20 kilometres north of Melbourne, just next to Tullamarine International Airport, you can find a man-made surfable wave pool: URBANSURF This place is like a Disneyland for Melbourne surfers.
This isn’t your average inner-city suburban wave pool, this is where professionals go to surf. It also offers sessions for beginners and learner surfers.
And when I say next to the airport, you can walk to & from the airport.
Pick your wave
Before you postpone your flight for a cheeky surf, it can get very busy, so make sure you’re booked in for a session.
There are three types of sessions to choose from;
Entry – you can have a splash in the bays,
Learn – you can learn to surf,
Surf – sessions to improve your surfing.
Within the Learning* & Surfing sessions you can also select the wave type you want to ride.
Cruising* waves – ideal for long boarders
Progressive turns* – Soft wave with a bit of face to practice little turns on
Intermediate – your all rounder 2 – 3 foot waves
Advanced turns – 3 foot wally waves the throw a snap on
Expert – This is a barreling little wave with a heavy lip
Urban surf is open to the ‘Melbourne’ weather and sessions will run in all conditions. So depending on the season bring your wetsuit and maybe your booties as the temperature of the water can range from 15 to 25 degrees. Also bring sunscreen/zinc.
What to bring
Check list;
- Surfboard(s), Wax
- Wetsuit, Booties, Rashy etc.
- Sunscreen, Zinc, Hat
- Water, Snacks
- Towel, Change of clothes
- Phone (with digital ticket)
Timing
Surfing sessions run for around 55 minutes.
Each session has up to 18 surfers in the lineup
Each surfer will have a minimum of 12 waves to catch
Each wave can lasts up to 18 seconds riding time
12 waves per hour may not sound like much but it works out to be over 1 wave per 5 minutes
I can assure you after this session after a session we were knackered and after two in a row we were wrecked.
Make sure you arrive 45 minutes before your session as there is a safety briefing video that you’ll have to watch.
Services
It’s best to bring your own gear but you also have the option to buy or hire it from an onsite surf shop
Other services on offer:
– Surf Coaching + Video Analysis
– Surf Photography
– Three Blue Ducks (cafe/restaurant)
This is not a kiddy wave pool
Before you bring kids, there are two things you need to know,
– They must be older than 6 years old to play in the water
– They need to be booked into sessions to get in the water
I had a lot of hesitation before paying a dollar to go surfing in an artificial environment but it turned out to be an epic experience. It was so much fun to catch up with mates between sessions of surfing our guts out (lots of surfing). There is a bit of a party atmosphere about the place, in fact, I was half expecting party bags or cake to be served. It really is a Disneyland for Melbourne surfers.
Book here: URBANSURF
My only complaint is that it’s all the way out by the airport.
But the next time I miss a flight, you know where to find me.
