Urbnsurf Sydney

Perfect waves are guaranteed at Urbnsurf, the 3.2-hectare wave park that’s readying to open at Olympic Park. While it’s not the ocean, it makes a pretty compelling case if you’re constantly monitoring surf reports. This autumn, the expansive lagoon will start pumping sets for pros and beginners alike, all day and into the night. There’s a leisure pool – and one just for kids – a skate park and seven 10-person waterside cabanas, plus an impressive food and beverage offering from Applejack (the team behind the revamped Taphouse, Rafi, Socal, and Bopp & Tone).

Leading this tasty pack is Rafi 2.0, a slightly smaller version of the North Sydney restaurant and bar – Olympic Park will have 200 seats to number one’s 300 – that retains the rooftop-terrace drawcard, but with water views. “People are surfing till 10 o’clock at night, so whether you’re having lunch or dinner, you’re going to be surrounded by this surf culture,” Applejack co-owner Ben Carroll tells Broadsheet.

Rafi executive chef Matias Cilloniz is overseeing the menu here too, sticking with the original’s strong seafood focus – the fresh, spice-laden South Coast tuna ceviche is making the trip west – with plenty of veg plates and charcoal-grilled meats. Meanwhile, ice-cold cocktails make it a true beach-club experience.

Luchetti Krelle is on the blueprints for the upstairs space, which will be as plant-filled and breezy as the OG Rafi. Downstairs, surfside, Sandy’s is a friendly kiosk-style eatery made for casual dining and grab’n’go. There’ll be breakfast classics like pancakes and egg-stuffed rolls, then a Mexi-style menu from lunch till dinner – think fish tacos and post-surf Margs.

Elsewhere, there’s the Surf Suite – a 120-person events space for everything from weddings to conferences to surf schools, catered by Rafi – and The Hill, an expansive events lawn (which, to us, smells like a hotspot for next summer’s gigs).

The lagoon has the capability to pump two-metre waves every eight seconds, meaning less competition for waves – and the closest break for surfers in Sydney's western suburbs. And, while sensational waves are the MO, Urbnsurf Sydney has been designed for everyone.

“Yes, it’s got a cool surfy edge to it, for beginners and pros, but they’re putting a lot more effort into the experience side of the venue,” says Carroll. “It’s all-inclusive, it doesn’t alienate anyone.”