BioLab Australia Pty Ltd
BioGuard is Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted supplier of premium, innovative and affordable commercial water treatment systems and chemicals. BioGuard offers a comprehensive range of…
read moreJohn Grant, the owner of the Granties Maze in the NSW Illawarra, has been ordered to dismantle more than two dozen attractions at the fun park - including a climbing wall, bumper car track and inflatable obstacle course - by the NSW Land and Environment Court who deemed were "materially unsafe" and were built without council approval.
However, Grant, who has been involved in repeated disputes with Kiama Council and the NSW authorities over the years as he sought to develop the Foxground attraction on the NSW south coast, says he will appeal the decision.
The Court made the order earlier this week in a judgment delivered after a three-year legal battle between Grant and Kiama Council.
Grant, who has invested more than $10 million into the eclectic fun park centred on a maze nurtured over more than three decades, now has 90 days to dismantle the rides but says he will appeal the decision.
The Court ordered that Grant dismantle 27 of the more than 80 rides and attractions after accepting evidence that some attractions were "materially unsafe" and were installed without development consent.
As reported by the ABC, Grant stated "I am very disappointed … I will appeal this thing.”
Kiama Council’s action was based on a report it commissioned a report by amusement ride engineer Clinton Ford who found Granties Maze was a "novel and heartwarming concept" but the "practical reality" was the business did not have the capacity to deliver its services in line with industry standards.
As a result, the Council claimed "the majority of the devices are not in acceptable operating condition" with some that were "materially unsafe".
It also claimed the business had inadequate measures to ensure visitors were safe.
Justice John Robson found Grant had been given ample opportunity to obtain development consent for his rides and he had discretely installed numerous attractions without development consent.
He found "I accept Mr Ford's evidence and council's submissions that the operation of Granties Maze is insufficiently managed, operated, and maintained to offer a basic family amusement park.”
According to the judgment, Ford found most of the devices on the property were “not in acceptable operating condition nor suitable to operate in the environment in which they are located”.
Grant denied the rides were unsafe and said SafeWork NSW had carried out numerous inspections of his property and he had complied with its advice.
He added that the rides the Council had identified as unsafe were not in operation.
The Court case began in 2021 when Grant launched legal action to stop council staff entering his property to remove rides it had deemed ‘high-risk’, including an archery range, ‘ninja walls’ and a Clydesdale horse ride.
The Court rejected Grant’s application and the council then applied for approval to take down the rides.
Granties Maze
Inspired by a visit to the historic maze at Hampton Court in London, Grant began developing his own maze based attraction in the 1980s.
After a series of disputes with Kiama Council the maze, along with accompanying attractions finally opened to the public in 2015.
In addition to what he spent on the fun park, Grant also contributed $300,000 to improve road access to the attraction.
Images: John Grant at Granties Maze (top), the attraction's centrepiece maze (middle) and its Spiders Web climbing feature (below).
12th December 2024 - AALARA announces dates for 2025 Conference
16th October 2024 - Merlin Entertainments announces sale of Australian rainforest Fly attractions
4th August 2024 - Kiama Blowhole recognised as natural Australian wonder
30th May 2024 - Kiama wins gold and Ballina secures silver at NSW Top Tourism Town Awards
16th April 2024 - Digital logbook technology set to enhance amusement ride safety
10th January 2024 - Sea World responds to media scrutiny over ride stoppages
2nd May 2023 - ASTM announces development of risk assessment standard proposal for amusement rides
14th March 2023 - SafeWork NSW scrutinises ride safety at agricultural and country shows
12th August 2022 - Australia’s mainstream media acknowledges attractions industry insurance crisis
24th May 2022 - AALARA reaffirms commitment to industry safety
18th November 2021 - Risk management the key to way out of attractions industry’s insurance crisis
20th October 2021 - Ombudsman’s insurance crisis report says ‘the show must go on’
13th May 2021 - ASTM International revises key amusement rides standard
25th February 2021 - Granties Maze introduces world-first mechanical zebra attraction
10th December 2020 - Insurance crisis set to force closures of Australian attractions and adventure tourism businesses
7th June 2018 - New attractions help Granties Maze attract holiday crowds
13th March 2018 - Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk reaches 10 years of operations
16th April 2017 - Consulting engineer rebuts Australian Women’s Weekly ride safety ‘investigation’
2nd January 2016 - Granties Maze finally opens on the NSW South Coast
31st July 2015 - Three decades of preparation leads to upcoming opening of Granties Maze
24th July 2013 - Granties Maze set for October opening?
28th October 2011 - Miniature train derailment prompts call for ride safety rethink
Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?
As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.
Click here to view our subscription options.
The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.
BioGuard is Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted supplier of premium, innovative and affordable commercial water treatment systems and chemicals. BioGuard offers a comprehensive range of…
read moreFelton Industries is Australia’s leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of quality outdoor furniture and has been supplying premium seating solutions for all sporting, commercial, community…
read moreWe live for media production and global events, providing real-time networks for video, audio, data and communications.
read moreINTRODUCTION Abel Sports is Australia’s leading manufacturer and suppliers of Goal Posts, sports ground safety netting systems and coaches boxes for Stadiums ,Sports Clubs, Councils and…
read morePerfect Gym Solutions is a software as a service (SaaS) solution purpose-built to service the fitness industry, with over 1000 clients servicing over two million gym members across 40 countries making…
read moreHumanforce is a global provider of workforce management solutions for companies who need flexibility to manage complex workforces. Companies use Humanforce to manage everything from time and…
read moreTPEC Pool Enclosures provide a large range of premium commercial and residential retractable swimming pool, spa and terrace enclosures throughout Australia, servicing residential, local government…
read moreAugmented Creative is an open organization of like-minded and highly dedicated, creative people who conceive, plan and execute visual solutions. We pursue new and innovative visual ideas to help…
read moreGet your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!