The Wisemans Surf Lodge project took a major step forward this week when the local council approved the development of a Surf Loch wave pool. Ace Chief Group paid $7.25 million for 18 hectares in 2016, partnering with John Du Vernet to develop a surf spot away from the ocean.

“What we’ll create at Wisemans is a solution to access the types of waves we’d often have to travel overseas for, waves we dream about,” co-founder John Du Vernet told The Urban Developer.

Sketches released today of the project show Surf Loch technology powering the wave pool. Tom Lochtefeld’s technology uses pneumatic systems, which consist of big caissons (a watertight concrete or metal chamber) that push out air to make the water mimic the mechanics of a traditional ocean wave. The current prototype for Surf Loch is at the Palm Springs Surf Club. They are now building the main wave pool adjacent to the small test pool we see in Instagram clips.

“The wave (at Palm Springs) now is maybe six seconds but is supposed to go up to sixteen seconds in the larger facility,” says Skip Taylor of Surf Park Management. “Tom has six-to-eight chambers now, but his designs can go up to twenty-four.” (Editor’s note: The sketches for Wisemans show a 30-chamber design.)

It’s unknown how many chambers Wisemans will have, but one report described the wave pool as covering four football fields and producing rides with a duration of 10-12 seconds.

The proposal includes a 54-suite hotel, small golf course, high-end restaurants and bars along with corporate retreat facilities.

Wisemans Ferry draws urban visitors seeking a respite from the concrete and steel of downtown Sydney just 45 minutes away. It’s also a popular site for weddings and receptions, and with the addition of the new pool could prove to be a knocker for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Built in 1829, the ferry crosses the Hawkesbury River and is the oldest ferry crossing still in operation in New South Wales. The ferry service was created back in the day to transport provisions to the convicts building the Great North Road to link Sydney with the Hunter Valley.

If all goes well, the project will break ground next year and finish sometime in 2022.