Perth Football stadium to be turned into a Wavepool - Stab Mag
607 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

Episode 03 of Stab in the Dark starring Ethan Ewing

Two HP behemoths, two deadly wildcards, one spot in the final.

May 5, 2026

This Monster Stab High Ramp Was Built In A Day

Built fast, tuned slow, approved by groms, and recommended by uncs.

May 5, 2026

Slater-Backed Super Grom, Viral YouTuber, And Owner Of The World Record Nazaré Doesn’t Want You To See

The unlikely career path of, and Stab Interview with, Dylan Graves.

May 4, 2026

Long Live The Queen

Steph Gilmore & Ethan Ewing take the Gold Coast throne.

May 4, 2026

Snapper Gets Slaughtered, Thousands Bear Witness

An onslaught of high-performance surfing at the Gold Coast Pro.

May 3, 2026

Pro Surfing Still Answers To Apex Predators

Do you restart or resume a heat if a bull shark interrupts? Day 2 Snapper…

May 2, 2026

Watch Red Bull’s ‘Now Days’: A 2026 Film Of The Year Nominee

Starring Caity Simmers, Sierra Kerr, Molly Picklum, Erin Brooks, Caroline Marks, and Sky Brown.

May 1, 2026

She-GOATS Put The Kids In Detention

14 eliminated on opening day at Snapper.

May 1, 2026

Taj Burrow & Dane Reynolds On Ageing & The Paris Hilton Era Of Surfing | StabMic Ep. 12

"My biggest mistake was standing next to Ethan Ewing with my shirt off."

May 1, 2026

A Collapsed Volcano’s Greatest Hit: Snapper Rocks

The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro has been 23 million years in the making. 

Apr 30, 2026

Joyride: Mikey’s Shorty by Channel Islands

The best board on the CT, currently.

Apr 29, 2026

Buy Now: Stab High x Monster Virginia Beach Tickets

The world's best surfers will fly on May 15-16 — join us live.

Apr 28, 2026

Kill, Crush, Destroy: The Fall & Rise Of Russell Winter

Britain’s first CT surfer on addiction, sobriety, and smashing QS plebs at 50.

Apr 27, 2026

GP And Lakey Win The West, Both Gabbys in Gold

+ a mild priority controversy in the men's final.

Apr 26, 2026

Contenders Contend After A Week Off

Semifinalists decided in sloppy Main Break conditions

Apr 25, 2026

Is Chief Keef Surf Music? | StabMic Episode 11

Dane Reynolds + Timo Simmers discuss scoring surf vids and sometimes scoring waves.

Apr 24, 2026

Who Is The Most Widely Adored Female Surfer In The World? 

Revealed by the results of our reader survey. 

Apr 24, 2026

The Gold Coast Premiere Of Ethan Ewing’s Stab in the Dark

Beers, boards, shaper banter and star talent to pack out Kirra Surf on May 3. 

Apr 23, 2026
Advertisement