Resident Pam Beazley said the opening was a great opportunity to welcome a new asset to the town. 

“An excellent result for using excess water from the hot pool instead of it being stored in a big square dam.

“Well done Moree Ski Club and Moree Council for forward thinking,” she said.

The facility was designed after a recommendation by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority threatened the closure of Moree’s famous artesian pools.

The EPA were concerned about the release of different mineral content and residual chorline into the river system from the pools.

Former Councillor James Von Drehnen said the seven year project has been the perfect solution by transforming a spent commodity back into an asset for the community.

“It’s been a long and hard project… I think the club and council had to battle wave after wave of bureaucracy to get this through.

“Council was boxed in but what we came up with was we could turn it into a water park.

“Now it brings enormous opportunities limited only by our imagination.

“I have no doubt in my mind when complete it will be the premier water ski tournament and recreational site in Australia,” Mr Von Drehnen said.

The park consists of two 800 metre water ski lakes and a third 1.2-kilometre lake designed for a wide range of water sports.

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has congratulated everyone involved in the project after attending the opening over the weekend.

“You should all be proud in the knowledge that you have helped build an asset which will attract thousands of visitors and bring millions of dollars into the local community.

“The great irony of this occasion is not lost on me… that an amazing community asset such as this could be born out of a huge problem created for the council by a government department.

“Without the EPA preventing the council from continuing to discharge spent artesian water into the Mehi River, this wonderful facility may not have ever been constructed,” he said.

Moree Water Ski Club President Simon Upton said that the opening was a celebration of the community support received.

“The community support has been great… we held the first round of the south eastern QLD ski tournament and they were very happy with the layout of the facility.”