Surf’s up at Moby Vic’s IN what could become a significant tourism drawcard for the region, a development application was lodged with Sunshine Coast Council in late December to establish a wave pool and surf park at the end of Johnston Road, Glass House Mountains, just before the Bruce Highway. The two adjoining land parcels involved are currently owned by Moby Vic’s Pty Ltd, with one parcel leased to grow pineapples. The application aims to realign the boundaries of the two blocks, creating a 4 hectare smaller parcel closest to Johnston Road where pineapple farming will continue and a 9.4 hectare block behind for the proposed surf safari park.
The almost $30 million venture is being driven by an enterprise called Surf Parks Australia, which holds the Australian franchise for the technology that will generate the waves, created by a company called American Wave Machines. In what the application report describes as a “holistic surfing experience”, the proposal is to build a wave pool and associated amenities, a wellness centre featuring yoga and meditation, paddock-to-plate food and beverage experiences, ocean and marine protection education, learn to surf classes and surf coaching. The wave pool is slated to be 315m long and 92m wide, bounded on one length by a viewing beach, behind
which sits the 1,500m2 of buildings to a maximum height of 8.5m. The building is planned to reference coastal influences, using wave forms and sandy colours, plus large open spaces and wide verandahs. The development is proposed to operate 6am-9pm, seven days a week. Water for the wave pool is planned to be sourced from an on-site spring-fed dam with top-up supply as needed from the existing private water main connected to the site. All water will be treated on-site, with the wave pool water quality being managed to high standards following the American Wave Pool’s water quality specifications. As the locality is distant from public transport, users will have to rely on private vehicles or tour buses to utilise the facility. A 102 space car park is planned, including room for multiple coaches. The American Wave Machines company has patented an air-pressure system to create reliable engineered waves that they claim on their website to mimic “real ocean dynamics”. The technology is used in the United States and the company has constructed a large wave pool in Japan
as a surfing training facility for the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Discussions were held with Sunshine Coast Council last year, including with Cr Rick Baberowski, about issues related to protection of the interurban greenspace break, impacts on agricultural land availability, on-site effluent treatment and the need for the development. In 1999, back in the Caloundra City Council days before amalgamation, a development approval was given for a tourist attraction to be constructed on the site. In the old Caloundra planning scheme, the area was identified as a “tourist attraction and services area”. Under the current Sunshine Coast planning scheme the land is zoned rural so the proposed usage sits outside the normal parameters. However, the developer considers that this proposed development represents a regionally significant, unique tourism development that will enhance the Sunshine Coast’s tourism brand and reputation, and that the tourist attraction is a potentially consistent use within the rural zone definition. Although the development report claims there are no other wave pool
Carolyn Williams
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