A summer day out on the Bellarine
Adventure Park is the water park at Wallington, on the Bellarine Peninsula between Geelong and Ocean Grove. It's open in summer only, and it's a full day: big funnel slides and drop slides for older kids, a lazy river and splash zones for little ones, and a set of dry rides like a Ferris wheel, carousel and tea cups for when everyone needs to dry off. The park counts 23 rides, and they're all included in the ticket.
From Torquay it's an easy trip, and it doesn't go anywhere near central Geelong. The details below (dates, prices, height rules) are from the park's website in October 2026. Prices change by the day, so treat them as a guide and check the calendar when you book.
Getting there from Torquay
The park is at 1249 Bellarine Highway, Wallington. From north Torquay it's about 35 minutes' drive. The usual route heads east on Horseshoe Bend Road, then along Barwon Heads Road through Connewarre and up Wallington Road on the Ocean Grove side, so you skip the Geelong traffic. Your map app may pick a slightly different way, but it's country roads and roundabouts either way.
There's disability parking near the ticket gates (you'll need a current permit), with a smooth path to the entrance. The park's terms say vehicles are parked at your own risk, and that authorities will be called if children or animals are left in cars.
When it's open
The 2026/27 season runs from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Saturday 27 March 2027. It isn't open every day, so check the calendar before you plan around it. In outline:
Late November and December
Open the weekend of 21 and 22 November, closed for the rest of that week, then open most days from 28 November, 10am to 5pm. A few December weekdays are closed to the public for school excursions (1, 11, 15 and 16 December), and it's closed on Christmas Day.
Summer holidays
Open every day from Boxing Day to 26 January, with longer hours, 10am to 6pm. This is the busiest stretch of the season by the park's own account.
February and March
Back to 10am to 5pm, and mostly weekends once school's back. It's open on 27 January and closed on 28 January, then open Friday to Sunday from 29 January through February. In March it's Saturdays and Sundays, plus the Labour Day Monday (8 March), until the season ends on 27 March.
Ride queues can close up to 30 minutes before the park does, so the last slide is a bit earlier than the closing time.
Tickets and prices
Tickets are priced by height, not age, and staff can measure anyone at the gate. These were the prices on the park's website in October 2026, for the 2026/27 summer season:
122cm and over
Online from $69, full price $79.
90cm to 121cm
Online from $54, full price $64. The calendar shows this "from" price rising to $64 between Boxing Day and 10 January, and $59 for the rest of January and on February weekends.
Seniors, 60 and over
Online from $45, full price $55, with ID.
Under 90cm
Free, and no ticket needed.
Tickets are for one date and numbers are capped, so book online. Busy days can sell out, and if you turn up without a ticket, Guest Services will fit you in only if there's room. There's no spectator ticket: a parent who just wants to sit in the shade still needs one. Companion Card holders get a free companion.
Tickets aren't refundable, including for bad weather. You can move to another date in the same season with at least 48 hours' notice, if there's space. For $3 a person, Flexible Ticket Protection lets you change the date for any reason, or get a credit if something like illness stops you coming.
Which ages it suits
Height decides most of the day, so measure the kids before you go. The big line is 122cm: below it, the Tornado, Tsunami and Thunder Falls are off the list, and the park's own age guide puts those at about 7 and up. Under 16s have to be with an adult who's 16 or over.
| Water ride | Minimum height | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Tots Splashzone | Slides from 91cm, up to 120cm | The little kids' splash area |
| Bonito's Bay | 90cm, slides from 100cm | Three-storey water play with tipping buckets |
| Lazy River | 90cm (90 to 120cm with an adult) | 300m on a tube, the gentle one |
| Wild West Canyon and Gold Rush Rapids | 90cm | Double tubes |
| Aqua Racer | 110cm | Six lanes, head first on a mat |
| Tornado and Tsunami | 122cm | Funnel slides on group tubes |
| Thunder Falls | 122cm | Trapdoor drop slides, no wetsuits |
Toddlers and preschoolers
Under 90cm they get in free, and the Tiny Tots Splashzone and the Jumping Jets are theirs. Several dry rides take small kids with an adult riding along: the Ferris wheel, the Grand Carousel, the Red Baron planes, the Shipwreck Harbour boats and the Little Buggy Speedway. It's a lot of driving for a small person's day, though, so read the Torquay options further down too.
About 4 to 6
This is where it starts to make sense. Bonito's Bay, a three-storey pirate play tower with waterfalls, slides and a giant tipping bucket, is aimed at kids 4 and up, and the Lazy River takes riders from 90cm (with an adult up to 120cm). At 90cm they can also go on Wild West Canyon and Gold Rush Rapids in a double tube.
7 and up, 122cm and over
Everything's open. The Tornado drops 7.5 storeys into a funnel on a tube for three or four riders, and the Tsunami has three drops and runs 172m on a tube for two to four. On Thunder Falls you stand in a launch chamber until the floor drops away, then you're down 105m of slide at about 35 km/h. The six-lane Aqua Racer (from 110cm) is head first on a mat, and you can race each other.
Teenagers
They'll want the funnel slides and the drops on repeat. Most of the dry rides are built for younger kids, so this is a water day for them. A 16-year-old can be the supervising adult for younger brothers and sisters.
A few rules catch people out. Goggles and glasses aren't allowed on any water slide or water ride, and neither are GoPros or other cameras. Anyone with a cast or strapped limb can't go on the water slides. The full rider safety guidelines on the park's website list every ride's limits.
Food, lockers and what to bring
Food
You can bring a picnic, which is our pick with kids. Glass, alcohol, sharp knives, ceramics and bought takeaway (McDonald's, pizza, fish and chips) aren't allowed, and there are no barbecues and you can't bring one. Inside, the Hungry Shack (burgers, hot dogs, wraps), Munchies Cafe and the Ice Cream Parlour are open every day of the season, and the Snack Stop and Boardwalk Cafe open at times. The park says it caters for vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten-free diets. Water fountains around the park will refill bottles.
Lockers and shade
Lockers cost $10 to $20 for the day depending on size, paid by card, at Guest Services and the water park, first come first served. There are free sun lounges near the water park, the Tornado and Tsunami, and the Wild West Canyon, but they can't be booked. Cabanas and sun beds cost extra (from $59), and the park suggests booking them online early. You can also bring your own tent or marquee, up to 3m by 3m, as long as it has no pegs or guy ropes.
The bag
Swimmers, towels, sunscreen, hats, a change of clothes, water bottles and a card for the lockers. The showers are a cold rinse only. Wetsuits are fine on the water rides except Thunder Falls, which is handy on a cooler day. Leave the balls, inflatables, scooters and drones at home: they're all on the park's banned list. There's no pram hire either, so bring your own if the little one still needs it.
Babies and access
There are baby change tables at five toilet blocks, and parents' rooms with a microwave for bottles. Wheelchairs are free to borrow at Guest Services, and there's one waterproof wheelchair you can reserve ahead. For kids who find crowds and queues hard, the park has a Low Sensory Room near the Ferris wheel (ask Guest Services for the key), communication boards and a queue wristband for guests who can't wait in line. Its accessibility page has a sensory ride guide and visual stories to read beforehand.
A plan for the day
Leave Torquay around 9.15am and you'll be parked before the 10am opening. Head for the big slides first while the queues are short, or Bonito's Bay if your crew is small, and claim a patch of shade with the tent or towels. Have lunch early, around 11.30, before the food queues build. The dry rides make a good break after lunch, and the Lazy River is a slow way to finish before everyone's cooked.
If you've still got energy, Barwon Heads is about 15 minutes away for the playground by the river or an ice cream in the main street (our Barwon Heads guide has the details), and from there it's an easy run back to Torquay.
Hot days, cool days and wet days
The water isn't heated. On a properly hot day that's the point, but hot days are also the busiest, and the park says its peak is 26 December to 26 January. If you're going in that window, go on a weekday, arrive at opening and bring more shade and water than you think you'll need. The park's phone line (03 5250 7200) can give you a rough idea of busy and quieter days.
A mild, cloudy day can be better than it sounds. Queues are shorter, more than half the rides are dry, and wetsuits are allowed on most water rides. Rain, lightning or strong wind can close rides for a while, and there are no refunds for weather. The park's terms include a weather guarantee, though: if several major attractions close for 90 minutes or more, eligible ticket holders can apply for a free return visit by emailing within 3 days. If the forecast is grim, move your date while you still have 48 hours' notice and use our rainy day guide instead.
The Christmas lights
On selected nights from 21 November to 24 December 2026, the park runs its Christmas Festival of Lights, from 6pm to 10pm. It's a separate event with its own ticket, from $44.50 in October 2026, and a day ticket doesn't get you in: if you've spent the day at the water park, you'll be asked to leave and come back in with an event ticket. The water rides are closed at night, but nine dry rides are included, and under 90cm is free. Tickets have to be booked for the night.
Little kids? Torquay might be enough
With toddlers, a water park day can be a lot of money and driving for a short attention span. Torquay has plenty for them closer to home. Cosy Corner at the end of Front Beach is often the calmest spot in town on a breezy day, the foreshore has some good playgrounds, and our guide to things to do in Torquay with kids sorts the ideas by age.
Torquay's own pools are on the way: the Wurdi Baierr aquatic centre in north Torquay, with an indoor splash park, is due to open in early 2027. Until then, the sea baths at Eastern Beach are the other easy swim, on a Geelong waterfront day.
Adventure Park FAQ
How far is Adventure Park from Torquay?
About 35 minutes' drive from north Torquay, across the Bellarine side to Wallington, without going through central Geelong.
When does Adventure Park open for 2026/27?
Saturday 21 November 2026, and the season ends on Saturday 27 March 2027. It's open most days in December and January, then mostly weekends.
How much are tickets?
In October 2026 the website showed online prices from $69 for 122cm and over, from $54 for 90cm to 121cm and from $45 for seniors. Under 90cm is free. Prices change daily, and all rides are included.
How tall do you need to be for the big slides?
122cm for the Tornado, Tsunami and Thunder Falls, and 110cm for the Aqua Racer. Plenty of rides start at 90cm.
Can you take your own food?
Yes, a picnic is fine. No alcohol, glass, barbecues or bought takeaway food.
Is the water heated?
No. On a cooler day, wetsuits are allowed on the water rides except Thunder Falls, and more than half the rides are dry.
Are there lockers?
Yes, $10 to $20 for the day depending on size, paid by card, first come first served.
For more family days, see Torquay with kids, the playgrounds, the Barwon Heads day trip and the rainy day guide. Staying in north Torquay? Check dates at Holyday House.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 25 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Opening hours — Adventure Park Geelong
- Day tickets 2026-27 summer season — Adventure Park Geelong
- Tickets overview — Adventure Park Geelong
- Frequently asked questions — Adventure Park Geelong
- Rider safety guidelines — Adventure Park Geelong
- Rides — Adventure Park Geelong
- In-park services — Adventure Park Geelong
- Accessibility and safety — Adventure Park Geelong
- Terms and conditions — Adventure Park Geelong
- Christmas Festival of Lights opening hours — Adventure Park Geelong