Australia's first wavepool to open late 2017
The Australian licensees of Wavegarden, URBNsurf, have today announced they'll be opening Australia's first wave pool late next year. The site is selected, development plans passed, and work begins soon.
So where is the lucky neigbourhood? A promo vid describes it as 23 minutes from the Melbourne CBD though the actual site is a seven hectare park on Airport Drive, Tullamarine.
Stay tuned for more details.
Comments
Calling the sleuth.. Craig! Come on down.
Looks like the location is here, left of Essendon FC..
I think the commercial reality of the development is - it will be a soft beginner/intermediate wave to focus on the Melbourne yuppie target market. People rocking up in their black SUV's with their NSP's and foam boards with high disposable incomes. They can go to work on Monday and exclaim to their colleagues that they are a "surfer" now.
I think the reality is for real surfers that this may very well be a big let-down. Much like the "Flowrider" at MSAC which must be the only Flowrider in the world that doesn't even have a barrel. I thought it was a sick joke, but the commercial reality is - yuppies don't surf barrels.
Is the water going to be heated , as it is Victoria?
Just tried to find details of URBNsurf...not much available? In fact, they seem to have just jumped on the scene?
Are they a business or just a group of private investors who bought a site and now have a license with Wavegarden?
URBNsurf are headed by Andrew Ross, former CEO of Wave Park Group, Australian license holders of Wavegarden technology.
Here's a 2013 Swellnet article about them and Wavegarden.
Looks like URBNsurf is a rebrand or a subsidiary or Wave Park Group. This makes things look more legit.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/waveparkgroup?trk=send_invitation_success_me...
Also nothing from Wavegarden on this? Is it legit?
Yep, legit. Melbourne Airport are a client of mine. They are not overseeing the construction, but it is on their land.
Interesting, do you by any chance know who's running the project? i.e. who's the architects, engineers, project managers etc?
Late 2017 dosent leave much time for construction...All DA's must be already approved
Agent Brokensha ?
Quick google reveals nothing.
I'll believe it when I see it..... just like the SnowFlex park that was scheduled to be built near Tulla to be completed in 2013.... or the NBN..
"23 minutes from the Melbourne CBD "..
jeez Melb must of got its traffic sorted since i was there.
Going to start saving my pocket money for a wave now.
Great! All those city slaters don't have to drive down the coast anymore...
As a Victorian i don't mean to sound ungrateful, but after seeing Kellys wave pool i feel like a grommet who got a boogie board for Christmas instead of a surfboard.
Haha.
Exactly.
Well said.
"Worlds leading man made wave technology"????
We all know that's not true.
After watching the clip I wondered how will crowd management go? During summer It will end up crowded to the point of having to make a booking two weeks in advance.
one of the good thing would be the hopeful thining of the crowds down the coast ( crowd factor in Vic isn't as bad as some of the other states). the clip shows more like a delusional fantasy in some regards. It would be interesting to see their business model
As with all things being built it will be completed two+ years over due, and well over budget. Only time will tell.
I reckon crowd management will be done via entry fees. Free surf in Torquay, or $100 surf at Melbourne airport. Horses for courses...
They going to have some issues with the wind if they build it there.
Couldnt pick a windier spot in melbourne, maybe out Werribee way.
Do they choose the direction of the pool based on predominate winds?
Does wind really matter?
I would think so, much like a natural wave.
Not paying all that money to surf a wave with a howling sideshore chop
My point is: it's a man-made wave. Therefore, if wind is an issue after its built, they can certainly create man-made wind barriers too (I imagine there'll be elevated spectator seating up and down the length of the pool anyway, which will probably act as such).
Wind chop is only an issue if there is enough fetch to generate it. I'm sure you've surfed a point break under a howling cross-shore breeze (ie Snapper on a strong southerly) - it's still super clean on the wave face.
True.
Only trying to point out is that when your surfing a man made wave, you would kind of expect high quality.
A howling sideshore is still going to severely compromise the wave quality. Maybe im getting a bit over excited about a man made wave.
Take Kelly's wave for example, people would pay money and go surf that expecting what they saw in his promo video, glassy clean barrels, but a howling sideshore or even onshore wind would definitely compromise that.
"Only trying to point out is that when your surfing a man made wave, you would kind of expect high quality."
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but....
I know.
Unnecessary high expectations.
In reality I will never do anything more than drive past the joint on my way to the airport.
Be able to run 24 hours by airport....nice way to rinse off after a flight.
I avoid Melbourne "like the plague", but a perfect (?) surf before a late flight would be an awesome way to start a trip.
Pretty small fetch area with negligible impacts on wave quality. Beside the wave crumbles regardless of where the winds blowing from.
Also, how many can they have surfing the proper wave at any one time? I'm assuming its not more than 4. So the coast will be without 4 surfers. :(
http://www.urbnsurf.co/project.html
'With a north-south lagoon orientation, URBNSURF Melbourne has been designed to suit prevailing winds, with one side of the lagoon always delivering offshore waves.'
This is pretty much true, winds are very rarely straight West or East in Melbourne (they are, just rarely).
Exciting stuff for city locked surfers such as myself, they're stating on their website development plans are approved. Bring it on.
I have figured tech ways to heat this pool, if you want to know how just ask homies !!!!!!!!
I reckon it would be off-putting to surf towards that structure. Is it possible to do a roundhouse cutback without hitting it??
you guys might actually get a forecast right at this joint.
but really you do a rad job & are normally spot on. Legends.
Did they refer to the surf shop as a pro shop?
i only know of two types of pro shops and one is for golfers.
you can get your balls cleaned at both though....
But seriously who would be the "pro" at the melbourne wave pool?
I can see what brands they would stock though.
Kelly Slater Designs
Firewire
Hayden Shapes
Softech
My random two cents - For anyone hoping that this would thin out the crowds elsewhere, probably exactly the opposite.
An analogy that I think is pretty spot on would be the explosion of climbing gyms around the world and how that changed the face of that sport. People get introduced to the sport by going to the gym/wave pool for a birthday party or similar, get into it and then go "outdoors".
Weekend warriors able to get the wave time to improve to the next level. Kids that are introduced grow up with that and spend all their time dialing moves and getting better, then taking that to the cliffs/mountains/waves and then just kill it. Sort of like:
(jump to 0:40 to skip the intro)- climbing gyms to
- terrain parks at the ski resort to (jump to 1:05)
Bottom line is that if these get off the ground and be popular (1) there will be a huge increase in the number of people surfing and (2) what the groms of the next generation will be able to pull off will blow minds.
that's what I was thinking.
that annoying guy with the black SUV, NSP, SUP combo is gonna get real good real quick, then look for some real action
Yeah, they're going to become masters of the universe practising on this wave!
And then paddle out at a real break, but they don't know how to paddle, can't read a rip or current, don't know how to swim, have no idea of how to get out of the way, paddle for the shoulder, can't duckdive.
I suspect this wave will teach them how to surf a wave pool, and not much more. Climbing is not necessarily a good analogy.
That's funny, heard the same argument when climbing gyms came in. "They won't know how to handle the exposure, the weather and changes outdoors, rock that's unstable, the gear needed, etc, etc, etc..."
Not saying that's not true, just that having a controlled environment to practice things over and over again will allow people to train in a way that isn't as easy now, and will lift the game of a lot of people. Then when those few that take it from the controlled environment to something more realistic and adapt it. For those that can adapt is when things could get interesting. (that's if these things take off)
But who knows, surfing may be a completely unique sport in that being able to train for a part of that sport easily doesn't make any improvement whatsoever....
well I think you're right batfink, their skills will be limited.
but that black SUV guy who can't do all that stuff but somehow thinks he's entitled to a few peelers is usually more annoying than a xcompetent surfer.
a bit like the euros in bali or byron, give me reasonable competent crowd anyday
but those gromnets that can access this thing daily after school, whhooaaa look out, they'll be all over it
As someone who learned to climb in a gym and then moved outdoors, sport and trad climbing took a FUCKLOAD of adapting. Learning safe and effective rope usage and gear placement was obviously a major part of it, but dealing with exposure? Totally something else. Very easy to be a top rope hero, but being 20 metres up on a nasty overhang, minimal jugs, and trying to clip (the right way round!!!).... My palms are sweating just thinking about it. Very interesting exercise in mindfulness.
Having said that, learning good climbing technique and developing strength in a gym definitely helped.
Lets hope they go better than the Essendon footy club. They could be handing out peptides at the gate for extra paddle power.
I reckon it looks like a pig of a wave and not something I'd be prepared to travel for let alone pay for the privelage.
Kellys wave on the other had looked pretty good, this ones a stale cream-puff.
Wave pools have taken surfing and deleted the best bit.........being in the ocean.
* 1000 spenda.
I don't see these wavepools as any different from indoor ski slopes you have in Auckland or the middle East.
When I lived in NZ, I used the Auckland one a few times at the start of each winter to make sure when I actually got time on the mountains, I wasn't wasting it getting the feeling of being strapped in and remembering the weight distribution etc.
I would think if I was a surfer living in Melbourne, while it wouldn't be the real thing but it would keep your skills a little fresher if is a matter of 2 or 3 weeks between trips to the coast.
WHAT IS THIS, CHOPPED LIVER!
It will be like that point leo mal wave or that shellies beach PI or fishos torquay epic.
I'll say it right now. I will never go there!.
Where the hell is Webber's sunny coast park?!? Any updates?!?
my from the promotional video it seems their target demographic is primary school aged kids.
heat the water and promote it to primary schools within a 20 km radius of the pool as an all year round sporting "healthy outdoor" option (stage one), develop "school teams" completion (stage two) ... captive market within 2 years 11 am - 2pm Monday to Friday with school kids swarming all over the joint and let the wannabes surf it after hours (possible 24 hour operation in summer months) and dial up the wave height from dribbling 1 foot to crumbling 2 foot. Music options ... wiggles for the kiddies and commercial radio shit for the after hours knuckleheads. Lots of $$$ made from boards, wet suits and t-shirts from the onsite store.
it could possibly work but not as any of us expect except for maybe nick3, tones and barley would wish for ......... think back to when 10 pin bowling came to your local country town ....... it was the new flavour must do thing to do.
by the way its just down the road from the DFO .... mum drops the kids off and goes shopping for the morning.
tullamarine freeway is a shit fight so its target customer base will come from north of melbourne.
lock up all your valuables too, not to far from broady!!
Maybe we could email Wave garden and ask them to change to Kelly's technology?
I would expect that each new wave pool they build will be incrementally better than the last one. The technology is only Beta version and still evolving, Kelly's team has gained an edge but they dont have a monopoly on wave plough profiles or pool bottom profiles.
I reckon after half a dozen of these have been built and typical developmental problems have been overcome someone is going to build the pool that is capable of head height barrels and everyone will have to go... "respect".....
and.... when they start including compartmentalised liquid filled bladders on the bottom of the pool which can be quickly varied in volume so that waves can be modified to includes sucky sections, fat sections, etc etc.
I will call thee 'Gary Stadium', and it will be my home ground.
Faceys as far as the eye can see.
The MSG
No doubt also home of the Melbourne Boardriding Club, where can I put my children's name on the membership waiting list.
Look forward to the day they have to hold the final of bells there:))))))))
I like the idea of the wave garden but the gantry in the middle would really diminish the experience I think. Quite aside from the wave quality I think Kelly's concept without the gantry seemed far better.
That said, I'm going to go to Surf Snowdonia this year when I'm over in the uk. It's a novelty more than anything but I think you've got to try it before you knock it too much. And to be honest I'd rather surf with the backdrop of Snowdonia than the Tullamarine freeway...
less to do with constructing wave pool and more to do with securing the land and the planning permits to flog off in the future I reckon
So someone is going to actually put the "marine" into Tullamarine.
And the video has been deleted .
Promising , failure to launch anyone !?
Vid temporaraily removed due to breach of copyright. See this: https://medium.com/@surf_photo/please-don-t-steal-my-footage-for-corporate-promo-videos-9e2fcc2d7fb6?source=linkShare-e5afeb1f720-1460098843
Classic.
Vids there now?
Wonder if Taj has anything to do with the project or was taken from other footage.
BTW. Isn't Taj girlfriend, Kellys girlfriends sister?
Which makes it kind of weird Taj promoting a wave pool that in a way competition to Kellys, adds to the the Webber-Kelly strange thing.
BTW. Seeing this is planned to be built right next to the Essendon football club, i guess it will break best on a peptide.
Sorry.
Get all the latest news and updates here:
Urbnsurf Melbourne
That's your entire contribution to this discussion? "Check out our website?"
C'mon guys, you can do better than that.
You'd think by now people would have the tiniest clue about how to use social media and not come off like a a complete pack of clueless cunts.
Ahhh seems like you have forgetten rule number 1. Most people really are cunts, expect nothing less until proved otherwise
Dont know about clueless because its pretty good publicity for them and its free....but pretty rude all the same.
Interesting comment on our FB page (thanks Adam McLean):
"I drive past where the Melbourne location is supposedly meant to be finished late 2017, and there isn't any construction or sign of it. And the website hasn't been updated or news on it".
Wasn't construction expected to begin last year?
Ahh, just came across this:
"The jackhammers had all but broken ground when the project came to a screeching halt. It was April of 2016 and Andrew Ross had secured planning approval for URBNSURF Melbourne, a man-made surfing facility powered by Spain-based Wavegarden technology. The preliminary stages were over; waves would be breaking by late 2017. But then, Ross received a call.
“We’ve been working on something I think you’re gonna want to see,” the engineers in Spain told him. So, he flew to Europe and checked out the new project, dubbed “The Cove.” And instantly, Ross knew: “Shit, I thought to myself. I’m going to have to redo everything. It was so good that we had to start over with this new design.”
For the past 10 years, Wavegarden has been researching and developing the best in artificial wave technology. The initial model featured a foil, which drove through the middle of a rectangular lagoon, producing peeling waves on either side of a central pier. In 2015, the first public Wavegarden facility, Surf Snowdonia, opened in Wales. Then, in 2016, NLand Surf Park in Austin, Texas followed. And Kelly Slater – unaffiliated with Wavegarden – released footage in late 2015 of his own foil-powered pool (although he had a clear advantage with a fully barrelling wave).
The foil, which essentially creates a wake not a wave, was headed for Melbourne, too. But in April of 2016, those plans were tossed out. That’s when Ross set his sights on The Cove.
“Imagine the old technology as being 2-D,” Ross said. “You have this rectilinear lagoon with the wave foil going back and forth. It creates this terrific surfing experience, but it’s fixed. Whereas The Cove, I would describe as 3-D. What The Cove allows you to do is alter the peel angle – the angle at which the swell hits the reef profile. And by changing that, you then change the nature of the wave. You have control whether it’s more of a shoulder, or something more like a slab. You’ve got this greater variability with The Cove technology, which you didn’t have with the wave foil technology."
The interesting point here is: "in April of 2016, those plans were tossed out".
Yet April 2016 was when this article was published, which was immediately after they announced they'd be opening Australia's first wave pool late 2017.
That's a pretty short time for things to turn around so dramatically.
Update - All the press for this in late 2017 said construction would begin in March 2018 and the park would open early 2019. I checked some recent aerial imagery and as at April 25th there are zero signs of construction on this site. All trees still standing.
peabo
you have answerd the question i was wondering
the joint will take longer than 12 monthes once they start footings structure ect
it aint happening is my best bet
Must we do this Whiteshoe shuffle? Nothing remotely first with wavepools here.
Give credit where it's due.
(Exclusive) Swellnetonians salute to wave park innovators of OZ.
1986 Wet'n'Wild 1st OZ Wave Pool opened still powers on today..Surf Peak to shore
1986 Thunder River Rapids {R.I.P.} 1st OZ rapid wave course with 10 ft wash + good speed
2000 Penrith Whitewater stadium 1st OZ Olympic wave pool (Massive Power + Speed)
2006 OZ first standing wave face ..Dreamworld Flow Rider + Cave of Waves (Pool)
2010 Darwin Wave Lagoon... (Currently best chop/whip wave pool in OZ ?)
2013 Melbourne Flowrider standing face.
2013 Syd Surf Deck standing face flowrider + Syd Wet'n'Wild Wave Pool
2014 1st Oz cruise Ship to install a Flowrider/(2009 first of Royal' fleet with Flowrider?)
2015 Adelaide Flowrider standing face.
2016 Cairns Flowrider standing face.
2018 W.A Aloha Surf.... OZ 1st Standing Barrel + OZ first standing Sweet Spot
2018 Kalgoorlie Flowrider Standing face
Cruise ships all have 1 or more Flowriders
Note all wave pools visited & tutored by Aust Surf + pros
World championship events also held at these wave parks...A proud OZ history we have.
We are seeing nothing radically new with wave pool tech...
Just the Surfing industry testing the waters.
How does one evacuate a theme park for each maniac weaponized park intruder.(Skegz)
Ask yourself! That's one hell of a premium ride. Turbines ramped to No.11 ...Lets Rock!
Outta my way sea of people. Love the smell of greenhouse gas in the morning.
Compare running cost/profit of solo OZ surfer in same wave pool to 30,000 in Japan?
No one wants a flowrider/Wavepool until the neighbours got one. No different here...
Feel free to add or correct list.
{Message to Ben}...That Video I promised is on Bodybash page. OK!
OZ Wavepool list .... VICTORIA (additional)
Sorry these Wave Pools have No Dates...I believe all are post 2001 & all still operational.
Yes the kids are bodybash'n & Bodyboard'n these indoor Wavepools all day/year round.
Casey Aquatic Centre Wave Pool
Cheltenham Waves Centre
Melton Waves
Waves Leisure Centre
Monash Aquatic Centre Wave Pool
Love some info on Vicco's pet wavepool passion.
Victoria Continued...MSAC Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre Wave Pool
2008 MSAC became first pool in the world with a moveable floor. (Go figure).
Regional Vic... Mildura Wave Pool
See also above Flowrider.
We continue Swellnetonian's OZ Micro- Wave Brewery Tour. ( You know you want to..)
TASMANIA...
Home to Australian Maritime College (OZ Wave testing facilities)
Murray Valley Resort @ Yarrawonga is said to have a wave pool (Not verified)
Fair to Cruise Flowriders hobble ashore at Hobart Docks asking directions for hospital.
CANBERRA...
Blue Mountains Katoomba proposed indoor Wavepool/Swirl/Lazy River.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA...
Hallet Cove locals plan to reshape a nostalgic Sydney style seaside tidal- wave pool
To date I failed to unearth a wavepool in S.A. (Most likely to be one than not)... Anyone?
As above... Flowrider installed @ Salisbury & similar standalone for Glenelg.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA....
2001' Bayswater Waves/Whirpool/Lazy Riverflow
2012 Sth Port Headland ...Latitube Wavestand
See also above 2018 Joondalup Wavehouse + Regional Kalgoorlie Flowrider
Wavepool NEWS :" We don't need no stinkin' Wave Pool on Perth's Swan River"
(Thousands of locals considered the'Proposed Wavepark' an eyesore on the riverbank!)
NSW...(sorry 'bout such a long flight).
(Regional) ...
2003 Oasis-Wagga Wagga (Round pool) Waves crown Wave ball as in mid ocean/Riverflow
2002 Blacktown (Stanhope)- Wavepool($ 1.1m) /Moveable floor pool/Whirlpool
2000-14 Ryde- Wavepool/Bubble Whirlpool/Rapid River
2014 Surfryder (Latitube) costing $3.5m (40 rides/hr) x $17.50 for 1/2 hr ride
Developed by Swimplex Aquatics Coffs Harbour...
Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre: Splasher Swirlride/Large Whirlpool/Rapid River Ride
2017 Fairfield Aquatopia' Stingray Wave rider' is a reverse flow wide waterslide Waveface.
Developed by Murphy's Waves Ltd from Scotland. This being Murph the Surfs 1st oz Wave.
Sydney.... renowned for tidal Sea Pools
Cook & Phillip Park Wave Pool
Sydney Wet'n'Wild (see above) + Dinosaur Lagoon (Lazy River)
Proposed NSW Indoor Wavepool: (Taree) .
QUEENSLAND...
Gold Coast see above + Wet'n'Wild rides
1997 Calypso Beach (Busy River Circuit)
2002- 09 Whirlpool
2010 Flowrider (Wavelock)
2018 Loganholme: Webber Pool (submission)
Qld Regional:
1998' Toowoomba indoor Wave Pool
2018 Bundaberg Surf Lakes (Trial)
2016(Cairns Pool) Dual Flowrider + Proposed Flowrider/River loop @ Cairns Theme Park
Airlee Beach Flow House Water Park proposes Flowrider + Later a Flow Barrel
Townsville is also red hot frothin' to get a Flowrider...Ipswich likely to follow.
N.T.
See above + proposals for Flowrider OZ Wave & (Lazy River) adjacent to Darwin Wave Park
Here's a List of some of the OZ Wave Engineers involved.
Aquatic Engineering gnfp
Leisure Engineering
Simplex Aquatics
Closing note: These pools may be small but the waves are huge by comparison.
Easy to see if they were ramped up you'd be seeing the largest waves in any wavepools.
What I found amazing was the multitude of designs. Think of them free Wave models.
Now we're all up to speed for Monorail Waveparks headed for your town. It's OK to say no!
Anyhow I hope you enjoyed your Micro-wave Brewery Tour... Thanks Swellnet !
[OZ Wave Pools correction]...Late edition & (Apology)
Sydney: Australia's Wonderland
1985 Snowy River Rampage (Retrospectively becomes our first OZ Wave course!)
1986 (Replaces former said first) Thunder River Rapids-Dreamworld-Gold Coast Qld.
See: Real seat of your pants cobweb surf rafting from the Park's Pro Pool Boyz
Quote: "Oh fuck'n Jesus! Look at the size of these waves...you could Surf off the Bastards!"
Youtube-"Australia's Wonderland Sydney- Snowy River Rampage on Ride"(surfing @ 2:25)
Hands Up! Who recalls promised Wave Pool stadiums of heroes swatting Tsunamis.
[Factcheck] Proposed Oz Wavepark venues have almost no Spectator Seating.
(WA+Melb+Syd+GC+Rocky)Combined seating falls short of municipal Swim Pool.
Municipal Pools have minimum 500 seating Grandstand for local kidz Swim meets.
Fact is Local Council would be required to shade 500 seats if building a wavepool.
As it stands! Each wavepool has 50 poolbeds for tanning + 20 Cinzano umbrellas.
(No Grandstands)Few would pay $5 to stand in hot sun for tippy-toe peak-a-boo.
This is an embarrassing backflip for promised futuristic Stadium Surfing.
Wading Pool Synchronized Swim Fairies easily upstage the #1 WSL Pro Pool Party
Left unchecked it could re-brand wild & free surfers as wading pool queue jumpers.
All current/proposed Oz Wavepool competitions run independent of WSL/SA.
Have to beg a Wavepool Body to set lowest piss trough standards for pool comps?
Oz history of wavepools combined never had the drama of today's '1st wave pools'.
They need to stop trashing the Sport Of Surfing...Surfers were promised better!