Surf Lakes is hoping that Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory will approve and fund the latest in a string of wave pool proposals for the Gold Coast company.

Darwin’s waterfront is the central attraction for tourists wanting to explore the famous town of 150,000 residents. The land was tagged and plans were underway for a luxury hotel complex, but developers scrapped that plan citing the pandemic.

“This is gonna be a special place that will be a game-changer for Darwin, and it will bring investors,” said Richard Fejo, Waterfront Chairman in Darwin. “We’re trying to get the commonwealth onboard and we’d really like to see this go forward so we’re working with the Northern Territory government to get this through.”

But the big question is will the Commonwealth Government fund the project, estimated at $200AUS million. Alastair Shields, Waterfront CEO told ABC Australia that if they got a decision on funding shortly, they’d be in a position to start as early as 2022.

The area is in a tropical location with wet and dry seasons and was originally inhabited by the Larrakia people. In 1839 a British Royal Navy ship made landfall. The captain named it after the ship’s most famous passenger, Charles Darwin.

Surf Lakes announced several licensing deals last year and now offers two sizes for different development targets and budgets. Surf Lakes Standard has a smaller footprint and is designed for the beginner to intermediate markets. Surf Lakes XL is meant to be a premium surf destination or resort appealing to all skill levels. Each system produces 2000 waves per hour. Currently, the prototype in Yeppoon Queensland is becoming a public-facing surf park.

The WavePoolMag Surf Planner says

The Lowdown: $200AUS million waterfront redevelopment in the heart of the Northern Territory. A plansned hotel, accommodation, apartments and tourist draw would feature a Surf Lakes pool at its center. Proposal will go to the Commonwealth Government for a “yay” or a “nay.” In other word’s they’re just getting started.

WavePool Construction Progress: planning stages

Accessibility: Resort guests, inhabitants and tourists.

Type of wave(s): Central hub wave making tower.

Wave Generating Technology: Surf Lakes.

Wave’s Technical Information: Wave height: 2-6 ft, Lefts and rights along a series of reefs, points, ledges at possibly 2400 waves per hour. Inventors of the ‘5 Waves’ concept, which produces 5 different breaks at one location.

Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: N/A

Price Breakdown: None yet

Pool Structure: Manmade Lake with lagoon water.

Waves per hour: 2400

Atmosphere: Jubilant, as you can expect to surf in boardshorts or bikini without saltwater crocs or box jellies. The area is known for its outdoor markets, waterside attractions and a warm holiday vibe year-round