Plans move forward for Endless Surf facility on the Gold Coast

Australia’s latest proposal for the development of an artificial surf attraction have been revealed for a site at Parkwood Village on the Gold Coast.

The project would be part of a $200 million mixed-use development of commercial properties, a new 200 bed hotel and residential apartments built around an Endless Surf pneumatic wave pool.

Located 7 kilometres inland from the Gold Coast’s beaches and just a 20 minute drive from the famed surfing breaks of Burleigh Heads, The Club at Parkwood Village is a well-established destination already serving a local community of more than 500,000 with a mix of sport and family activities.

The location is also a hub for high-performance sport and the training centre for the Gold Coast Titans NRL team.

Explaining the concept, developer Luke Altschwager advised “what we’re hoping for is the best wave pool in Australia, if not the world.

“Having the surfing Mecca of Australia having an Endless Surf wave pool is a perfect fit for our active community, and it anchors a whole new level of economic investment in the area.”

Owned by waterpark supplier WhiteWater, the Endless Surf wave pool design is based around a unique heart-shaped pool with pneumatic wave drivers sequenced by sophisticated software to create surf.

Wave programming can be done on a per-surfer basis, with the pool able to offer ride zones for different skill levels.

Commenting on the technology, Altschwager noted “Endless Surf represents the most cutting-edge surf technology today, offering an authentic vibe in an attractive and welcoming setting, while providing great, flexible waves for all types of surfers.

The compact size of Endless Surf means it consumes fewer resources to build and water to operate, plus the natural shape provides the largest beachfront for a genuine surf feel.

“Plus it is a family run company with an approach to business much like ours, driven by a sense of purpose to provide the very best experiences that enhance lives.”

Paul Chutter, President of Endless Surf and WhiteWater is excited about the partnership, seeing it as a great fit for the two companies.

Chutter stated “there are those projects which epitomise what we are trying to do, with great clients who contribute to our collaborative approach - Luke and the Parkwood team are a perfect example of this.

“They share our passion for pushing technological boundaries, putting Endless Surf as the heart and soul of their development in order to build a vibrant community hub. The venue’s existing high-performance sports focus will lend itself to this world-class surf showcase and help develop the talents of a whole new generation of local surfers.”

The next step is to take the plans featuring the Endless Surf pool design to the City of Gold Coast with Altschagger suggesting that, if all goes well it, could be open in as little as two years.

Image: The Endless Surf concept.