Australia’s Second Wavegarden Set to Hit Sydney in 2018

URBN-fucking-SURF! These are the men who’ve made it their prerogative to thin out the crowds in Oz. We already know a Wavegarden’s gonna drop in Melbourne in 2017. And today, information’s been released that they’ve set plans to build a Wavegarden in Sydney, in the carpark of the Sydney Olympic Park. “Sydney is blessed with a large number of surfing beaches, but access to those beaches and crowding in the line-up is becoming an increasing issue,” says URBNSURF’s portal. “URBNSURF Sydney will provide an authentic alternative to ocean-based surfing and provide another opportunity for Sydney-based surfers and those wanting to learn to surf to surf more safely, more easily and more often.”

“Earlier this year the Sydney Olympic Park Authority asked for suggestions to transform a car park into a new attraction,” says Syndey’s Channel 7 News. “A crocodile park and a zoo were among the ideas it received, but now the winner has been revealed: a plan for a giant wave pool.”

As fired up as the possibility for a new crocodile park can get the masses, for the surf-horny folks of Oz this’ll be preferable. “Strategically located only 14 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD, and at the demographic heart of Sydney, Sydney Olympic Park is the home to a large number of residents, workers, and students and receives over 10 million visitors per annum,” states URBN. “Sydney Olympic Park is an ideal location for URBNSURF Sydney with its many sporting, entertainment, leisure venues, large open green spaces, playgrounds and cycleways, as well as hosting over 5,000 events each year.”

Unfortunately, the CBD to Homebush is the slowest 14km drive in Sydney.

Sick of fighting the hordes to surf meager Bondi? Well, there’ll soon be an artificial solution. Photo: URBNSURF

“With a north-south lagoon orientation, URBNSURF Sydney has been designed to suit prevailing wind conditions. LED lagoon lighting means you can surf night and day. The facility will also feature sustainable design, renewable energy and water saving systems, in keeping with Sydney Olympic Park’s strong environmental sustainability ethos,” continues URBN. The Wavegarden will be “situated less than a kilometre from the Olympic Park train station, and immediately adjacent to a likely station location on the future $1bn Parramatta Light Rail line, URBNSURF Sydney will be accessible to over 2 million Sydney residents in under 30 minutes.”

As polarising a topic as Wavepool tech has become, there’s certainly positives to be found here. Only time will tell if this actually helps thinning out crowds.

Additionally, watching Channel 7’s Paul Kadak (1:00) sit in the carpark, sporting a thruster beneath the arm of his sports coat and proclaiming, “it’ll be a couple more summers before you can hang 10,” is just wonderful.