New look Gumbuya
Jobs to reach 500
A $50 million redevelopment of Tynong’s Gumbuya Park is set to deliver a world class theme park and 500 jobs for West Gippsland.
The first stage of Gumbuya World – a water park – will be the “big ticket item” of the tourist attraction when it re-opens in December.
Over the next five years, the redevelopment and facelift will expand to include accommodation, an interactive walk with the dinosaurs feature and retail precinct.
But developers are determined to maintain the nostalgia, bush setting and wildlife enclosures that generations of visitors have loved most about the park.
General manager operations Sam Holdich said the redevelopment was incredibly exciting with enormous potential, while continuing to maintain the “nostalgia” and iconic features of Gumbuya Park.
“The owners are investing a lot of time and energy into this. The director group is very ambitious and very hands-on with the project.
“We want to retain as much as we can of that original Gumbuya feel. A lot of people have grown up with it and remember it.”
He said changing the name to Gumbuya World would reflect it as an all encompassing venue with wildlife, theme park attractions, accommodation and retail.
Retaining that nostalgia also includes the colourful pheasant at the entry. “That’s been an icon of the park,” he said.
Gumbuya Park will close at the end of the upcoming school holidays on July 16 when construction works already underway around the park are ramped up ahead of the December opening.
After watching how quickly the car park and water park has begun to take shape, Mr Holdich is confident stage one will be completed for the summer peak period.
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