Gold Coast’s First Surf Park Wins Council Backing

The council in one of Australia’s surfing heartlands—the Gold Coast—has thrown its support behind plans for the city’s first wave park.

The centrepiece of the $300-million resort-style proposal now approved by the Gold Coast City Council is a 4ha dual-zone surfing lagoon capable of generating “up to a 26-second end-to-end barrelling six-foot wave ride” with technology by Endless Wave.

It will sit alongside an existing 18-hole golf course at the site at Parkwood, about a 15-minute drive from the Glitter Strip’s world-famous surf breaks.

The golf course will undergo a $10-million redevelopment as part of the Parkwood Village proposal, which also includes 225 residential apartments, a hotel, and retail and medical components, as well as an entertainment and dining precinct.

The approval has been a long paddle for its proponents—the plans were first submitted to the council in October, 2021.

Parkwood Village managing director Luke Altschwager said the project took the best parts of surf culture, golf, leisure and entertainment to create “the ultimate integrated resort”.

“The Endless Surf Wave Pool, childcare, retail, food and beverage, commercial and medical tenancies will dovetail into existing uses at Parkwood Village to become a readily walkable precinct,” Altschwager said.

“There is nothing more quintessentially Australian than surfing and, complemented by the upgraded golf course and the nearby Titans training facilities, we want to make sure Parkwood becomes the heart of sport here on the Gold Coast.”

Endless Surf president Paul Chutter said the project was “truly a world-class venue in the making”.

“As one of our first signed contracts from when we launched Endless Surf three years ago, this project is a special one.

“Hitting this milestone means that Parkwood’s impressive dreams are coming to reality and that we are a huge step closer to bringing an unrivalled surf park experience to this global surf mecca.

▲ A render of the Parkwood Village redevelopment, which includes a 300m wave pool.

“We know that Gold Coast surfers have big expectations, and we are ready to deliver pure perfection to the Coast.” 

The Endless Surf lagoon at Parkwood Village will “offer near limitless wave customisation and industry leading operating flexibility” with waves to suit surfers of all abilities.

The first pool to use the Endless Surf technology, O2 Surftown on the outskirts of Munich, is due to open next year.

▲ A $10-million redevelopment of an 18-hole golf course is also part of the Parkwood plans.

Endless Surf was launched in 2020 by Canadian operator WhiteWater, which completed its first wave pool in 1989.

Altschwager said the Gold Coast project had a projected completion date of early 2026.

There is currently just one wave pool available to the public in Australia, Urbnsurf, which opened near the Melbourne airport in 2020.

▲ Home break: 225 apartments are included in the approved plans.

The operator is building another pool, this time in Sydney.

There are numerous proposals for pools across Australia, including a $100-million wave pool on government land in Perth’s Jandakot, and two pools have been approved on the Sunshine Coast.