Surfers skiing is snow joke

GET ready to ski on icy slopes metres from Surfers Paradise beach, just in time for summer.

The Gold Coast’s tourist strip is set to chill out as a developer proposes transforming an empty Ferny Ave block of land into a mini snow park with slopes and a go-kart track.

The project, put forward by developer Snow Parks (Gold Coast) Pty Ltd is the subject of a development application put to the council this week, with hopes of using the attraction as springboard to creating a much larger ski park at Mudgeeraba.

But don’t expect to see any of the fluffy white stuff — Nevaplast, a synthetic material which replicates the feel and movement of snow, will be used to give users that slippery feeling.

According to documents filed with the council, the 3000sq m site will include three ramps for a “tubby slide”, “tubby jump” and “freestyle” action as well as a go-kart track.

The track will also use Nevaplast so karters will feel like they’re driving on ice.

Snow Parks Australia general manager Matt McCulloch said the mini-park would be a “proof of concept” that the idea would work on the Gold Coast.

He said it was hoped the park would open as early as

OUR GOAL IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, ‘LET’S GO SKIING ON THE GOLD COAST’.

next month if approved by the Gold Coast City Council.

“This will showcase everything the main park we want to build would have to offer,” he said.

“It will be unique in the world and a family friendly activity. Our goal is for people to be able to say, ‘Let’s go skiing on the Gold Coast’.”

The tubby slide and freestyle ramps will stand 6m high while the tubby jump, which will include a large inflatable airbag for users to land on, will be 12m tall.

All will be erected with scaffolding and mesh and will front Ocean Ave.

An “arrow tag” attraction which involves a bow-andarrow style skirmish game will also be played on-site.

The attraction, planned for the block next to King Tut’s Putt Putt, will go before councillors in coming weeks.

Earlier this year the Bulletin revealed plans for the snow skiing-theme park for the Hinterland.

The development, set to cost around $4 million, would have a manmade lake and waterslides.