Managers of the popular venue Peter and Margaret O’Brien made the announcement on Tuesday morning and were swiftly inundated with hundreds of messages of support and shock.

“We’re just devastated,” Peter said. “We’ve had 13 wonderful years there – it’s been very sudden,” Margaret added.

Peter said the decision to close, while only taken on Monday by the park’s owners, “has been building for a while” with dropping water levels and increasing public liability costs.

“The dam levels are down which makes a difference to the paddle boats for example, and the jumping pillow – it can’t be repaired, it has to be replaced and that’s about $14,000,” Peter said.

“We’ve had incredible support [since the announcement]. We got to know and love so many people over the years. It’s a sad day.”

By Peter O’Brien

A sad thing happened to me today

Our time at Mandeni passed away

For many years, almost every day

It was off to Mandeni to work and play

You can imagine the people we met

The mums and dads and their children

The boys and girls from the town

The thousands of visitors passing through

The farmers from around

Everyone loved us at Mandeni and we loved them in return

The smallest things that 

make people happy

Are the easiest things to learn 

So we will miss you at Mandeni and you will miss Mandeni too

It's the saddest day and I have to say

I don't know what we will do.

Margaret and I spent many wonderful years in this lovely place and we honoured the wonderful legacy left to our community by the late Rob High.

Things have changed since Rob died and low water levels and public liability issues have created this sad day for the whole Bega Valley.