New Otago water park pulling crowds, people being turned away

The new Kiwi Water Park in Lowburn near Cromwell is proving very popular. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The owner and operator of Central Otago's newest attraction says she is having to turn people away because it is so popular.

Queenstown businesswoman Emily Rutherford opened Kiwi Water Park at Lowburn on the shores of Lake Dunstan last month and said online bookings for the noon session were regularly sold out.

"Our 9.30am session is never booked but our noon session is extremely popular.

"It is just one of those things that everyone wants to go at the same time in the middle of the day."

Rutherford said due to demand the park was not accepting any private or corporate bookings until the end of the school holidays.

The park features 10,000sqm of inflatable equipment anchored to the lake floor.
It is open seven days a week and takes a maximum of 100 people at each session.

Rutherford said she believed the reason for the park's success was because it was fun for everyone, of any swimming ability, although children had to be aged over 6.

The park will close on March 31 and reopen on December 1.