Construction starts next month on URBNSURF Melbourne, creating the world’s first full-size Wavegarden® “Cove” surf lagoon.
February 22, 2018. URBNSURF announced yesterday that they’ve secured $28.3 million in funding to develop URBNSURF Melbourne at Melbourne Airport. Their plan is to develop ten wave parks in Australia by 2028. This is number 3 following URBNSURF Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park and URBNSURF Perth at Tompkins Park, Alfred Cove. They plan to commence construction next month and have already secured consent from the state. URBNSURF expects to be blasting out up to 1,000, two-meter high ocean-like waves by Easter of 2019.
The Wave
Birdseye view of whats to come. Photo: URBNSURF
This Wavegarden® Cove model will be the first full-size installation in the world. The Cove model that we’ve seen Kolohe and others surf will seem like a small pond compared to this version. The plan for the lagoon is 2.1 hectares in size (5.2 acres) and will produce up to 1,000 waves per hour. The most authentic and ocean-like waves you can imagine. Based on the small-scale model in the Basque country we know this to be true. The facility will be the first of its kind and the first commercially operating Cove model on the planet. This is after 12 years of R&D by a team of 50 engineers based in Europe.
URBNSURF Melbourne will be able to host up to 84 surfers per hour across 6 different surfing zones. Waves will range in size from very small up to two meters high. This creates a safe environment to learn or to increase surfing skills for the 2 million residents that live within 30-minutes of the Melbourne Airport. The design is exactly what we’ve seen at the R&D demo center, only bigger, much bigger.
The site requires 20ML of water per annum to replenish the lagoon (equivalent to the annual water needs of high-quality turf sports). URBNSURF intends to source this water from storm runoff taken from Melbourne Airport precinct. The water will then be treated to near drinking water standards before arriving in the lagoon.
Surf parks require a lot of power and URBNSURF is being responsible as to how they will obtain that power. They intend to source 100% of the facilities power requirements from renewable energy sources.
The Set Up, URBNSURF Melbourne
Facility artist impression. Photo: URBNSURF
The lagoon will be located at Melbourne Airport, across from the Essendon Football Club on Airport Drive, 16 kilometers north of Melbourne’s central business district. Encompassing the surf lagoon design will be an “innovative sports, leisure and entertainment facility”. (Similar to Wavegarden’s design in Virginia Beach, Virginia). Around the surfing lagoon, you’ll find restaurants, bars, retail stores and fully-equipped surf shop with rentals. Although that’s not all, they’ll offer night surfing, a surfing academy offering high-performance surf coaching and training centers. fitness classes and a beach club will also be on site. The location will serve as a music and art venue for festivals and showcases as well.
The facility will be state-of-art and build with a ‘modular, minimalist design’.
“We look forward to collaborating on URBNSURF’s other planned developments in Sydney and Perth.”- Josema Ordiozola
Interior artist impression. Photo: URBNSURF
URBNSURF’s Founder and Executive Chairmen, Andrew Ross said “We are delighted to be bringing the southern hemisphere’s first surf park facility to Melbourne, the traditional home of Australian sport. Melbourne’s 200,000 or so existing surfers, plus all of those who want to give surfing a go, will now be able to enjoy high-quality surf, year-round, and all within a 25-minute drive of the Melbourne central business district.”
He went on to add, “URBNSURF Melbourne unlocks the geographic limitations of surfing by bringing the beach to your backyard. We are aiming to provide surfers of all abilities the opportunity to engage in their sport more frequently, conveniently, and safely – allowing them to simply ‘surf more’.”
Bringing Australia’s first surf park to Melbourne Airport is something the company is stoked on. Wavegarden’s Founder and CEO, Josema Ordiozola said, “We are excited to be working with URBNSURF to bring the world’s first public Wavegarden® Cove to Victoria, and to create Melbourne’s first surf break.”
“We’re confident that our technology will deliver high-quality waves and surfing experiences for guest of all abilities.”- Josema
Josema continued by saying, “Australia has a large population of active surfers, plus many people that would like to learn to surf. We’re confident that our technology will deliver high-quality waves and surfing experiences for guest of all abilities. We look forward to collaborating on URBNSURF’s other planned developments in Sydney and Perth.”
With surfing now confirmed as an Olympic sport for the 2020 Olympic Games, URBNSURF Melbourne will assist the Australian surf team in training to prepare for their campaign along with URBNSURF Sydney, located in the Sydney Olympic Park.
Surf sessions will be flexible, with surfers able to book either online or in person. One session, two sessions or all day passes will be available. The cost of memberships and sessions will vary depending on the zone desired and the time of use, or tier of membership. URBNSURF will release more pricing information soon and we’ll keep you updated.
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