Aquatopia at Prairiewood Leisure Centre: An Affordable Water Park

Aquatopia Water Park, at Prairiewood Leisure Centre, is an affordable water park with plenty of attractions and facilities that are suitable for all ages.

When I was a child, going to a water park was an event that my siblings and I looked forward every summer.

Aquatopia at Prairiewood Leisure Centre — *Aquatopia might not look as big as its competitors, but it has enough slides to spend a great day*

Now, after visiting Aquatopia, it may become the event of every summer for my kids.

I cannot hide that I too had a thrill! I couldn’t help myself and I tried all the slides that I could.

Aquatopia at Prairiewood Leisure Centre

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Address: Prairiewood Leisure Centre, Prairie Vale Road, Prairiewood NSW 2176

Phone number: 02 9757 2433

Aquatopia Website – book tickets here

Open: Weekends and every day of the school holidays (except Christmas Day). Tip: check the online calendar before you go, as opening times can vary depending on the season.

Admission Cost (valid until 30 June 2018):

Individual (Fairfield City resident) $15
Individual (non-Fairfield City resident) $20

Family Pass (Fairfield City residents) $50
Family Pass (non-Fairfield residents) $60

Note: Family pass is 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children.

IMPORTANT: A child is 15 years and under. Height restrictions apply to some rides.

By Mireia Garriga Seguranyes

When we visited Aquatopia, it was a hot day of Summer School Holidays. Despite the crowds, I would definitively recommend this water park.

We didn’t have to line up for long to go on the rides. The admission process was very well organised, too. There was a line for the online pre-purchased tickets and another one for the non pre-purchased.

Also, we didn’t have to wait too much to go on the rides thanks to the fact that Aquatopia has a limited capacity. This means that the water park is never overbooked.

Another important point to take into consideration is that the facilities were clean, there were life savers on duty making sure that everyone was respecting the rules of the rides and the car park had plenty of spaces.

Furthermore, you can bring your own food, too. Therefore, it makes the day more affordable.

Aquatopia has:

10-metre high giant slide tower with 3 giant slides. Kids’ minimum height for this attraction is 120cm.
Adventure Aqua Tower with 79 unique elements, including a huge water bucket! The Adventure Aqua Tower has several slides. If you have young children, your child will need to be accompanied by an adult for going down from the tallest slide. For the rest of the slides, children can go solo.
A toddler’s pool with sprinklers.
Sand pit area, which is very convenient if you have a big gap between children.
The Stingray surf rider, which is one of the most popular rides.
Big screen to watch the surf riders from a different area of the water park.
Cabanas available to hire. The cabana includes a sheltered area with picnic table seating for up to 16 people and 21 people for large cabana. Each cabana has a bar fridge suitable to keep a standard cake cool and access to barbecue.

Besides the slides, Aquatopia gets you access to the Prairiewood Leisure Centre Pools. The leisure centre consists of a 50m outdoor-heated pool, a massive indoor pool with a splash area and a slide for little children.

According to the Fairfield City Website, the Council “is currently planning to introduce a further attraction, the Fishpipe ride in 2018. The Fishpipe is a water filled ball where riders are tumbled about. It’s like being in a washing machine and on a long water slide at the same time.”

Some tips before you go:

Measure the height of your children to avoid disappointment, as there are some height restrictions. The minimum height for some rides is 120cm. I have an intrepid 5-year-old daughter that nearly had a tantrum because she couldn’t go to the biggest slides…I had to promise her that we would go back next summer (I hope that she reaches the cut, otherwise I will be in huge trouble…).
When you go to Aquatopia, always remember to slip, slop, slap several times during the day, as there are hardly any big trees. It is easy to forget to reapply sunscreen because the water is quite chilly, especially the water that falls from the big bucket.
Pre-purchase the tickets online to avoid queues.
Bring your own food, if you want to save some money. There is a kiosk inside the complex and a food truck next to the 50m pool, but the menu doesn’t offer a big variety.
My advice is to visit Aquatopia with your older children, unless you are going with your partner. I have three very active young daughters and I usually find overwhelming to keep an eye on them in busy places. I left my 3 year old at childcare the day that we visited. We missed our little missy, but it was so much easier. My daughters and I had the freedom to just have fun on the rides. It was a very special day. Sometimes, it is just good to spoil the older siblings. Why not?
Set up some rules with your children before you enter the waterpark, i.e. if one gets lost, he/she needs to wait next to the family towels; always wait for each other, after the ride; agree what time you would be leaving, etc. Each family is different. In my case, to reach a compromise between what my daughters wanted and what I expected, it made the day very easy. No tears, no tantrums, it was a happy day.

Toilets: Yes, including disabled toilets.

Nearest takeaway coffee: Yes

Enclosed: Yes

Shade: limited. But, there is a big area with some sails and picnic shelters. Also, the admission ticket provides you access to the indoor pool.

Mum’s report: Aquatopia is one of those attractions to have in your bucket list for the school holidays. It is more affordable than other water parks and the facilities are great.

Do something special brings the family together. My daughters and I had a fantastic day. Also, it was a good way to beat the heat!

Extra:

You might be interested in reading this fantastic compilation that Seana made about the Best water slides for kids and their families. Click here.

Other things to do in the area:

Calmsley City Farm: this is another fantastic day out idea. Click here to read the Hello Sydney Kids review.

Fairfield Adventure Park: for the most intrepid children, this park has all the elements to surprise your children. Here you can find all the important details.

Bus stop nearby: 800, 817, 819 and T80 routes. Always check the Opal Card App before travelling, as bus routes can change.

Although Aquatopia doesn’t have any train station close by, it is well serviced by several buses. 800 bus route connects with Fairfield Train Station and Blacktown Train Station. 817 bus route connects with Fairfield Train Station, Canley Vale Station and Cabramatta Station. T80 connects with Parramatta Train Station and Liverpool Train Station.

Parking: yes, plenty, and it is free!