the expansion of the park into the future and included 5 new and major attractions – all to be introduced in the years ahead.
The Speed Boats were replaced by Outback Bay in 2005. This was an exciting wave pool which offered a level of excitement for everyone and which was a first for the region.
The Racing Cars were replaced in 2012 by the world-class rides and attractions of the Funnel Web and Banjo’s Billabong.
SURF HILL
Surf Hill was built in 2001 by Australian Water slides & Leisure and was the first of the rides conceived as part of the year 2000 master plan.
It proved to be a very popular new ride for the park – and pitted up to 8 riders against each other in a race to the finish line at the bottom.
Surf Hill is 100 meters long and each lane delivers 15 litres of water per second down the flume, pushing riders down a fast, wavey track slide.
The vertical rise from the starting pad above down to the runout zone below is 12 meters.
RAPID RIVER
This was the second attraction in the year 2000 master plan and was completed in 2003 along with Billabong Beach.
Rapid River is 240 meters long, 5 meters wide and is driven by four pumping stations circulating the water around the river at 1.2 meters per second.
The volume of water contained in Rapid River is one megalitre (1,000,000 litres).
One feature of Rapid River is a wave generator inside the grotto which provides a new dimension to the ride and which assists in propelling guests further along the river.
It also features several waterfalls towards the end of the circuit which cascade 400 litres of water per second into the river over the landscaped cliff on the western side.
BILLABONG BEACH
The third of the five planned attractions was something for the kiddies and mums and dads alike – named Billabong Beach, it was also completed in 2003.
It has an Australiana theme and was designed and built for children younger than 10 years old.
The central building is called Shearer’s Shed which features water slides falling off the veranda and crows that spurt water across the Billabong.
The Australian animals, found throughout Billabong Beach, are interactive caricatures.
The Grotto was painted by representatives of the original Indigenous people’s clan from this area and the Dreamtime story painted inside the Cave is a story of the Black Duck.
There are lots of shaded areas and deck chairs around the Billabong Beach attraction, making it the ideal place for mum and dad to relax while the little ones have their own fun.
OUTBACK BAY
Outback Bay is one of NSW’s largest Wave Pools and was the fourth attraction to be built as part of the master plan and it was completed in 2005, occupying the space previously taken up by the Speed Boats attraction.
This development was built in-house in consultation with a Scottish company called Waves International and at the time of it’s launch, Outback Bay was and still is a really unique feature to the region and NSW as a whole – bringing a beach and waves to all guests and so close to Sydney.
The waves are created by air pressure delivered into an eight wave chamber on the eastern wall of the pool.
The air displaces the water in the chamber and pushes it out in the form of a wave.
The wave machine is capable of making eight different wave patterns and 24 different wave styles, from parallel waves to ones that break from left to right or diamond pattern waves – which is the most commonly used.
The waves are set on a cycle of 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off and are designed for people who just want to swim or those who want action.
The wave pool contains two and a half megalitres of water which is 2,500,000 litres
Outback Bay has an Australiana theme and features a range of animals in the children’s area plus a replica of the Contiki Raft and the Endeavor Ship.
During 2006 the Management Team visited a number of sites around the world and met with key manufacturers of a variety of water slide equipment.
The purpose was to gain insights and develop ideas which would form a new development master plan to carry Jamberoo Action Park forwards over the next 10 years.
The mission of the company was to develop a master plan to introduce over time a series of rides and attractions showcasing the most exciting and innovative technology available in the world. This would become known as the Kangaroo Island Master Plan.
TAIPAN
Our love of edgy Aussie themed rides continued with the Taipan – which opened in September 2007 and was the final ride of the year 2000 masterplan.
It was also our first big, enclosed tubular ride – with thrillseekers dropping into and travelling in almost complete darkness through the belly of Australia’s most deadly snake.
The tubular rafts used on the Taipan can take up to 5 guests – so it is great for families or small groups – and there are actually 2 slides side-by-side – giving fast and exciting thrills to large volumes of guests over a short period of time.
The entrance – or the head of the Taipan – also offers a dramatic photo opportunity – helping the memories live on after a great day out with the family and friends.
The length of the ride is 160 meters and has a vertical drop of 18 meters from the top to the bottom.
FUNNEL WEB
Now that we have your attention….what better way to thrill you than with yet another of Australia’s iconic and heartstopping creatures?
The Funnel Web was opened in December 2012 to much excitement – it was the first high thrill water ride to be released at Jamberoo as part of the new Kangaroo Island master plan.
At the time, it was the longest, biggest most exhilarating water thrill ride in the world. It remains one of our most thrilling rides – with guests travelling very close to the fangs of the worlds’ largest spider sculpture – as seen in the Guinness Book of Records!
At 270mtrs in length, guests can travel up to 30klms an hour in 4 person cloverleaf rafts, feeling moments of zero gravity and acceleration as they twist and turn through the funnel of the spider’s lair.
BANJO’BILLABONG
The second attraction under the Kangaroo Island plan was called Banjo’s Billabong and opened in December 2012 – the same time as the Funnel Web.
The introduction of these 2 new rides/attractions firmly conveyed the Jamberoo promise of delivering World Class water rides and a premium guest experience, while cementing the park’s position as the premier water theme park in NSW.
Banjo’s Billabong was the largest aqua play structure in the southern hemisphere and has a dynamic look and feel about it that needs to be seen to be believed.
It is a spectacular four-storey, 760sq metre Australiana themed marvel, with over 198 different water features crowned by a huge water bucket, tipping 1200 litres of water over the structure every 5 minutes.
It’s a hands-on adventure with something for everyone – multiple-level platforms, 6 water slides, valves, cranks, water cannons, bridge climbs & spray features.
You should see the kid’s eyes light up when they see this for the first time!
THE PERFECT STORM
How to add another dimension to an extreme tube ride at a water theme park, where you are already experiencing g-forces, zero gravity, speed and other dimensions with a group or family and friends?
How about doing almost all of in darkness – amidst flashes of lightning and thunder, crashing waves and swirling debris?
In 2016 Jamberoo Action Park unleashed The Perfect Storm – at the time it was the tallest, longest, most exciting water ride of it’s kind the world!
the Perfect Storm is the third water tube ride to be installed at Jamberoo Action Park (alongside the Taipan and the Funnel Web) and follows the extreme Australiana theme of most rides and attractions at the park. It was also the third part of the Kangaroo Island masterplan, conceived in 2006.
Featuring 3 swirling tornados and at 290mtrs in length, guests travel up to 40klms an hour in 4 person cloverleaf rafts, twisting up and down, back and forth around and through the vortex of this unique and thrilling ride.
Drop into the Darkness
For the 2018/19 Season, Jamberoo Action Park is focussing on our big 3 tube rides. When you drop into these rides on your raft, you never know which way you will be sitting, twisting and turning through the ride – each experience is different – only at Jamberoo!
Come along and experience a trilogy of tube rides – all with an element of darkness, anticipation, enhanced thrills and excitement!
- The Perfect Storm – drop into The Eye of the Storm
- Funnel Web – drop into The Spider’s Lair
- The Taipan – drop into The Belly of the Snake
Admission into the Park covers all rides and attractions and parking is free, so fun seekers can enjoy all that Jamberoo Action Park has to offer all day long.
There is so much to see and do at Jamberoo Action Park.
Jamberoo Action Park celebrates our 40th year of operations
Looking for a great family experience with something for everyone? Want quality entertainment in a natural setting where no two rides are ever the same?
This season, experience Jamberoo Action Park…where you control the action!
Just an hour south of Sydney, NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park features a host of world-class rides and attractions.
The attention to detail, well-trained staff and variety of park attractions come directly from the passion and supervision of being 100% privately owned and operated.
Set amongst the mountains in Jamberoo and with the back-drop of the spectacular Illawarra escarpment, Jamberoo Action Park is positioned to deliver an entertainment experience unlike any other. When you spend a day or invest in a season at Jamberoo Action Park – you are entering a place where you will have the experience of a lifetime…see you soon!
Towards the end of season 2020/21, Jamberoo Action Park began to make ready for development of the Velocity Falls ride precinct with the preparation of the site where the SPLASH OUT water slide had been located. The SPLASH OUT slides were closed and removed and the earthmoving and other engineering stages of site preparation commenced. The 2020/21 season was the last one to feature the operations of the SPLASH OUT water slide.
Jamberoo Action Park embarks on the development of Velocity Falls
Jamberoo Action Park continued to develop and build it’s biggest thrill ride attraction to date – Velocity Falls. Progress was hindered through supply issues associated with Covid and with setbacks due to extreme rainfall.
Velocity Falls was finally completed and ready for the public for the first open dates of the season, commencing in September 2022.
The precinct includes the Octo Racer and The Stinger thrill rides and will continue to evolve over the coming seasons.
Velocity Falls occupies the space of the previous Splash Out water slides.
Experience Zero Gravity this season with Velocity Falls!
Jamberoo Action Park launches Velocity Falls – a new water thrill ride precinct featuring a variety of new rides and attractions. The biggest, newest rides of their type in Australia and amongst the biggest and best in the world!
Years in the making, Velocity Falls is a themed, world-class experience – which taps into the sights and sounds of Australiana and builds on the existing theming at NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park.
Volumes of water, racing at speed and the experience of zero gravity are the cornerstones of the Velocity Falls precinct. All wrapped in the texture of the local rainforest and ocean creatures – only possible at Jamberoo Action Park – where the mountains meet the sea!
Please stay in touch with our media channels and sign up for our newsletter for more news as it breaks.
Experience Zero Gravity this season with Velocity Falls!
Jamberoo Action Park launches Velocity Falls – a new water thrill ride precinct featuring a variety of new rides and attractions. The biggest, newest rides of their type in Australia and amongst the biggest and best in the world!
Years in the making, Velocity Falls is a themed, world-class experience – which taps into the sights and sounds of Australiana and builds on the existing theming at NSW’s largest family-owned and operated water theme park.
Volumes of water, racing at speed and the experience of zero gravity are the cornerstones of the Velocity Falls precinct. All wrapped in the texture of the local rainforest and ocean creatures – only possible at Jamberoo Action Park – where the mountains meet the sea!
Please stay in touch with our media channels and sign up for our newsletter for more news as it breaks.
KANGAROO ISLAND MASTERPLAN
This approved development will ultimately replace the entire area where our Racing Car tracks were once situated. While the Racing Cars were extremely popular over the 20 years or so they were in service, they could only entertain around 250 people comfortably.
The new development, when fully completed will be able to accommodate 4500 to 5000 people.
Not only will the latest in high thrill water-based rides and attractions be on offer there will be a huge reduction in queue times and congestion making for an even more enjoyable experience for our guests.
The Kangaroo Island masterplan incorporates;
- Funnel Web – Longest Biggest most exhilarating water thrill ride of its kind… in the World. Cloverleaf rafts loop and twist down the hill before dropping into the huge funnel and shooting out into the splash pool – Completed in December 2012
- Banjo’s Billabong – Interactive Play Area – five times the size of the current Billabong Beach play area – Completed in December 2012
- The Perfect Storm – NOT 1 … NOT 2 … BUT 3 tornados violently twisting and rotating around each other will combine to create The Perfect Storm – Completed in September 2016.
- Littlies interactive play area – sitting adjacent to Banjo’s Billabong, incorporating lots of watery slides and fun for kids up to 5/6 years old
- Giant Rapid River – This river attraction is twice as long as our current Rapid River and will connect all the rides in the Kangaroo Island Area. When you finish any of the water slides you will be able to get straight into the river to work your way around to other rides and attractions.
- Mammoth Mountain Raft Ride – Two huge flumes take water rafts twisting and turning down the mountain
- The Rocket – A rocket coaster incorporating maglev technology to propel people along the tube and up the hill
In addition to these main attractions, the development will also include several themed highlights including suspension bridges, dripping logs, rock walls, waterfalls, wave chamber, river tunnel cave, water jets and of course food outlets, toilets, change rooms and general amenities.
Stay in touch with all future developments at Jamberoo Action Park by signing up to our newsletter and by following our media activities here.