After launching Melbourne in 2020, plans were quickly set in motion to bring surf to Sydney’s west side. The result is a surf park that has benefited from a multitude of learnings during the last four years in Melbourne.   

Amenities

The first thing you notice at URBNSURF Sydney is the permanence of the buildings. While Melbourne can appear like an exercise in shipping container architecture, the Sydney facility is sleek, modern and takes full advantage of the views surrounding the pool. The buildings here house two restaurants, the upscale Raffi’s on the upper deck and the poolside Sandy’s. There is an addition of dedicated conference spaces, which will be utilized for everything from yoga classes to corporate events. Visually, the addition of a new liner system makes the water a brilliant blue color, on par with Alaia Bay in Switzerland. 

Record Your Surf Sessions

URBNSURF Sydney features a Flowstate AI camera system to record all your waves. Surfers can download their video clips and photos from the Flowstate website for a small fee. Those clips are then ready to save to your device and share in different formats across any number of social media channels. The poolside restaurant Sandy’s has a TV screen to playback after each session. It’s become a fun, post-surf ritual to enjoy a beverage or meal and watch yourself or your mates. If you want to go next-level, you can personalize your Flowstate clips using free video editing software on your computer, adjusting elements like color and speed to create unique and engaging content.

Transportation

Sydney is an amazing city with great public transportation. You can stay in the hip gruffness of Newtown and take a train and bus transfer out to urban surf. Although the area around the wave pool is more car friendly, urban surf is serviced by the 526 bus line, which will drop you off right in front of the pool. When you visit, be sure to venture beyond the city of Sydney. To the west are the Blue Mountains, a truly unique and beautiful area worthy of a day trip. 

The Waves

The wave pool technology is the same here as in Melbourne. It’s a 46 module Wavegarden Cove,  but the waves are set up differently. Sydney chose to run waves at eight second intervals in five wave sets. It’s a change from Melbourne’s 10 to 12 waves per set. The new pace still allows for surfers to catch the same number of waves per session around 10 to 12, but also allows surfers to catch a quick break between waves. Urban surf has had four years to perfect the wave offerings in Melbourne. They’ve taken the same sessions and simply plugged them into Sydney. 

Insider Tips

Try the barbecued pork or vegetarian bowl at Sandy’s. If it’s chilly out, the restaurant will fire up outdoor heating. Night surfing is in full swing, with stadium lights blaring and a fairly decent soundtrack playing. Talk to the staff if you have any questions. They are friendly and knowledgeable and there to help. And that’s it. Hope to see you at URBNSURF Sydney. 

What it costs to surf at URBNSURF Sydney (listed in AUS dollars)

The Lowdown: 14 kilometres west of Sydney’s downtown and one kilometre from the central train station, URBNSURF Sydney will operate for 16 hours per day, from 6 am to 10 pm. Session prices vary from $30 to $159 AUD depending on the level. The grounds include a massive event space next to the lagoon, which can host 2000 people for live events including music, unique sporting events, and more. Other amenities include a Surf Academy, Cabanas for private use, a 20m leisure pool and 8m kids pool, playground, surf-skate pad, retail store, a high-performance center, a multifunction room and a health and wellness studio.

WavePool Construction Progress: Opened May 13, 2024.

Accessibility: Open to the public, All-ages.

Wave Generating Technology: Wavegarden Cove.

Wave’s Technical Information: Wave height: 2-6 ft, Both left and right breaks, length of wave: under 30 yards/meters.

What it costs to surf at URBNSURF Sydney (listed in AUS dollars): At the time of this writing, one US dollar equaled 1.53 Australian dollars. Prices for children are slightly lower than the posted prices below, typically by $5.

Cruiser $104
Intermediate $104
Progressive Turns $104
Advanced Turns $109
Advanced $109
Expert $159

Memberships

Foundation Membership: A membership package offering 52 surf sessions per year at URBNSURF. The package includes a pre-launch surfing experience and tour for Golden Ticket members. Members can surf at any session in Melbourne or Sydney. Additional perks include membership in the URBNSURF Sydney Boardriders Club, VIP event invites, and exclusive merchandise. Limited Foundation Memberships are available for purchase at $4,999.

Gold Membership: The Gold Memberships offer 48 surfing sessions throughout the year and include a $300 URBNSURF voucher. Early bird offers include the Gold Advanced and Gold Intermediate packages with savings over $500. The Gold Advanced and Gold Intermediate month-to-month memberships offer discounted rates at $345 and $330 per month, respectively, with a 12-month contract. The cost for this package is $3,399.

Aqua Membership: The Aqua Membership goes for $1,899 for the advanced option and $1,799 for the Intermediate option and offers 24 or more surf sessions per year. Members receive a $150 URBNSURF credit usable for additional sessions or non-surf items in Sydney or Melbourne. Benefits include priority booking two weeks in advance, access to exclusive member events, free URBNSURF Sydney Boardriders Club membership starting in mid-2024, unlimited spectator pass entry, and a 10% discount on extra sessions, lessons, and rentals in Sydney or Melbourne.

Multipacks
Intermediate 3 session $295. Intermediate 5 session $475. Intermediate 10 session $935.
Advanced 3 session $310. Advanced 5 session $495. Advanced 10 session $980.
Expert 3 session $450. Expert 5 session $725. Expert 10 session $1,430.