General News
20 August, 2026
Splash park wins eminent award
LESS than a year after its official opening, 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 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 community space at Jalunbu Park, Garrick Street, Port Douglas, was completed last year after extensive community input and made possible through a $2.53 million contribution from the Queensland Government.
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,” she 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.
The popular attraction, near Four Mile Beach, features three themed zones: ‘The Canopy’, ‘The Gorge’ and ‘The Tides’.
