URBNSURF Sydney: Designs for Sydney's first artificial surf park unveiled

Greater Western Sydney residents will soon be able to catch perfect waves without travelling 30 minutes or more to the city's beaches, thanks to a new development opening at Sydney's Olympic Park in 2022.

URBNSURF's new surf park will be set on 3.6 hectares and will generate a wave every eight seconds by using Wavegarden "Cove" technology, now used in their Melbourne park which opened in Tullamarine in January last year.

This means surfers will be able to catch 10 to 12 waves in one hour without having to worry about others dropping in, or having to wait their turn after battling horrendous traffic on their way to the beach.

The park will also have a rooftop bar, yoga studio, leisure pool, a surf academy staffed with expert coaches, beach cabanas, hot tubs, a high- performance centre and multiple working spaces. Costed at $50 million, development is expected to begin later this year, and the operators aim to open to the public in the summer of 2022/2023.

URBNSURF chief executive Damon Tudor says he's excited about making Sydney surfing more accessible. "Our vision is providing a safe and inclusive way to surf where people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can get stoked riding authentic waves in a safe environment," he said.

Tudor hails from Sydney's west himself and is passionate about the opportunities the surf park will create for all residents of Greater Sydney. "Our proximity to the CBD, the new M4 motorway, and being less than a kilometre away from the Olympic Park train station means URBNSURF will be accessible to over two million residents in under 30 minutes," he said.

The park was due to be up and running this year, but the coronavirus pandemic and unexpected costs at URBNSURF Melbourne meant the opening was delayed.