TOURISM HUB: Surf Lakes proposes plans for $187 million development at Yeppoon site

From an inflatable water park to accommodation, the project is expected to create 534 jobs during construction.

Surf Lakes near Yeppoon.

Surf Lakes Yeppoon has lodged transformative $187m plans to develop its Yeppoon Road site as Central Queensland's premier outdoor recreational and active tourism hub.

The $122 million first stage of the project would include a skate park, scuba hole, overflow lake, junior playground, solar farm and tourist park with 52 cabins and 60 camp sites.

Stage two is proposed to have 100-bed short-term accommodation, 75-bed boutique hotel, village green, as well as an inflatable water aqua park and café/restaurant.

Renowned planning and design company, Place Design Group, which was behind the $53m Yeppoon Lagoon, lodged the plans this week with Livingstone Shire Council.

If approved, the first stage is expected to add about $39 million to the local economy and create 349 jobs in the development phase.

Stage one of the Surf Lakes Yeppoon.

The total project is expected to be completed in 2031 and it's estimated it would add $59m to the local economy and create 534 full-time jobs.

Once completed, the development is also expected to provide $17.4 million of ongoing benefits to the local economy and would support 229 full-time ongoing jobs.

An economic report by Innovociti submitted with the application states the project would increase tourism output in the Livingstone Shire Council by 15 per cent, grow full-time employment by 20 per cent and grow tourism economy by 14 per cent.

It is expected Surf Lakes Yeppoon would attract 272,000 visitors around 2026 and 83 per cent would be for the surfing experience.

This would generate an estimated additional 31,000 visitor nights in the Livingstone Shire, creating $4.5 million in additional expenditure.

Future master plan.

 

Once fully developed in 2031, the facility would attract an estimated 495,000 visitors with 74,000 visitor nights, growing to $10.9 million in additional expenditure.

The facility is also expected to gain interest from schools with learn to surf programs, surfing as a sport and school camps.

The report also states Surf Lakes is also looking to get involved in the community and is exploring options for regular competition and events, regular lifesaving training opportunities, disabled surfing options and fitness classes.

The tourist attraction would include the area around the surf lake and the complementary uses including surf shop and service, skate park, mountain bike pump track and trail, junior playground, shop, café, function facilities, scuba hole and amenities.

There would also be an area for surfing induction as part of coaching and lessons.

There would be shared spaces, tables and cabanas constructed around the existing wave pool.

The facility would expect to operate from 6am to 9pm daily and hold surfing, other events and markets from time to time.

Overall precinct plan.

 

Surf Lakes is an Australia company founded by Yeppoon local Aaron Trevis.

The facility produces high quality surfing waves in a controlled lake environment with up to 2000 waves per hour.

Surf Lakes constructed its first full-scale prototype of the facility at the Yeppoon Road site in 2017.

Surf Lakes is among eight surfing waves parks in the world while there are more than 50 under construction or in planning phases.

The first wave park to open in Australia was UrbnSurf at Melbourne in September 2019.

Surf Lakes near Yeppoon.

 

STAGE ONE:

- Lake: 4.7 hectares

- Scuba pool

- Tourist park: 52 cabins - 33 one-bedroom, 4 one-bedroom accessible cabins, 7 two-bedroom cabins, 8 three-bedroom hybrid shared deck cabins. 60 caravan/tent sites including four group camping, amenities block and camp kitchen

- Solar farm: Renewable energy facility on 5ha. Expected to supply a large portion of Surf Lakes energy

- Village green around existing wave pool, turf mounding and outlook lawn

- Carpark, roads and landscaping

Originally published as TOURISM HUB: Surf Lakes proposes plans for $187 million development at Yeppoon site