THE FAMILY business behind a proposal for an Australian-first, immersive dinosaur experience and mini-golf course on the main street of Airlie Beach, has come forward to address a growing number of community concerns around the look and theme of the project.
A representative for ‘Jurassic Falls Pty Ltd’, said contrary to some opinions expressed on local social media sites, this was not about bringing “tacky, fake fibreglass dinosaurs” to town.
“Our Australian-themed dinosaurs are hyper-realistic animatronic models incorporating the latest in AI technology – the first of their kind in Australia,” the spokesperson said.
“With their simulation of full-range, smooth, dynamic movement, they will look, feel and move like the real thing, offering ‘next level’ interaction with patrons and real ‘wow factor’,” they said.
With much of the current community commentary based on images of the proposed entrance structure shared from the online Development Application, the proponent’s spokesperson was keen to correct any public perception that this was exactly what would be built.
“Those images are simply an ‘architectural visualisation collage’ and not an accurate rendering of the finished product,” they explained.
“The actual finish will be as hyper-realistic as the dinosaurs themselves, including high quality rock that’s indistinguishable from fresh rock carved from the ground, and a real waterfall feature, alluding to both place (the adjacent Airlie Creek) and purpose (the ‘Jurassic Falls’ venue name).
“Overall, our vision for the project is to maintain the pre-existing character of the site by preserving the native trees.
“In doing this, we not only minimise the impact on the street façade but also ‘set the scene’, using elements of an existing ‘forest’ to create a ‘natural habitat’ for our dinosaurs, transporting visitors to a day gone by when these magnificent creatures roamed the earth – and yes, even in Airlie Beach!”
Addressing criticisms that dinosaurs were not an appropriate attraction for the town at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, the proponent’s representative said Jurassic Falls’ intention was to add to the diversity of the region rather than compete with it.
“There are already other reef-themed proposals for Airlie Beach, as well as plenty of on-water tours, through which tourists can experience the actual Whitsundays’ marine life – so why would we compete with existing local businesses or government for this space?” they said.
“In contrast, dinosaurs are one of the most highly engaging and mesmerising creatures to have walked the earth, piquing the interest of children, in particular, worldwide.
“What we are proposing would give local and visiting families a very different, non-weather-dependent activity, hopefully also resulting in increased length of visitor stays and exponential economic benefit to Airlie Beach.”
Noting that a petition has now been launched against the project, potentially denying the experience to both visiting and local kids, a spokesperson for Wynne Planning and Development Pty Ltd, the company which has lodged the application, said it was important people judged it based on facts.
“Statements have been made in the online petition and comments that are incorrect, including around building heights,” the Wynne Planning and Development representative said.
“The proposed roof heights are 8.5-metres street-facing (with a 4-metre setback from the street boundary and minimalist stone entry at single storey height), and 8.9-metres to the rear (with a 5-metre setback to the mini-golf roof) – not 15 metres as originally stated in the petition and noting that the proposed roof was only incorporated to create an all-weather accessible facility.
“Those who are opposing this application should be aware that there are a number of other fully compliant options available to the landowner of this site that would be far more disruptive and less aesthetically pleasing for the Main Street.
“Under the Planning Scheme, the landowner has the right to remove the trees and erect an 8.5-metre-high building directly on the boundary, stepping back 3 metres to create a podium level and continuing to construct up to 14 metres.
“This would not only comply with regulations but requires no public consultation, therefore, the current proposal is actually one of the least intrusive options in terms of building bulk and removal of vegetation.”
Regarding the remaining issues cited, such as registered construction values and resulting infrastructure payments, the Wynne Planning and Development representative said the application did not include any statements or calculations about construction costs.
“The public statements referring to the payment of $150,000 have been taken from the application form, which seeks a declaration on whether ‘Qleave’ has been paid,” they said.
“This payment is required for construction costs over $150,000 and is to be declared at the time of lodging applications for Operational or Building Works, not Material Change of Use.
“The application has not sought to be exempt from paying the required infrastructure charges, as calculated under the regulation, and has therefore been assessed for compliancy on all counts.”
As to whether the attraction would be better off somewhere else, the Jurassic Falls spokesperson said, while there might well be other locations around the Whitsundays where this type of experience would be welcomed “we don’t own those locations – we own this one”.
“And for us, this is about the kids – we are a family-run business with the wellbeing of other families and the Whitsunday community at heart,” they said.
Jurassic Falls is designed to be a fully engaging Australian dinosaur experience from the minute guests walk through the gate, where a 4.5-metre-high T-Rex leans down for a pat on the head.
High grass and plants provide glimpses of the 11 other dinosaurs ahead, leaving patrons curious about what’s around the next corner, as they make their way along what at first appears to be a dirt path but is, in fact, a mini-golf course.
Visitors can choose to play mini-golf or simply wander the course encountering dinosaurs such as the 6-metre high, 16-metre long Australotitan, quietly ‘eating’ leaves from the canopy, swinging its head from tree to tree and lowering it close enough for people to touch.
Incorporating an educational element, each dinosaur has its own digital display coupled with an interactive App, providing questions for the young palaeontologist to answer and a daily prize for the best listener.
Once they’ve had their fill of dinosaurs, children can play in the Jurassic-age aquarium-themed games arcade at the rear, complete with the latest in virtual projector technology to create an immersive underwater simulation.
Additional ‘after sunset’ experiences are also planned, including glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs, disco nights and other themed events.
Members of the community who want Jurassic Falls to go ahead are invited to write to Whitsunday Regional Council, with whom the Development Application is lodged, and voice their approval.
“If those who support this stay silent, it’s a case of the ‘squeaky wheel’ winning by default,” the Jurassic Falls spokesperson said.
“We have 18 summers at best with our kids, so let’s make at least one of those an experience to remember in Airlie Beach.”
Public submissions can be made to the assessment manager by emailing info@wrc.qld.gov.au or dropping a hard copy into a Council Customer Service Centre.
Submissions close on May 14, 2025, and must include the application number 20241233 as well as the name, residential or business address, and signature of the person making the submission.
NB. PAID EDITORIAL SUPPLIED BY THE PROJECT PROPONENT.
