Still in the research and development stage, it has built a large test facility 20km (12 miles) inland from the Queensland coast. In the middle of a 3.6 hectare (nine-acre) man-made pool, a 1,400-ton, compressed air, steel pump goes up and down every six seconds. Powered by electricity, the pump creates 360-degree waves up to 8ft (2.4m) high, at a rate of 2,000 per hour.
“Imagine your best surfing session ever, on endless repeat,” says Aaron Trevis, Surf Lakes’ founder and chief executive.
He adds that there are five rings of waves in the pool at any moment, which vary in shape as they hit different parts of the lake. “So you can have a whole family with different surfing levels all surfing together at the same time.”
Although the company has yet to open a facility to the public, it says it now has 20 projects in development across Australia, Asia, Europe and the US. Its biggest sites will allow 200 people to surf at the same time.
“The real market is the 99% of people in the world who have never surfed,” says Mr Trevis. “In the next 10 years surfing could be 10 times the size the industry it is now.”
He adds that Surf Lakes’ system could theoretically make 15ft waves for professional surfing competitions.
Back out in the ocean, Maya Reis Gabeira from Brazil, holds the record for the highest wave successfully surfed by a woman. This was back in February 2020 when she conquered one 22.4m (73ft) high in Nazaré, Portugal.
“There’s so much improvement with the help of technology,” says the 34-year-old. “Like measuring the height of waves scientifically, in real time, for world record prospects.
“And communication is also now becoming much more sophisticated between people in the water [on jet skis] and on the cliffs,” she adds, in regard to the crews on standby to rescue professional surfers that get into difficulties.