The results of community consultation conducted by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council earlier in the year delivered an “overwhelming response” in favour of keeping the park open.

Council then called for expressions of interest. The result of that is it is now in negotiation with two parties.

Sydney business man David Waite is one of those interested.

“I am 100 per cent sure the park doesn’t have to close,” he said.

“I believe the park can have a fantastic future and would dearly love to be able to buy it.”

Mr Waite said he would love for “Santa to bring him an early Christmas present” and be told that his offer for a freehold purchase was accepted.

“This is a very complex process for the council to work through,” the 33-year-old said.

“I really believe it can work but I understand nothing happens quickly with these things.”

Mr Waite is something of a collector and has a passion for Australia’s heritage.

“I already have a collection of about 5000 pieces of historic machinery,” he said.

“It is a dream of mine to have a heritage theme park and I sincerely hope that it is in Wauchope.

“I’ve been up to [Wauchope] pretty much once a week for the past few months and I would love to relocate my family out of the rat race and up to the Mid-North Coast.”

Council’s acting director of corporate and business services Craig Swift-McNair was tight-lipped about negotiations in relation to Mr Waite and Timbertown.

“We are aiming to get a report done by the next council meeting on November 25,” he said.

“It is still up in the air and we have a lot of ground to cover.”

Mr Swift-McNair said the main objective for council was to secure the future of the park.

“We are working furiously on this,” he said.

“We would like to have moved along with it before the December council meeting as that is the last meeting until February.”