Photo: URBNSURF.
For surf enthusiasts and those seeking a thrilling escape from their daily routine, Adelaide is gearing up to potentially introduce a slice of coastal excitement in its urban landscape- a surf park.
Surf parks, which bring surfable waves to people in a fun and safe environment, could be carving a new niche near the Adelaide Airport, promising both local residents and tourists a sea-like adventure without the sandy beach.
While multiple coastal cities flaunt their natural waves, Adelaide is stepping up its game in the era of innovative entertainment. This new venture, which has been resonating with surf aficionados across the globe, is now set to offer Adelaidians a unique way to enjoy surfing.
Two notable surf park operators, URBNSURF and Monument Wave Parks, have approached Invest SA – the state government’s investment attraction agency – expressing their keen interest in making this project happen in Adelaide. Global creator of integrated surf park developments Aventuur has also expressed interest.
Their alleged proposed spot? The vicinity opposite the bustling Harbour Town outlet shopping centre behind the OTR petrol station on Tapleys Hill Rd.
The trend of surf parks owes much to URBNSURF’s pioneering venture. With their flagship park near Tullamarine airport in Melbourne, launched in 2020, they tapped into Wavegarden technology. This marvel can churn out an astounding 1000 waves every hour, emanating from an impressive 85 metre pier at the heart of a serene lagoon.
The key to a successful surf park lies in its ability to offer high frequency and high capacity at a sustainable operating cost- and the Wavegarden technology ticks the boxes to fulfil this.
These man-made waves have been creating ripples in the surf community, revolutionising the sport. The vision was further propelled into the limelight with champion professional surfer Kelly Slater’s Californian facility that offers a surfer’s dream – perfect right and left-handed waves.
Riding on their wave of success, Urbnsurf has another facility lined up for Sydney Olympic Park in the coming year. And that’s not all- Aventuur has a whopping $100 million surf park project on the horizon for Perth, having exclusively secured Wavegarden’s advanced tech in Australia.
These artificial surfing havens are not just limited to Australia. Their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years with establishments rising in the US, UK, and Europe. The world’s largest surf park is also anticipated to open in Abu Dhabi this year, backed by Kelly Slater.
Despite previous concerns about water shortages and soaring power prices, these challenges have been navigated, making the project feasible for Adelaide.
The surf park also boasts benefits beyond the surfing experience, including an uptick in tourism and a boost to the state’s economy, along with offering a unique blend of recreation and wellness opportunities.
Find out more about URBNSURF here, Monument Wave Parks here and Aventuur here.
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