The last splash: Beloved attraction slides into history after four decades of family fun

For many grandparents across Sydney, the mention of Manly Waterworks brings back a flood of memories—sticky summer days spent watching children hurtle down those iconic blue and yellow slides, the squeals of delight echoing across the harbour, and perhaps the occasional 'one more time, please!' that turned a quick visit into an all-day adventure.

Now, after 45 years of creating those precious family moments, the Manly Waterworks has come to the end of its life and will be turning off the pumps for good.

Engineers have deemed the structure no longer safe for sliders with demolition planned to commence in September, and demolition has already begun at Manly Waterworks with the work expected to be completed in a matter of weeks.

A Hollywood connection that put Manly on the map

Manly Waterworks first opened its doors in 1981, gaining fame when it was used as an escape route by a youthful Nicole Kidman in her movie BMX Bandits.

The 1983 film, which featured a teenage Kidman alongside fellow Aussie actors David Argue and John Ley, showcased the waterslides in a thrilling chase sequence that became iconic in Australian cinema history.

What many don't realise is that BMX Bandits was filmed when Kidman was just 16 years old, marking one of her earliest starring roles before she became the international superstar we know today.

The movie's use of distinctly Sydney locations, including the Manly Waterworks, helped establish it as a beloved piece of Australian pop culture that introduced international audiences to our harbour city's unique attractions.

The end of Manly's entertainment golden age

It also paired nicely with the amusement park which was nestled on Manly Wharf around the same time, creating what was essentially a family entertainment precinct right on Sydney Harbour. This was part of a broader vision for Manly as a destination that could compete with international seaside resorts.

The closure comes as the site sits next to the now demolished Manly Sea Life Sanctuary (previously known as Oceanworld Manly) which closed in 2018. The aquarium's demolition was completed in October 2024 as part of a broader redevelopment of Manly Cove West, meaning two of the area's major family attractions have now vanished within just a few years of each other.

Local news website the Manly Observer reported a TBG spokesperson saying that he understood there would be disappointment in the final decision but was adamant a complete rebuild of the park was not only financially unfeasible, but, entirely outside of the company's food and beverage expertise.

What this means for Sydney families today

For many of our readers who spent decades taking children and grandchildren to these waterslides, the closure represents more than just the loss of an attraction—it's the end of an era when affordable, accessible family entertainment was woven into the fabric of Sydney's beachside suburbs.

The reality is that modern families seeking similar experiences now face longer drives to places like Wet'n'Wild Sydney at Prospect, or the various aquatic centres dotted around the metropolitan area. None quite capture the unique charm of sliding into Sydney Harbour with the iconic backdrop of the Manly foreshore.

Part of a disappearing landscape

Manly Waterworks joins a long list of beloved Australian theme parks that have closed their gates forever, leaving behind only memories and the occasional piece of memorabilia found in garage sales.

The pattern is depressingly familiar: Wonderland in Eastern Creek entertained families for 18 years before closing in 2004, eventually sold for $52.5 million to become an industrial estate. Old Sydney Town in Somersby operated from 1975 to 2003, selling in 2018 for between $15 and $20 million with plans for redevelopment as a multicultural tourism resort.

Even more poignant are the smaller venues that many families visited regularly: Wobbies World in Melbourne's Vermont South with its water ride featuring a scary model crocodile, Magic Mountain on the Gold Coast, Amazons Aquatic Adventureland in Brisbane, and Perth's Atlantis Marine Park. Each closure represents not just the loss of rides and attractions, but the disappearance of gathering places where multiple generations created shared memories.

The property development pressure

Sitting on Crown land, the 1600-square-metre Manly site represents a multimillion-dollar slice of prime real estate with harbourfront access. The original article mentions that back in 2021, the Waterworks lease surprisingly appeared on Facebook Marketplace with an asking price of $950,000—a figure that seems almost quaint given current Sydney property values.

The site remains under The Boathouse Group's Manly Pavilion Precinct lease, though no future plans have been announced. Given the location's proximity to The Boathouse Group's other hospitality venues, it seems likely that any redevelopment will focus on dining and entertainment for adults rather than family-focused attractions.

This reflects a broader trend in Sydney's waterfront development, where family-friendly attractions are increasingly squeezed out by higher-value commercial uses that can better afford the astronomical land values along our harbour foreshores.

Looking back with fondness

For those who remember taking the ferry to Manly for a day out that included both the waterslides and perhaps a visit to the neighbouring aquarium, the simultaneous loss of both attractions marks the end of a particular type of Sydney experience. These were places where a modest budget could provide a full day's entertainment for the whole family, where grandparents could sit in the shade while children played safely nearby.

The demolition also removes one of the last physical connections to that era of Australian cinema when local productions like BMX Bandits showcased our cities and suburbs to the world. While Nicole Kidman went on to international stardom, those early films captured a more innocent time in Australian entertainment, when a chase scene through a water park could thrill audiences without the need for elaborate special effects.

The memories, however, remain waterproof. Somewhere in photo albums and smartphones across Sydney are images of children, now adults themselves, grinning at the top of those slides or emerging dripping and delighted from the splash pool below.

What are your memories of Manly Waterworks? Did you take your children or grandchildren there over the years? We'd love to hear your stories about this beloved Sydney institution and what it meant to your family's summer traditions.