Surf Park Planned for Gold Coast Resort

Parkwood Village has announced plans to build a ‘world-class’ wave pool by 2023, forming larger plans for its already approved integrated resort and leisure precinct on the Gold Coast.

The Club at Parkwood Village announced it signed a partnership deal with Canada-based waterpark manufacturer WhiteWater to build the man-made waves—a $35-million Endless Surf pool about 10km from Surfers Paradise. 

An integrated resort has already been approved for the 76-122 Napper Road club site in Parkwood. Now the company says it will take new plans to the Gold Coast City Council with the aim of a two-year project timeline, subject to approvals.

Parkwood managing director and founder Luke Altschwager says the proposed development would become a “world-class” integrated golf and surf resort with the Gold Coast’s first surf park to sit alongside the existing 18-hole golf course.

“I want to make sure Parkwood becomes the heart of the sport here on the Gold Coast,” Altschwager said.  

“Not only is a world-class surf pool a perfect fit for our active community, it anchors a whole new level of economic investment in the area.”

Plans for the man-made surf park on the Gold Coast join the likes of the Kelly Slater-backed Surf Ranch at the Sunshine Coast proposed by Brisbane developer Consolidated Properties Group, and Urbnsurf's  first Australian location, in Melbourne.

The Parkwood club received the green-light to build a $160-million retirement village with 219 apartments plus leisure facilities last year. 

It has approval for a 200-plus-bedroom hotel and residential apartments to expand its hospitality, medical and commercial services.

WhiteWater built its first surf pool in 1989. Last year it announced surf projects in Vietnam, a luxury resort in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and Paris.

Its technology offers waves to suit beginners to professionals, with customisable waves ranging in size from two-to-seven foot every 10 seconds for rides of up to 26 seconds.

Altschwager said Parkwood Village will spend the next few months working with the community and council to reconfigure the current development approval to incorporate the new surf lagoon and upgrades to the golf course.

The Endless Surf pool is expected to include a beach-like lagoon.

Altschwager says he aims to have the project up by 2023, subject to approvals.