Ulladulla’s HarbourFeast giant slide proved a big hit for some and a big miss for others on Sunday.
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The slide was supposed to start at 10am in Burrill Street South, however sliders were forced to wait up to two hours before water was available to the slide.
Participants crowded at the top of the hill waiting for the slide to start and many were angry waiting in the hot sun.
By 12 noon the slide action began and large crowds hit the 315 metre giant slide.
Big numbers resulted in a few mishaps, including young sliders being ‘run over’ by older teens and adults, while one group took to the slide on an inflatable mattress and took out a group of younger participants.
The ambulance was called on several occasions to treat injured sliders.
Lauren Martin said the slide was an “epic fail”.
“Paid $120, my husband went down with my five year old then my eight year old following, then some idiot sent a mattress down with 10 people on it.
“It ripped apart the slide.
“If it wasn't for my husband’s quick reaction flinging my five year old girl over the other side of the slide, she would have been seriously injured.
“Unfortunately they were going so fast on the mattress they cleaned up my eight year old daughter who has a serious bump to the head and was seen by the ambos onsite.
“Who in their right mind sends 10 adults down at one time?
“I was so upset and angry, promptly got my money back.”
However, Jane Campbell said her son and husband had a blast.
“Would have been more successful with more water and organisation but all in all was a great day,” she added.
Cath Hewitt said the two hour wait was “definitely not good”.
“Nearly two hours late to start, water issues...could have been great. Just wasn't.
“Rotary and the helpers did great,” she said.
Rach Zerbes said a large gap in the joins caused problems for her.
“I got stopped/choked half way down and my daughter slid right under the plastic, was run over by several people, then dragged out onto the road at South Street by the marshals,” she added.
Kate Gardiner said, after the initial teething problems the slide was “awesome”.
“The owners were very accommodating letting everyone slide all day as many times as they wanted to make up for the delay,” she said.
“I really hope that the community gets behind them and encourages the slide to come back again, and I hope the minority of spoil sports that want to complain and whinge don't spoil it for everyone else.”
Trina James said the event was “terrible”.
“We had three family passes, money wasted, very disappointed.
“At the end off the day they were still charging people to go on and we travelled up from Batemans Bay.
“The sea pool was much better.”
While some complained about the crowds and the late start, others said the slide was a fantastic addition to the HarbourFeast event, providing hours of entertainment for young and old.
The slide followed the main festival at the civic centre on Saturday and Friday night’s Locavore event at the civic centre.