26 March 2024

New adventure park opens in Majura Pines, and it's a treet

| James Coleman
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woman on obstacle course

Treetops Adventure Canberra is suitable for everyone aged three and up and features eight courses. Photo: Nathan Darma, Treetops Adventure.

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.

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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.”

women on obstacle course

Up to this point, the closest Treetops Adventure Park was located in St Ives, Sydney. Photo: Nathan Darma, Treetops Adventure.

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.”

Andrew Barr cutting a ribbon

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr officially opened the park on Friday, 22 March, alongside Treetops Adventure CEO John O’Sullivan. Photo: James Coleman.

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.

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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.

child on obstacle course

Tickets start from $32 for three to seven-year olds. Photo: Nathan Darma, Treetops Adventure.

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’.

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Ross of Canberra9:07 pm 30 Mar 24

I don’t have a budget. Still, it’s expensive.

Two points: One, it is an expensive outing for the kiddies making it prohibitive for this grandmother as a school holiday outing. Two, is there a provision for children with mild disabilities to attend, to be guided and be supervised? Advice from Treetops Adventure welcome.

Have you looked at their website for your “point two” or do you think they are going to randomly read the RiotAct in anticipation of questions?

The FAQ states;

Our tree ropes courses can be physically challenging, and we recommend participation by individuals with an average to moderate level of fitness. All other activities are more suitable for individuals with an average fitness levels, who are able to walk up and down a flight of stairs unassisted.

I’d probably suggest, that while they would attempt to make the park as inclusive as possible, due to the higher risk and staff numbers required to monitor the park users, having this would make it almost prohibitive.

Point one is valid… But did you see how much work has gone into it, the insurance to run it, the cost to staff is safely and ongoing maintenance costs.

It’s about the same cost as a day to the zoo….

Thanks for your thorough reply @buzz819.

We have two kiddies one who absolutely can-do this and one who almost-can-do … and she would want-to-do. So, perhaps not for the latter. The National Zoo & Aquarium is so so so expensive we have only been there once since it opened. Which is pretty sad. And yes insurance, I fully comprehend, has a great deal to play in the exorbitant fees.

Again, this is a case that only the wealthier of families can afford to give their kiddies this “treet”. How special it would be if local families received a discount.

Thank you again for guiding me to their website.

Looks like a lot of fun, but at that price it won’t be something we would repeat. It’s a shame that it’s so pricey. What about a yearly pass option?

‘Up to this point, the closest Treetops Adventure Park was located in St Ives, Sydney’

What? The closest was Nowra. And even then the Western Sydney one is closer than the St Ives one. Who did the research for this?
Also, a shame that they’re doing a two week offer and this article comes out when there’s only five days of the offer remaining. Didn’t even hear about this til today.

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