• e-mail

An Australian wave pool has successfully created an artificial eight foot wave - and it has been tested by some the county's best surfers.

The research facility near Yeppoon on Queensland's Capricorn Coast tested the enormous waves last month.

Mark Occhilupo was among the first to take the drop on the overhead swells. 'It really feels like an ocean wave as it pushes along the reefs here. I am so stoked,' he said.

He was also joined by legendary bodyboarder Ben Player and surfer Tru Starling for the tests. 

The pool uses 'five wave' technology to produce five different levels of waves simultaneously around the lake using a giant plunger driven by compressed air at the center.

As the plunger drops, the system releases a hiss of steam which has drawn comparisons to a Mad Max style steampunk gadget.

The facility is for research only and will not open to the public. But the company behind the project, Surf Lakes, wants to use the technology to build wave pools around the world. 

Legendary bodyboarder Ben Player (pictured) and surfer Tru Starling were among those who took to the waves for the tests

Surfers have tested the pools' '5 wave' technology, which produces five different levels of waves simultaneously around the lake

Surf Lakes believes that even though this is a test site only, it has created the largest and most powerful wave pool available in the world today. 

Founder and CEO, Aaron Trevis, who over a decade ago formed the idea for a concentric wave pool after tossing rocks into a lake with his children, was ecstatic to see his dream of sharing the thrill of surfing, take one more step towards reality.

'Surf Lakes is extremely happy to have achieved our target wave size goal,' said Trevis. 'Now we turn our focus to refining and selling our technology to potential licensees, of which we have had over 300 enquiries worldwide.'

The five different levels of waves all vary in difficulty, size, and length and are colour-coded so beginner surfers through to moderate and advanced surfers can enjoy wave riding.

Surf Lakes believes that even though this is a test site only, it has created the largest and most powerful wave pool available in the world today. Pictured: Bodyboarder Ben Player

A surfer among the first to take the drop on the overhead swells.  Surf Lakes' technology creates the most breaks in a man-made pool with ten separate waves in total

Surf Lakes' technology creates the most breaks in a man-made pool with ten separate waves in total – four on the left hand side, four on the right and two beginner waves.

The wave pool relies on a giant plunger positioned at its center, which generates one pulse every six seconds to send the water rippling 360 degrees around.

The plunger is capable of creating 80 rideable waves per minute, or 4,800 waves per hour.

For now though, it will be kept at a rate of 2,400 waves per hour.

The wave pool can fit up to 240 surfers and learners of all abilities, which avoids the problem of waiting for different sessions to run.

The world-first technology has the highest wave productivity as hundreds of surfers are able to catch up to ten waves each per hour. 

HOW THE 'MAD MAX' WAVE POOL WORKS 

The wave pool attracted strong demand, with over 150 inquiries from more than 25 countries

The Surf Lakes system uses what is effectively a giant electric plunger in the center of the pool.

The huge 1400-ton plunger - the equivalent to three Boeing 747 can produce different types of wave.

The concept is simple - a metal donut is compressed against the water and forms a ring of water that travels perfectly until hitting several concrete banks, creating different surfing waves.

'Its really just a big pressure pipe, you just push it up and down' said Aaron Trevis, the inventor of the system. 

This creates a 'tsunami-style' wave that moves outward in 360 degrees—essentially a concentric wave. 

This means multiple surf spots can be caused to break at the same time, all from a single expenditure of energy.

The pool can have learners at one while running a pro competition at the other, something no other wavepool tech is capable of. 

Surf Lakes works by using a large wave generator, positioned at the centre of a large man-made lake. 

Everytime the 1400-ton plunger plunges, it requires a massive amount of pressure, which then ultimately needs to be released.

This pressure is fed from the bottom of the plunger through pipes until it escapes, in the form of a deep white smoke, from four adjacent vents. 

The bathymetry (bottom contours) of the lake have been specifically shaped using sophisticated CFD computer modelling, and contain 8 separate breaks around the perimeter. The wave generator produces a single large concentric wave which radiates outwards.

When this wave intersects each reef, a wave breaks and runs the length of the reef before dissipating on the shoreline. Up to six waves sets can be run with a short break in between. 

The waves will vary in size from 1m (3ft) to 2.4m (8ft) face height, catering for beginner to advanced surfers simultaneously. 

According to Surf Lake's website, the pool is capable of generating one pulse every six seconds, causing four a-framing peaks (eight waves in total) to break. 

That means 80 rideable waves per minute, and in use the system will make 2,4000 waves per hour (allowing the displaced water to re-enter the system). 

The world-first technology has the highest wave productivity as hundreds of surfers are able to catch up to ten waves each per hour

The five different levels of waves will vary in of difficulty, size, and length

Intermediate waves are suitable for short boards, long boards, stand-up paddleboarding and surf skis.

Advanced and expert waves are suitable for short boards and knee boards. 

PhD engineer and Surf Lakes Director Chris Hawley oversaw the build and design of the pool.

The project was funded by private investors and finance expert and fellow Director Reuben Buchanan.

The wave pool has gained strong demand, with over hundreds of inquiries from more than 25 countries.

'After years of dreaming, designing, testing and building, to see those first few waves role across the reefs was quite a site,' said Mr Trevis when at the first testing last year.

The wave pool has gained strong demand, with over 150 enquiries from more than 25 countries