Catch every exhilarating thrill with our guide to Jamberoo Action Park

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Grab your sunscreen and flip flops — our guide to Jamberoo Action Park puts you on the fast track to pure memory making adventure.

Snatching the title of New South Wales’ largest family-owned and operated water theme park, Jamberoo Action Park unleashes unrivalled full-day-out energy. Open seasonally when the weather’s warm (typically the end of September until the end of April), the long-loved Kiama attraction started as a dairy farm in the 70s before a skiing addicted family, the Eddys, turned it into a place for high-energy antics. From crazy, stomach-churning water slides to time-sucking water play and one of Australia’s largest wave pools, there’s no shortage of entertainment at Jamberoo Action Park. Here, an expert guide to making the most of your visit.

What to know before you visit Jamberoo Action Park

a family exploring the Jamberoo Action Park
Spend the perfect family weekend at Jamberoo Action Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

First up, let’s check they’re open. In 2025, Jamberoo Action Park will start welcoming guests from September 27, and the season runs until April 26, 2026. Check the website for all future go-time windows. Take it from us, crowds are far thinner on cloudy days so if you repel long theme park queues, consider dates with far-from-perfect conditions. Having said that, if storm clouds are hovering and strong winds are likely, guests should note that tickets can’t be refunded. Bottom line: get across, and stay across, your weather app in the week leading up to your trip.

Another insider tip? BYO your day’s food and drinks to save serious coin. Glass, knives and booze (sorry, parents) are banned but everything else is fair game and coin-operate barbecues are up for grabs in the park’s picnic area. If patiently waiting for a spare plate sounds like a nightmare, pre-book a gas barbecue up to 24 hours before you arrive. They’re delivered to you at various locations throughout the park and cost $50 for the day.

Pack your bag with swimming essentials, including towels, sunscreen and slip-proof footwear (several rides, including the Chairlift require shoes), but leave your boogie boards, noodles, lie lows and frisbees at home. When you’re there, pin-operated lockers are scattered throughout the park (including right near the picnic area and the

Outback Bay area) so you can stash your gear without having to go back to the entrance to dip in and out. Small lockers cost $12 per day while the larger ones are $17 per day.

The other crucial planning tip we highly recommend is looking into the impressive range of hireable private huts, shelters and cabanas. They’re all snapped up quickly, especially on sun-soaked days, so get in early to lock down the cream of the crop. The cabin-esque Velocity Cabanas come complete with fridges, safes, dining tables and ceiling fans, while the Billabong Beach Shacks give serious Bright Beach bathing box vibes and feature lounge chairs.

Finally, book your tickets online prior to arrival because there’s significant savings to be seized,  which brings us to your next key planning move…

Jamberoo Action Park ticket costs

a family running through the water at Jamberoo Action Park
Book a fun-filled family day at Jamberoo Action Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

Buying a day ticket at the gate will set you back $74 per child aged between four and 12, and per guest aged 60 and over. Anyone aged between 13 and 59 will need to fork out $84 each. However, if you jump online to book tickets in advance, children and senior prices drop down to $64 while that middle range falls to $74.

Even if you factor in a sneaky online transaction processing fee (it’s $4.95 for up to 19 tickets), you’re saving by heading online now. Additionally, bubs aged three and under are free, thank you very much.

See yourself returning for more? Jamberoo Action Park offers an enticing season pass deal for guests aged four and over. The online fee is $204 per person while at-the-gate splurges cost $214.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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How to get to Jamberoo Action Park

an aerial view of Jamberoo Action Park, Kiama
The long-loved Kiama attraction started as a dairy farm in the 70s.

Before we jump into every mind-bending ride to get excited about, knowing what to expect journey-wise is never a bad idea. Loads of guests tack Jamberoo Action Park onto a visit to beautiful Kiama, if this is you, expect a drive time of around 10 minutes. In further good news, parking at the park is free and there are thousands of spaces to choose from. Those with access needs can take advantage of the spots located right near the main entry.

If you’re driving in from Sydney (a popular route during school holiday periods), the park is located about an hour’s drive south. You’re also just 20 minutes south of Wollongong, too.

No wheels, still keen? Public transport saves the day, especially if you’re visiting mid-week. Catch a train to Kiama train station where buses to Jamberoo Action Park run from Monday to Friday. Weekends are a little trickier, but not impossible. Shire Shuttle Bus offers return group transfers to your local accommodation from $95 per person. Check the Jamberoo Action Park website for further details.

Accessibility and parent-specific information

a staff at Jambaroo action park assisting a person riding a Water Wheelchair
A Water Wheelchair is available upon request.

Some other key details to get guests with specific needs on their way:

  • The park can absolutely be enjoyed by guests with access needs. Outside of the accessible parking, the team can also be called upon to buggy guests over to hillier corners of the park – you’ll just need to touch base with a team member in the souvenir shop at the front gate to let them know you’re visiting. Additionally, a water wheelchair can be requested (although it’s first in, best dressed so call the team to lock one in before you leave), granting you access to non-slide attractions like Outback Bay and the Rapid River. Manual wheelchairs can also be hired from the park’s First Aid area.
  • Mobility scooters, plus guide, hearing and assistance dogs are all welcome.
  • Prams and strollers are also welcome, but parents should note that the park is hilly and attractions are quite widespread. Brace yourself for some cardio-tastic manoeuvring.
  • Speaking of tiny tots, southern New South Wales is partial to chilly afternoons and mornings, even if the sun is shining, so think about bringing wetsuits to ensure they’re toasty amid all-day water play.
  • Baby change tables can be found at the far-right entrance to Outback Bay and up at Billabong Beach, a haven for youngsters.

Jamberoo Action Park rides

a group of people sliding down the Perfect Storm ride
Brave the Perfect Storm for a zero-gravity thrill to the bottom. (Image: Destination NSW)

Choosing which ride to start with is your only real problem at Jamberoo Action Park. If you’re chasing extreme thrills, head straight for the Velocity Falls precinct which features The Stinger – expect a zero-gravity drop once you’re inside the creature’s tentacles – and Octo-Racer, which sends you soaring down a twisty lane in a race for the finish line.

The Perfect Storm is another highlight, towering as one of the tallest and longest water rides on the planet. It’s a super fun, darkened vortex of whirling water where zero gravity, once again, takes control. Meanwhile, The Funnel Web hits speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour.

a family dropping into the funnel web slide at Jambaroo action park
Drop at 30 kilometres per hour into the spider’s funnel. (Image: Destination NSW)

Surf Hill is a classic speed slide with an 18-metre drop. Line up, watch the lights and get ready to zoom. Be sure to check the scoreboard to see who won.

The Bobsled is another crowd-pleaser, inspired by traditional alpine runs and featuring two tracks that stretch for almost a kilometre. Talk about taking the scenic route.

Challenge yourself at The Rock with its five-metre drop into a pool of shimmering blue hues. It’s beautiful, but the height can make this leap terrifying, so use the three-metre drop to build up your courage.

a huge spider sculpture at the Funnel Web thrill ride, Jamberoo Action Park
Face your fear of spiders on the Funnel Web slide. (Image: Destination NSW)

Family-friendly pit-stops include Banjo’s Billabong’s 200 water cannons, spray guns and two giant tipping buckets, rafting along Rapid River and the unmissable Outback Bay wave pool, featuring waves that froth up to 1.5 metres in the air.

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Restaurants and cafes at Jamberoo Action Park

a hand holding a sausage roll
Cap off your day at the park with a hot dog or sausage roll.

Can’t be bothered to bring your own goodies? We hear you. Lean into the many eateries located across the park including Burger Barn, Bombora Seafood (the go-to for summer fish and chips and burgers if Burger Barn isn’t open), Bombora Café’s sandwiches and sweets, and Picnic Pizza.

There’s also ice cream with your name on it at Bombora Scoop, dishing up Peter’s Connoisseur flavours, plus Splash Snacks for a classic theme park feast of pies, sausage rolls, hot dogs and fairy floss.

Find more family-friendly activities in our guide to Kiama

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

The Riverina

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

North Coast

Forest Sky Pier
Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

Golden West

winery experience in new south wales
Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

Special event journeys

meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.