Perth Football stadium to be turned into a Wavepool - Stab Mag
486 Views

Perth Football stadium to be turned into a Wavepool

Perth’s stacked full of surfers but rarely gets quality surf. Due largely to a dirty big island called Rottnest sitting just off the coast and blocking all the swell. What a better candidate then, for a wavepool! The wavepool locales up until now have been a little, well, random. Dubai, The Canaries, Japan, San Sebastian, Wales? But at last, there seems to be some logic behind the location. The proposed location is the Subiaco Oval – the home of the West Coast Eagles and the Perth football hall of fame (whatever that means) in the inner-western suburbs of Perth. The proposed development’s estimated to cost $120 million, and as well as a Snowdonia style wavegarden, it’ll also include elevated parkland, market space, and shiny new apartments: It’s a yuppies dream! Isn’t this just a picture of proposed modern bliss! This outrageously ambitious project is a collab between local Subiaco architects MJA Studio, and the Wave Park Group, who’re the company that holds exclusive rights to develop and operate the patented Wavegarden technology in Australia (à la Snowdonia and San Sebastian) The Proposed Stats: A 300m-long by 120m wide freshwater lagoon using groundbreaking “Wavegarden” wave generating technology only used in two European surf parks, with another under construction in Texas (Rick Kane’s reportedly wet with anticipation) Six zones with different sized waves catering for everyone from beginners to professionals, with scope for other water-based activities including uninterrupted 300m swimming laps. Waves would be up to 2m high and travel 200m for a 30-second ride; 220 dual-aspect one and two bedroom apartments ranging from $500,000 to $800,000; New elevated public parkland (12,800sq m extension to Kitchener Park) with views over Subiaco, Kings Park and Perth CBD, inspired by New York’s High Line park; Dedicated market hall and plaza and hospitality and wellness venues; 52 TERRACED homes along the railway line; and a permanent home for the WA Football Hall of Fame. This all sounds marvellous, but as we’ve learnt with wavepools in the past, planning and executing are two very separate things. Call us cynical cliché merchants, but we’ll believe this one when we see it!

news // Mar 8, 2016
Words by stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Perth’s stacked full of surfers but rarely gets quality surf. Due largely to a dirty big island called Rottnest sitting just off the coast and blocking all the swell. What a better candidate then, for a wavepool! The wavepool locales up until now have been a little, well, random. Dubai, The Canaries, Japan, San Sebastian, Wales? But at last, there seems to be some logic behind the location.

The proposed location is the Subiaco Oval – the home of the West Coast Eagles and the Perth football hall of fame (whatever that means) in the inner-western suburbs of Perth. The proposed development’s estimated to cost $120 million, and as well as a Snowdonia style wavegarden, it’ll also include elevated parkland, market space, and shiny new apartments: It’s a yuppies dream!

wavepoolsington

Isn’t this just a picture of proposed modern bliss!

This outrageously ambitious project is a collab between local Subiaco architects MJA Studio, and the Wave Park Group, who’re the company that holds exclusive rights to develop and operate the patented Wavegarden technology in Australia (à la Snowdonia and San Sebastian)

The Proposed Stats:

  • A 300m-long by 120m wide freshwater lagoon using groundbreaking “Wavegarden” wave generating technology only used in two European surf parks, with another under construction in Texas (Rick Kane’s reportedly wet with anticipation)
  • Six zones with different sized waves catering for everyone from beginners to professionals, with scope for other water-based activities including uninterrupted 300m swimming laps. Waves would be up to 2m high and travel 200m for a 30-second ride;
  • 220 dual-aspect one and two bedroom apartments ranging from $500,000 to $800,000;
  • New elevated public parkland (12,800sq m extension to Kitchener Park) with views over Subiaco, Kings Park and Perth CBD, inspired by New York’s High Line park;
  • Dedicated market hall and plaza and hospitality and wellness venues;
  • 52 TERRACED homes along the railway line; and
  • a permanent home for the WA Football Hall of Fame.

This all sounds marvellous, but as we’ve learnt with wavepools in the past, planning and executing are two very separate things. Call us cynical cliché merchants, but we’ll believe this one when we see it!

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

What Happens When The Best Surfer On Earth Leaves The Tour?

The second order effect of John John's departure.

Feb 4, 2026

Velvet Pipeline And Nine Point Faceplants

A CT qualification update from the North Shore.

Feb 3, 2026

“It’s Louder Than An Atomic Bomb. If You Were Anywhere Near It, Your Head Would Explode.”

The Southern Ocean is now open for international pillaging.

Feb 2, 2026

“They Don’t Call It The Challenger Series For Nothing”

Local excellence and universal beatdowns on Day Two of the Pipe Challenger.

Feb 1, 2026

How Billy Kemper Convinced The WSL (And The Mayor) To Have Locals In The Pipe Challenger

And more musings from the ground here on the North Shore.

Jan 31, 2026

Exclusive Interview: Why John Florence Put The CT On Indefinite Pause

"The tour has a cap. I want to find a space where everything grows bigger."

Jan 29, 2026

Is Firing Pipeline Too Much To Ask For?

The inaugural Pipeline Challenger event starts in 24 hours. And we're en route.

Jan 28, 2026

Watch: Episode 02 of Stab In The Dark X Starring Kelly Slater

Are we all ordering five fin setups now?

Jan 28, 2026

Breaking: John John Florence Will NOT Be Surfing On The 2026 Championship Tour

Is this it?

Jan 27, 2026

Why William Aliotti Picked Up The Bong

Europe's premier freesurfer on leaving Volcom after 15 years and joining Billabong.

Jan 26, 2026

Here’s Why We Included A Wildcard In Stab In The Dark X 

The Mann among men.

Jan 23, 2026

Watch: Only The Best Waves From EAST With Mikey February

11 minutes of star-studded velvet.

Jan 23, 2026

Rumor: Is The CT Quitting J Bay In 2026?

And where it might be heading instead...

Jan 23, 2026

Parker Coffin + Dane Reynolds Saddle Up In Ch11’s ‘This Is Where I Am.’

Long-form storytelling refuses to die.

Jan 21, 2026

Watch: Episode 01 of Stab In The Dark X Starring Kelly Slater

Who will the greatest surfer of all time crown the shaper of the decade?

Jan 21, 2026

On Junior Surfers, Baby Turtles, And Surfing’s Hope Imperative

Dane Henry and Isla Huppatz won World Junior Titles. What does it mean?

Jan 21, 2026

Night Will Never Fall On The Rising Sun

Peep Billabong's new Andy Irons Collection, help kids in need.

Jan 20, 2026

SEOTY: Brody Mulik Stars In ‘fourteen.’

Homeschooled at The Box and Tombies, the fifteen-year-old might be Western Australia's best student.

Jan 19, 2026
Advertisement