Surf Lakes to sell dormant Yeppoon prototype site
The owner of Yeppoon's Surf Lakes wave pool has announced it is selling its central Queensland site.
The facility, located halfway between Rockhampton and Yeppoon, was a world-first prototype at the time of its opening in 2018, with technology to produce more than 2,000 waves an hour with five different wave types to accommodate varying skill levels.
The wave pool sits in the middle of a lake with a structure that moves up and down to create waves.
Mark Occhilupo riding a wave known as Occy's Peak. A wave he helped design. (Supplied: Surf Lakes)
It received rave reviews from surfing legends, including world champion Mark "Occy" Occhilupo and a visit from celebrity Chris Hemsworth.
The site was set up as invitation-only with a view to eventually open to the public, but that never eventuated.
In recent years, it sat dormant and was decommissioned.
In a statement released by the company on Tuesday, Surf Lakes Queensland managing director and Surf Lakes global chief operating officer Lewis Glynn said the agents for the sale were inviting interest from prospective surf lake developments or buyers considering other uses.
He said the Yeppoon site was "established as a research, development and demonstration facility", and had played a pivotal role in developing and validating the company's proprietary wave-generation technology.
"Yeppoon enabled Surf Lakes to test its technology at full scale and showcase it to investors, commercial partners and prospective licensees from around the world," Mr Glynn said.
"Our team, shareholders and the local community have all contributed to that journey, and we are grateful for their support."
It is understood the site is on the market for about $4 million.
An artist's impression of the Surf Lakes tourism development. (Supplied: Surf Lakes)
The sale includes council approvals from 2022 for a tourism development, with plans for glamping and camping sites, cabins, restaurants, scuba pool, skate park and a learn-to-surf lagoon, powered by a solar farm.
A second stage included a boutique hotel, aqua park and village green, and was estimated to attract up to 300,000 visitors a year.
Capricorn Enterprise chief executive officer Mary Carroll said the rural nature of the site would make it difficult to market because it was specifically built and located to be a surf park.
"The real estate agents have a job to do and the market will decide whether that price tag is worthy," she said.
There are only two Australian wave pool surf parks open to the public.
Dozens of others have been proposed by developers over the past decade, but companies have faced issues raising the capital.
Aaron Trevis, former founder of Surf Lakes, grew up in the area. (Supplied: Surf Lakes)
The Yeppoon site was originally selected by Surf Lakes founder Aaron Trevis, who grew up on the Capricorn Coast.
He parted ways with the company, as it looked to move away from Queensland and focus on a development in Austin, Texas.
Ms Carroll said it was important to note the many local shareholders who invested in the company were still investors of the business.
"The investors into Surf Lakes … would still want the company to sell the site and at least make good money," she said.
"Any shareholders that bought into Surf Lakes that want to see Yeppoon develop [it], that is completely off the table."
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