Some 30,000 visitors are expected to visit Canberra’s newest attraction over the next year.
The Treetops Adventure Park has opened in Majura Pines, and with 16 zip lines suspended between two and 18 metres above the ground and littered with more than 100 obstacles – including wobbly wooden bridges, tight ropes and cargo nets – it’s like the treehouse of your dreams.
And don’t just think it’s for the kids. There are courses for everyone aged three years and above, with three courses for juniors and five for adults.
Since its establishment in 2010, Treetops Adventure has opened 15 such parks across Australia, including eight in NSW.
CEO John O’Sullivan says Canberra was a “no-brainer”.
“Over the last 10 years, Canberra … has really transformed – from its world-class airport, fantastic food and wine offerings, vibrant cultural scene, sporting event scene – it has become a destination synonymous with everything Australia has to offer.
“It was an absolute no-brainer for us to make this investment.”
The company began talks with the ACT Government in 2022 and was handed a site in the former working pine plantation to the east of the ACT, where there’s already a mountain bike trail. Key to the development are the “construction techniques.”
“The platforms are mounted without drilling into any trees, and instead use a compression method to allow for their continual growth to minimise the impact on the environment,” Mr O’Sullivan says.
“This site has also taken our sustainability commitment one step further; it will be our first 100 per cent solar-powered park.”
The $1.3 million development received a $100,000 grant from the ACT Government through the ‘Tourism Product Development Fund’, instigated in the wake of COVID.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr officially opened the park on Friday (22 March) and described it as “exactly the sort of new tourism product we had in mind”.
“Treetops Adventure Canberra will deliver a new sustainable all-ages recreational experience for Canberrans and visitors to the region, creating new jobs for locals and providing a boost to the ACT economy through the increased visitor numbers and the expenditure expected from these visitors,” he said.
The government wants to grow the value of Canberra’s tourism economy to $4 billion by 2030, but Mr Barr said this target might have to be adjusted in the wake of new additions like the Treetops Adventure Park.
“We’re ahead of our interim targets and heading towards that $4 billion mark early, so we have to set an even more ambitious target, such has been the success of our tourism sector, with great new attractions.”
Treetops Adventure also flagged “other experiences” for Canberra in the future, including tandem skydiving.
The park, located off Lime Kiln Road, Majura, is open from 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am to 5 pm on weekends and during school and public holidays.
Tickets start at $32 for three- to seven-year-olds, $49 for eight- to 15-year-olds, $54 for concessions, $59 for adults (16-years-old plus), and $206 for a family pass of two adults and two children (ages eight to 15).
An opening special will offer 20 per cent off all climbs from 16 to 29 March using the ‘CLIMBCANBERRA’ code (see website for terms and conditions). All experiences are 2.5-hour sessions, including ‘gearing up’.