In news that has been received with shock and sadness across the district, Mandeni Golf and Family Fun Park has closed.
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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.”
The Saddest 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.