Aventuur has today been named by the Western Australian Government as the winners in the push to build a wave pool in Perth. The $80 million proposal was selected via a competitive bidding process put forth by the gov’t and involved several departments and agencies across tourism, sport, lands, planning and transport.

The next-generation wave park will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, sitting on a 5.7-hectare site at Prinsep Road in Jandakot, adjacent to the Kwinana Freeway and the Cockburn Train Station. It will feature a Wavegarden Cove, boutique surf hotel, health and wellness center, co-working offices, functions and events spaces, performance academy, beach club and restaurants.

Developers Aventuur, with offices in Perth and Los Angeles, say the integrated space will provide Perth with an innovative surf-sports, recreation, leisure and entertainment hub just a short drive south from the central business district.

Winning the bid was extremely meaningful for Aventuur’s Andrew Ross.

“We’re incredibly excited to have won the bid to build a world-class surf park in Perth,” said Andrew. “This moment has been almost a decade in the making for me. To bring a surf park to my hometown has always been my dream, and I’m stoked it’s now becoming a reality.”

The contest to find a developer for the surf tank in Perth was an unusual one. Both Aventuur and Urbnsurf wanted to construct a wave pool at the proposed site and had to pitch competing proposals to the gov’t powers that be.

To thicken the plot, Andrew Ross was one of the founding members of Urbnsurf, helping bring their Melbourne pool to life.

Aventuur recently purchased exclusivity to Wavegarden’s Cove technology for most of Australia and nearby environs. This means that Urbnsurf, led by CEO Damon Tudor is blocked from using Cove technology in future Urbnsurf Australian territory projects.

However, Urbnsurf has said their fine with the situation, preferring not to be locked into any one wave making system. The company will still use a Wavegarden Cove design for their Sydney Olympic Park pool in 2022 as that was licensed before the Aventuur deal.

Aventuur says that while surfing is a deeply ingrained part of Perth’s beachside culture, access to consistent, high-quality waves is limited, and marine hazards can be intimidating for newcomers and beginners. And added that their surf park proposal will overcome these challenges, as well as providing opportunities for tourism, active recreation, sports development, and the creation of jobs.

Aventuur’s Co-Founder and CEO, Nicholas Edelman said the company was thrilled that the State Government selected their proposal as its preferred model which will include Perth-based architects, engineers and consultants.

“I’m just so stoked for Andrew – we headhunted him last year because of his unrivaled experience and local knowledge,” said Nicholas. “Together, we’ll achieve his long-held dream of building a surf park in his hometown for everyone to enjoy.”

The company will now work collaboratively with the Western Australian Government to finalize all commercial arrangements, including agreeing on a long-term ground lease over the site. The company’s project team will then determine all development approval requirements and set out construction milestones. Aventuur will engage with community organizations, local stakeholders and project partners.