Boys carry their surf boards ashore after their lesson was cancelled following a mid-air explosion from a rocket which was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, in Tel Aviv
Boys carry their surf boards ashore after their lesson was cancelled following a mid-air explosion from a rocket which was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, in Tel Aviv July 9, 2014. Finbarr O’Reilly/Reuters. Reuters

A proposal has been made for a floating beach in Docklands in the Melbourne CBD. The proposal suggests that the surf park would yeild about one to one and a half metre barrels in the Victoria Harbour in addition to a sandy beach and a floatable wave pool that will be filled with filtered salt water.

According to the Daily Mail, the project is a joint venture between Arup, an engineering firm, and Damian Rogers, an architect based in Melbourne. The project which is called the Docklands Surf Park is estimated to cost about $8 million. The designers of the projects said that the waves would be suitable for surfing and also that they were looking over technologies that could adjust the size of the wave so that it can accommodate both, beginners and professionals.

Mr. Damian Rogers said that the entire proposal came up because of an idea of being able to surf in an inner city location. He explained that Melbourne had a lot of water around like the bay and the Docklands. He continued that for him and his team, it was an opportunity to finish work and then bring a surfboard and have a surf.

Phil Carter, an Urban and Transport planner from the engineering company, said that if anyone had to go surfing they usually needed to drive to Bells Beach which is at a distance of about an hour and a half from the Central Business District. He continued that what the team though was interesting was the convenience of surfing in the Docklands.

The proposal still needs to get a nod from the Melbourne City Council. The idea is still in the early stages as Arup is still looking for opportunities for funding from sources other than the government.

Surfing Victoria, an organising body for surfing in Victoria, has provided support for the plan and expects it to be a potential hotspot for the surfing competitions for the pros. Max Wells, the chief executive of the organisation, in an interview with the Age, said that he had heard of many plans for wave pools in the past but this project is one that he feels would work.