At a glance
- Wave Lagoon tickets
- Under 3 free; under 15 $8; 15 and over $10; concession $8; family (2 adults and up to 3 children) $29 (as of 8 November 2026)
- The waves
- 10 wave patterns, up to 1.2 metres high, with a 20-minute break between cycles; stinger and crocodile free
- Aqua Park
- From $35.00 per person per hour; minimum age 6; each session is 1 hour, including a safety induction and 50 minutes on the park
- Free to use
- The 3×3 basketball court, beach volleyball court, outdoor fitness bikes and four pickleball courts (bring your own equipment where noted)
- Parking
- On-street and the Jervois Road, Stokes Hill Road and Fort Hill car parks are free on weekends. The Kitchener Drive multi-storey is free for under two hours at any time
- Who it’s for
- Families in Darwin planning a day at the Waterfront with children of different ages
- What to do now
- Wave Lagoon tickets are sold online or at the Wave Lagoon kiosk; the Aqua Park minimum age is 6 and the Wave Lagoon has supervision rules by age
- Last checked
- Sunday 8 November 2026, against the Darwin Waterfront pages and the Wave Lagoon conditions of entry (June 2025)
- Not yet confirmed
- The Wave Lagoon’s opening days and hours, and the Aqua Park’s session times (the pages do not list them)
Entry to the Darwin Waterfront Wave Lagoon costs $10 for adults and $8 for children under 15, and the Aqua Park next door starts at $35.00 per person for a one-hour session. This guide sets out the prices, the rules for children, what else is free at the Waterfront and where to park, using the Waterfront’s own pages and the Wave Lagoon’s conditions of entry, checked on 8 November 2026.
What is the Wave Lagoon like?
The Waterfront’s Wave Lagoon page describes a stinger and crocodile free swimming lagoon of 4,000 square metres, with a shallow water play area for younger children. A siren signals the start of each wave cycle.
| Feature | What the Waterfront says |
|---|---|
| Waves | 10 different wave patterns, from gentle swells to waves up to 1.2 metres high, with a 20-minute break between cycles |
| Depth | 2 metres at the deepest point, sloping up to the wet edge |
| Water and floor | Chlorinated salt water; concrete bottom |
| Shade | Sun loungers and shady areas; light, temporary shade tents are welcome but nothing can be pegged into the ground |
| Kiosk | Open daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm; sells water, slushies, soft drinks, snacks, goggles, aqua plugs and tube rings, and also tickets, memberships and locker hire |
How much is a Wave Lagoon ticket?
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Under 3 years | Free |
| Under 15 | $8 |
| 15 years and over | $10 |
| Concession | $8 |
| Family (maximum 2 adults and 3 children) | $29 (value $44) |
You can buy tickets online or at the Wave Lagoon kiosk, and the Waterfront sells gift cards. A Darwin Waterfront Membership gives unlimited Wave Lagoon access for 12 months, in single, family and senior versions. The page also lists a free Aqua Fit class every Sunday at 8:30am for members, and says companion card holders enter free. The page does not list the lagoon’s opening days and hours.
What are the rules for children at the Wave Lagoon?
The Waterfront’s conditions of entry (approved 24 June 2025) set the rules.
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Children under 10 | Must be accompanied and actively supervised by a guardian at least 16 years old |
| Children under 6 | Must be within arm’s reach of the guardian inside the gates |
| Babies and toddlers | Must wear waterproof nappies, sold at the kiosk |
| Lifeguards | Lifeguards monitor overall safety but do not replace parents’ or carers’ supervision |
| Wading pool | No tubes or personal flotation devices; tubes go back to the storage area when not in use |
| Wristbands | Valid only for the day issued; wear it at all times, “no wristband, no entry” |
Other rules: no diving or running, no smoking, no alcohol or glass, and management may inspect eskies and bags. Fibreglass boards, surfboards and boards with fins are not allowed, and neither are skateboards or bikes (no bikes inside the glass-fenced area). Pets are not allowed in the fenced area, apart from accredited assistance animals. Lockers are available and the conditions strongly recommend using them, as management accepts no responsibility for theft or damage.
The conditions also let management close the Wave Lagoon at short notice for an unexpected event, such as an electrical storm or high winds, and say that no refund or compensation is given for such closures.
What does the Aqua Park cost, and who can use it?
The Aqua Park page describes 4-metre high floating inflatable obstacles to swim, run, jump, flip, climb, bounce and slide through.
| Item | What the Waterfront says |
|---|---|
| Adult (18 and over) | From $35.00 per person per hour |
| Child (6 to 17) | From $35.00 per person per hour |
| Season pass | From $299.00, with unlimited sessions through the season |
| Stand up paddle board hire | $20 for 30 minutes; $30 for 1 hour |
| Minimum age | 6 years on the Large Aqua Park; children aged 6 to 9 must be accompanied on the park by a paying adult |
| Before you start | Everyone wears a life jacket, signs a waiver and completes a safety induction |
| Session length | 1 hour in total, including the induction and 50 minutes on the park; spaces are first come, first served |
| Payment on site | Card payments only |
The page recommends booking ahead online and says family and group discounts are available. For session times it refers you to the Aqua Park website, and it gives 1300 278 272 and info@aqpk.com.au for enquiries.
What is free at the Waterfront?
The sports facilities page and playground page list several facilities that cost nothing to use.
| Facility | Where and what |
|---|---|
| 3×3 basketball court | On the lawns between the Wave Lagoon kiosk and the pool. To book a future basketball event, email darwinwaterfront@nt.gov.au |
| Beach volleyball | Full-size court at the Recreation Lagoon; free seven days a week, bring your own ball |
| Fitness bikes | 9 outdoor KOMPAN bikes on the grass facing the Waterfront outside the Convention Centre, free to the public |
| Pickleball | Four public courts near Fort Hill Parkland, off Anchorage Court; bring your own equipment |
| Playground | For children aged 2 to 8, with a slide, rope course, tunnels, a mini climbing wall, a pod swing and a balance trail; shaded seating and free Wi-Fi for parents |
The playground rules include shoes at all times, adult supervision at all times, no climbing on the coloured poles or roof, and no smoking.
Where do I park near the Wave Lagoon?
The Waterfront’s parking page says all on-street meters are cashless and take Visa or Mastercard, and the PayStay app is accepted across the precinct. On-street fees do not apply on weekdays outside 8am to 5pm or on weekends, although parking is still monitored and fines apply to illegal parking.
| Car park | Charges, from the Waterfront |
|---|---|
| Jervois Road | $2 per hour or $6 all day, 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday; free on weekends |
| Stokes Hill Road | $3 per hour or $8 all day, 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday; free on weekends |
| Fort Hill Parkland | $3 per hour or $8 per day, 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday; PayStay app only |
| Kitchener Drive multi-storey | Free for under two hours. Then: up to 3 hours costs $4; up to 4 hours costs $6; up to 5 hours costs $11; up to 6 hours costs $15; and up to 24 hours costs $35. Height limit 2.3 metres. Charged by length of stay |
| Convention Centre basement | Open 24 hours; flat rate of $5 per day |
| Convention Centre rear car park | $3 per hour or $8 all day, 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday |
The parking page also gives a motorcycle note (motorcycle parking is currently unavailable in the multi-storey), six electric vehicle charging stations at 25 cents per kWh through the Exploren app, and disabled bays across the precinct. If a meter fails, report it to the Waterfront Corporation on 8999 5155 before you leave your vehicle. The Waterfront’s Getting Around page says it is a five-minute walk from Darwin city via the sky bridge, and that Route 14 of the public bus network serves the precinct.
Sources
- Darwin Waterfront — Wave Lagoon (checked 8 November 2026)
- Darwin Waterfront — Wave Lagoon Conditions of Entry (PDF, June 2025)
- Darwin Waterfront — Aqua Park
- Darwin Waterfront — Sports Facilities
- Darwin Waterfront — Playground
- Darwin Waterfront — Parking
- Darwin Waterfront — Getting Around
Featured image: Darwin Waterfront at night with the Ferris wheel on Stokes Hill Wharf, 2023 (photo: Bahnfrend / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Darwin Waterfront Corporation or Aqua Park Darwin. Prices, rules and opening times can change; check the Waterfront’s pages before you go.