New details rise to the surface for major wave pool, resort development near Aldinga
A huge wave pool and tourist resort planned for next to the Port Willunga Tourist Park would include a surf academy and taphouse.
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A surf academy, taphouse and skatepark are all part of a tourist resort proposed for Aldinga, planning documents show.
The Advertiser can reveal more details of The Break development on Tuit Rd – a surf park with a lagoon and wave pool for up to 70 surfers at a time and machinery generating 2.1m waves – after sighting documents at Onkaparinga Council.
As well as accommodation, there would be a shop for renting boards and wetsuits, a cafe with a mezzanine and outdoor bar and a wellness studio.
The proposal has not triggered public notification under state legislation, meaning the only way to see the full plans is at the council offices.
The site was purchased last year for $3.5m and Future Urban submitted the plans on behalf of The Break Surf Park Investments, whose directors are Richard Sheppard and Dwight Stutchbery. The Advertiser’s attempts to contact the proponents were unsuccessful.
Daniel Orken, owner of the neighbouring Big 4 Port Willunga holiday park, was highly positive about the proposal.
“It’ll be good for the area and bring more people down, more people to my park. It can’t be anything but good,” he said. “It will give local kids something to do.
“We’ve got some permanent residents that have concerns. There’s a couple of residents that are quite anti-development, but I think most people are for it.”
“We’re a little bit concerned that the wave pool will disrupt some of the animals,” they said.
“We fought very hard to try and get the water mains here and it’s about a couple kilometres off our property and sometimes the supply is very poor. I do think it’s fair to say this will put an unfair burden on the resources we have.”
Onkaparinga Councillor Lauren Jew previously said the resort would be known as ‘The Break’ – a surfers’ paradise that centres around a lagoon with machinery capable of generating 2.1m high waves up to every 12 seconds.
The council has said it was not happy locals cannot formally submit concerns on the application due to changes in state legislation in 2021 that also cancelled appeal rights.
“We are awaiting further information from the applicant before we can ascertain at which CAP (Council Assessment Panel) meeting this will be scheduled,” a spokeswoman said.
One member on an Adelaide Reddit forum said they were “unbelievably excited”.
“South Australia has so few attractions of this nature, and what better location than on the mid where the majority of SA surfers live,” a user commented.
“I love that it is tucked away and not in the main town, but also close enough to everything to be an ease to access.
“The usual dead summer surf season is going to go off! What an amazing tourist attraction for the beautiful mid coast.”
It comes as council recently announced plans for a million-dollar, competition-level skate park designed for all skill levels in Aldinga Sports Park.
The new park will include a beginners’ ramp, greenery, viewing platform and shelter, offering a contemporary facility while giving riders a unique skating experience, Onkaparinga Council said
One nearby resident on a farm said it would be “quite detrimental”.
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