Perth Will Have The Bougiest Wave Park In The Southern Hemisphere

The West Australian Government has announced plans to build a new wave park in Perth. The park will be the biggest in the southern hemisphere, and feature a Wavegarden ‘Cove’ surfing lagoon, boutique surf hotel, health and wellness centre, co-working offices, functions and events spaces, performance academy, beach club and restaurants. 

The $80 million project will be developed by Aventuur who have acquired the exclusive rights to develop the Wavegarden wave generating technology globally. The company is headed by Andrew Ross, Aventuur’s Chairman and Chief Development Officer, and former CEO of URBNSURF, who led Australia’s first wave pool development in Melbourne. The surf park will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, sitting on a 5.7-hectare site adjacent to Jandakot airport, a 15 minute drive from Freemantle and the Perth CBD. 

“Surfing is a deeply ingrained part of Perth’s beachside culture, but access to consistent, high-quality waves is limited, and marine hazards can be intimidating for newcomers and beginners. Our surf park proposal will overcome these challenges, as well as providing opportunities for tourism, active recreation, sports development, and the creation of jobs,” said Andrew Ross on the new announcement. 

The airport model has been a major part of the success of URBNSURF, which allows visitors to easily access the park from all over the country. Interestingly however, Jandakot Airport is primarily a general aviation airport for pilot training and essential services such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), and Fire and Emergency Services, rather than passenger transportation. Inter-state visitors will need to make the 20 minute drive from Perth Airport. 

Perth’s sharky waters and average wave-quality, owing to the swell blocked by Rottnest island, mean that the development should be attractive to the surfing community among its 2 million population.