Gold Coast's 'Surf Management Plan': have your say
The traditional Hawaiian Ring ceremony performed at the recent Rock to Rock Ocean Paddle. Photo: Peter Sturm
The Gold Coast City Council is developing a 'Surf Management Plan', and wants the input of the surfing community to help it manage its coastline into the future.
As we are all aware, the Gold Coast is one of the more populated surf regions in the world, suffering from severe overcrowding during the summer and autumn period. As the local population continues to increase, it is imperative that Council has a legislative framework to shape the Gold Coast's surf amenities.
A Surf Management Plan Advisory Committee was formed last year, representing a wide range of surf bodies and beach users. This committee will work with Council's Engineering Services to draft the Surf Management Plan.
To have your say on many topical issues such as overcrowding, artificial reefs and wave pools, please fill out this short survey here: http://swllnt.com/1MoH8nX
The final Surf Management Plan will then be presented to Council for endorsement by late 2015.
To read more on the Gold Coast City Council's 'Ocean Beaches Strategy', follow this link: http://swllnt.com/1KliIvg
Comments
Maybe add a few more surf spots to thin the crowd... Possible re think on a artificial reef? improve a few man made spots like the spit to draw the crowd from snapper and tos
I was at the Gold Coast Surf Council meeting on Tuesday and we discussed a range of interesting options around engineered waves. Artificial reefs are certainly one of them but there are other ways to improve the surf.
Did they consider Breakwalls for some sick wedges? You can probably get them to pick up more south swell too if you get the angle right.
Florida proposal
http://www.outsideonline.com/1962226/if-you-build-it-surfers-will-come
Yeah this was discussed, there are some interesting possibilities here.
NO PWCs
Can you give any more details on your thoughts Ben?
I'm not too sure at this stage, but I'll be looking more in depth into the artificial reef proposals over the coming weeks and months. The other less-engineered approaches involve making better use of existing tools - such as how, where and when to deposit the spoils of sand dredging. Also, I see some merit in techniques whereby beaches are 'sculptured' (using heavy machinery) to create good channels and thus better banks.
Hi Ben, can you expand or direct me to what sculpting is. We at Maroochydore have just had our sand replenished from rivermouth. Last time I don't think it helped banks at all and ended up a straight and cliff like bank in the surf zone once most of it was washed back into the sea.
The idea is that the beach is scalloped to mimic a "transverse bar and rip" beach type (see #4 on this page). By scultping out scarps, and building cusps, we'd hopefully see the development of a bar and rip setups that'd produce good banks. I'm not sure how feasible it is though.
Cheers. Looks like we get "low tide terrace" effect from the pumping and sculpting done at Marrochydore.
Quite effective method to rejuvenate the beach and cover the coffee rock but doesn't help the banks much.
Thanks Swellnet for sharing this, and the link to the survey - I probably would not have know about it otherwise and I live just over the border. While I live down here, the impact for me is the more crowded the GC the more 'overflow' heads down this way - so, yep, I have a vested interest!
Having just completed the survey, I'm a bit concerned this is going to turn into a bureaucratic fuck up. We don't need feasibility study's, surveys or even research - we need to get on with doing something.
Coast engineering for surfing is immature and expensive enough that you REALLY need a measure twice cut once approach...
The awkward truth unfortunately, is that if surfers want anything to happen they have to dive into the bureaucratic soup. After all, it's bureacrats who are making the decisions that effect us. Surfers have a habit of complaining among themselves, or complaining in surf magazines, and none of it ever makes it to the first council meeting. They don't know what we want.
Surfers, despite what we think, don't have the mortgage on coastal use, we compete with the interests of other stakeholders, groups like fishoes, and boaters, each who have cashed up organisations ready for the bureacratic battle. They'll roll us everytime. Those groups are "getting on with doing something."
Other than money and blocking waterway entrances what kind of conflict issues are we looking at?
Mid to late 1980's either post construction of seaway walls at The Spit, or when the Artificial Reef went in at Narrowneck the council pumped sand from the Broadwater onto the beaches of Main Beach, Narrowneck and up to Surfers Beach. The pipe ran parallel with the ocean and sat at the base of the dunes. Sand would be pumped every 300m for a few days at one spot then more pipe added and moved south etc etc. This created dirty and sandy water while the sand was being pumped; but also created excellent A Frame peak sandbanks. I believe they should implement this scenario but bury the pipe at the back of the sand dunes (cosmetic) and incorporate a T-Junction say every 500m. When there is erosion you locate the T-Junction, add pipe going towards the ocean and pump to fix the erosion problem. This will also deepen the Broadwater. In theory this pipe could run all the way to Nobbys Beach headland. This incorporated with other strategies would help to create banks from The Spit south to where the sand is pumped. We need more sand always. Just saying.
This is coastal engineering Japanese style.
2 years ago this was a great little beach that in summer was one of our go to spots. Stood up any sniff of swell and was offshore in a southerly, which is a bit of a rarity around here. Was like a little mini D-bah. People used to come down and fish or have barbies on the sand, kids would swim and we'd get tubed out the back. Just to the south is a short, but intense reef that on the right swell/wind/tide combo would just horseshoe and provide the most intense barrell and give you an absolute arse-whipping if you blew it.
Anyway, gone forever now.
Be careful what you wish for.
Did they do that due to erosion issues Zen?
Pretty nasty laying on ya towel there now!! Bummer all round!!
Under the guise of 'erosion control' Rabs.
But in reality, short term jobs at the expense of coastal destruction, signed off by kick-back taking politicians who in turn go on to sit on the boards of the Yakuza backed construction companies who are corruptly awarded the contracts at inflated cost to the taxpayer and the cycle continues.
PS This was a healthy beach posing no danger to society through typhoons or tsunami.
Get ya self on one of those boards Zen! You can create any wave you like!
Is the reef still working?
Edit: Do you have before pictures?
Not many Bi9x4, you don't know what you've lost till it's gone.
I'll try and have look tonight and post one or two up pre-destruction.
Surfed the beachie on a super low tide recently, wasn't much chop and haven't seen the reef anywhere near as good as it was a couple of years ago. Basically, this beach is screwed now.
I know this is not about the Goldy but coming from the Main Beach area of the Goldy and having surfed every square inch of the place I can tell you the coast is looked after way better than here.
Imagine trying to pull this shit on an Aussie beach?
Anyway, the only real before shots I could find showing the actual beach and the reef at about 3ft. Needs to be that size before it gets going. Doesn't hold much more than 6ft and then it washes through. But in the head and half range it's a pretty intense little tube.
I'd certainly be unhappy if that was near me...
Nugget of a tube going on there. Looks like you could go a left and launch off the wrap section (on a lid) too?
That's the reef. When it's double that the right fully horse-shoes and just mutates. I have been flogged so badly out there but luckily the reef is kind of sandstone and kelp. Not too sharp. The left is longer and doesn't really tube but when it's big, paddling back out you kind of find yourself in no mans land. The right is the go.
Anyway, fuckers have taken that beach away from us in addition to another half a dozen or so we've lost since I've been here and they've just started erosion control on another great beachie just out of town.
As my mum and dad said when they came to visit 'that's just criminal'.
It sure is.
Geez Zen, in the first photo with the crawler crane(Heavy lifting), imagine what the Gccc could do with money like that for us surfers, extending rock groins, making more, a barge with a crawler on dropping reefs everywhere...!
Would be nice eh.
Great photos by the way.
Thats fucked... Sad.
Far out, that's unbelievable Zen. Like you said, a beautiful sandy little bay that's been totally destroyed. Mind blowing!! Cheers for those pics.
dont think much money will be spent on this before commonwealth games.
buy a dredge. it can create sandbanks and channels along beaches creating surfable waves.
in times of heavy erosion it can replenish beaches and even pump more sand before a cyclonic event.
also in times of low tides, use machinery to create channels and sculpture sand banks for surfing.
But promote this so all and sundry know the GC is creating surfing spots weekly.
firstly create a nice little a frame shorey for me to bodysurf- no surfcraft allowed- the bodybash bank.
Surely some rocks added just either side of the wall at the spit would create a couple of handy reefs? One reef to be protected from southerlies the other norther lies? All average surfers want is the potential for one or two turns and the prospect of a makeable barrel. Newcastle Harbour for example, or something a little less intense
'Adding a few rocks' is not a small job though. And not cheap either. Any works done have to be properly modeled and the benefits quantified before they'll be seriously considered.
True Ben, but it's all ready a structure and would be 'easier' to add to than start a fresh. Plus it's more than likely going to be permanent once finished, not going to get washed away like sand... But I'm no engineer
Are you proposing that we add something inside the Seaway?
That's asking for trouble, and would never be approved. I don't think it'd work either, with the volume of water pouring out on each tide. Way too much of a safety risk.
I was, but I was thinking the boats don't come close to the breakwall so it could be an option
ben's idea re#4 is a good one. surely on a big low tide they could get heavy machinery to create this profile at a spot. this would be a good test run and model the effectiveness of this sculpting. cheapest way to test as well.
Agreed. That #4 is the goods, and well, old school fisho's and some of us surfers who they taught have been making that happen forever. The old fisho's who taught me as a grommet, back in the 80's, would use logs, trees, sticks and debri to create changes in the sand formation - drag 'em onto the low tide bank, dig 'em in and let the water movement and sand build and shape around them. Fisho's wanted the gutters and feeding areas, and a few of us saw the surfing potential around the same area's, so it was a symbiotic process.
Truth be told, back in the day, there was more than trees and sticks used ... I remember one "bank" built from a few old tyres joined together with some old chain. Fark, it produced some waves, and fish for months. Everyone was happy!
Great story Wingnut! I'm impressed.
A good mate up in QLD is a crazy fisherman and he has created his own artificial reef over the years its in an areas not affected by currents or swell, he literal has dumped shiploads of concrete pipes and shopping trolleys to create structure and apparently its worked in attracting reef fish so he has his only little secret fishing reef.
good one wingnut, i have actually told council to do as you did, get some tyres, chain them in a sandbank wave making formation, fill them with concrete and cover them with that playground spongy stuff for safety, then let the tide come in and see what happens. if it works, pre assemble them, drop them over the side of a barge, get divers to correctly place them, and surfable waves instead of closeouts.
This day and age no way would they allow tyres to be used in a marine environment.
Absolutely Udo, tyres are a no-go.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20150522/france-hits-reverse-on-sinking-tyres-for...
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/22/florida-retrieving-700000...
Good thread and links Ben cheers.
IMO the engineering side is so simple compared to other engineering projects that are successful in this world around us. Like others above who have stated about various products /substrates, it all comes down to money and environmental aspects.
I have witnessed over the last couple of years earth/sand and rock moving to protect the road along Palm beach, that is to say not properties...? Which is at the owner's expense!
It takes a lot of heavy machinery to move ex amount of cubic metres of sand where IMO the expense to move sand, which will get washed away in maybe a day or two, would not be a viable plan for surf banks.
Something has to be of solid structure, sand banks come and go as we all know due to the flow of the sands and ocean up this way.
I believe it can be done, the question is who by and at what cost which is effective and viable ...?
Agree, create a permanent new decent surf break. Better for the long term. Might be expensive now but generations in the future will reap the rewards. Plus the goldy needs a reef/Rock break.
i am not attached to using tyres, in my email to council i said to use the best safest material to create waves and attract marine life.
the main thing is to create the right shaped structure to get good wave shape- any suggestions for the material?
welly, thats why i reckon have a dredge, it can create waves plus help prevent and restore beach erosion plus keep waterways navigable.
council could also hire it out to other councils to help the same.
Need a lot off breaks. Be great to see something down the northern end. Every one heads to the southern end. Great article ben some great inputs from ocean users.
Man made artificial waves........ Do they ever actually work? Also how long did it take them to extend the Kirra Groyne? This is going to take years and years before anything gets done.
How bout regulating boards that can be ridden on different days. Surfed Currumbin last time I was down and 4 x stand up paddles were Plowing through nearly killing people, scary experience watching the poor buggers who couldn't get out the way . 3ft Currumbin should not allow longboards or SUPs with that heavy of a crowd. Especially when 2 of them decide to surf the 1 wave.
On the Gold Coast alone, D'Bah, the Superbank, Kirra and South Straddie are all man made, 'artificial' waves to some degree. Even Currumbin has transformed over the years due to local engineering works, and the flow-on effects of the sand pumping at Coolangatta.
Perhaps your question is "do artificial surfing reefs work". The answer to that question is - in general - no. We have yet to see anyone build an artificial reef in highly active surf region that could be considered a good surfing reef.
The one exception to this is the Cables Reef at Cottesloe (West Oz) - which by all accounts is a reasonably good wave under the right conditions - but it requires very large swells to break so isn't ridden very often.
Yep that's my glorious English Ben, thanks for the correction.
I lived in Perth for a couple years and Cables was extremely fickle and as soon as all the right conditions came together there would be 50 guys on it.
Artificial reefs sound like a good thing, but In my opinion for the costs involved are too high.
It's a passionate topic from the surfers of Oz, though the Goldy seems like a dire straight. Not to be negative though sometimes the writings on the wall. It's a great concept from the Council and I look forward to seeing some solutions......
I'm quite interested in what Cables is like when it's breaking though. The main issue is that it was built in a swell shadow, so it never receives enough size to break (so we can't tell what its like on different kinds of swells).
But if it's a bona fide decent wave, then there's no reason why we couldn't - at some stage down the track - build ten of these along the coast. This would then spread out the crowd.
As for expense: if you think about the money spent on other sporting amenities, the cost of an artificial reef isn't outrageous. And there are flow on benefits for coastal management issues too.
I shudder to think how long it will take to build 10 of these along the coast watching how long it took the Council to extend the Kirra Groyne. And all that entailed was an excavator and a few heavy rocks?
Or am I wrong?
Realsurf - general discussion , artificial reefs page 280 some chat from 11 yrs ago.
I was living in Freo when the cables reef was built...all the surfers i knew thought great idea, just the wrong spot for the cash spent. North Beach was the call from the majority back then as preffered spot...who knows how that decision process was made?
As for the wave itself, on the right swell the wave would dish up sick barrels on take off but could be a mean fucker that would drive ya deep and keep ya down with larry the ledge monster far too long, and if ya were unlucky you'd find an edge or corner of a concrete block...so yes, the wave was a success but just placed in the wrong spot.
Trouble with artificial reefs is soon as they're built out come the artificial locals to lay claim to the inside position.
just wondering where this surf management plan fits in with the world surfing reserve?
what grants could be accessed to get something done? maybe going thru a university to get a test run done may be the way to go.
my feeling is that it would be easier and quicker to try and shape sand first.
otherwise the modeling and EIS process may be too long.
at the kirra meeting, there was a bloke who owned earthmoving equipment who wanted to donate them to move the excess sand.
what if the surfers all rallied and had a one off attempt on low tide to create a few banks. We could see if it worked, sure the banks wont last, but i reckon it would be a good first step to show that the surfers are committed.
it would get good media coverage, therefore raising interest for assistance in a long term solution.
Many moons ago I think the Bra Boys got busy with there shovels and dug a channel on low tide and when the tide came in they had a short term left and right hander ....goes to show it takes little movement of sand to make a change.
FWIW, agreed, tyres not the solution - was just an example of 'the old days'. Plenty of better, more environmentally sustainable products that can be used ;)
Didn't the locals hand dig to break up a straight back at d'bah years ago too?
Simple solutions.
I think it needs a three layer attack:
1. Short term - low cost ... so, maybe sand placement from pumping, sand shaping with machines, etc ... minimal impact that nature will rebalance over time.
2. Medium term - semi permanent ... so, a say a close shore structures to catch sand and forms backs, break up water flow and sand flow.
3. Long term - permanent ... offshore artificial reefs in deeper water.
The cost of each to implement, and time, increasing in line ... 1 and 3 can get under way ASAP, while 3 is fully researched. If 2 does not work, it can be removed. Only need a couple of them to test the theories. Few trials and tests with using 1 and 2 will also help the researchers understand impacts for 3.
agree wholeheartedly wingnut, well stated. I am tempted to cut and paste your post and send it to contacts in the GC COUNCIL and CG BULLETIN.
what do u say?
Go for it ...
It's what I put in when I completed the survey too.
More breaks more punters eh?
Can just imagine Ben and Craig's forecasts for the SE QLD.........
Tugun has had x3 D11T's working around the clock all night in three various positions along Tugun, low tide will be great with the NE sea breeze doing its thing on the left hand banks, cross/off.
Main Beach has had x2 DT10T2's and x3 D9T's pushing channels and sand around on Tuesday, the channels are more NE direction so with this SW change tomorrow we should see some nice shaped right handers on most banks to the South.
Palmy/Mermaid and Nobbies from all the sand moving last week, banks are straight and close outs, but tomorrow x4 D8T's and x5 D9T's will be working before the East trade swell hits the coast, hopefully the swell won't be too big to damage all the bulldozing works....?
Caterpillar have donated two more D3K's and four more D5K's for fine tuning.
Have a great week.
Wellymon, you legend ... You've just found a whole new swag of potential sponsors for zoseas WSL... No more "jeep ratings leader" and bye bye "Samsung world tour", they won't be able to compete with the new industry heavy machinery sponsors.
"CUMMINS diesel world tour"
the...
"CAT power pro"
the...
"PIRTEK ratings leader"
Sheesh. Its an endless new market!
ah, welly, your the project manager, but maybe not, cause i dont think you'd turn up to work after the wallabies beat the all blacks.
Haha would love to be the project manager Davo;)
I seen sand work and it doesn't take much but the thing is it takes a lot more for the Occukie boys to beat those fellas across the ditch......:)
Go the Caterpillars D10, D9's D's bring it on.
Used to surf a break back home, Mid East coast Pig island, got the call from a good mate, which was 5 hr drive from Wellington.
The land owner used to open an estuary just before duck season with a little bulldozer, 30-50m away from the high tide mark.
It would break the most perfect wave I've ever seen in my 35 years of surfing, without a doubt, absolute perfect barrelling lefts and rights, a perfect triangle all the way to the deep water shore.
Like this 2-3ft and round......!
This is my photo in ankle deep water with a good mate getting pitted Yeeewwww.
No names or waves mentioned;)
Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable with the whole notion of fucking with nature. Sure, it’s the gold coast, why not dump a shit load of concrete (or whatever) in the ocean when we already have a shit load on land? Surfers claim to be at the forefront of environmental issues but everybody on here is advocating making changes to a natural environment.
Not all that long ago, people (surfers included) weren’t happy about putting up a concrete monstrosity on Wave Break Island (Cruise Ship Terminal) but now it seams are happy to put tonnes of debris in the ocean on the pretext of making more/better? waves.
The groin at Kirra was built, extended, shortened, extended, talk of changing the angle, etc…….but has Kirra Point ever been as good as pre-groin? If I read Rabbit’s book, and many other interviews held with pre-groin surfing identities, no fucking way. It’s still just a sad facade of what it used to be.
Sand pumping created the "Superbank", which ended up being one big point break instead of multiple breaks (Snapper, Rainbow, Greenmount, and Kirra further on). The crowd used to be spread and sectioned out. Now, it's one big shit fight.
Are humans really that arrogant to think they can improve on mother nature? Are surfers just selective environmentalists conspicuously absent of environmental credentials when they might get a new reef or two?
As a side, but related issue to the Gold Coast Management Plan and the Spit, last week a new development proposed for Mariners Cove (http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/realestate/sunland-boss-reveals-mari...). Call me cynical but the first high rise north of Main Beach (effectively the first high rise at the start of the Spit) gives a toe-hold for further high rise going further up the spit. Once this is done, where are the grounds for opposition for a Cruise Shit(p) Terminal? Why can’t we leave the Spit as it is (no further development), and keep the high rise south where it is already fucked up, i.e. Surfers Paradise?
That will never happen Ash..!
Building development will way surpass surf breaks..
You know that champ.
I know what you're saying but, give a different dimension a go and lets see what happens....?
More buildings, more crowds + more viable environmental breaks = less people on more breaks...
Nah...?
Yeah...?
Yep, I know Welly, you can't stop progress and buildings will continue to rise and people will continue to procreate (although can't blame me for that one, I've chosen to remain childless so won't be adding to the crowd factor). I see a different equation though.
I see more buildings, more crowds, + more viable environmental breaks = more opportunity for more people to become surfers, so more people take up surfing to fill that dream, crowds return. Everything has a balance point, if surf becomes too crowded, some leave, some leave for good. Learners find it too hard to get a wave and give up before committing to having surfing as an integral part of their life. The dream in reality is a nightmare.
Well, I appear to have moved from environment to crowds. Getting back to main point, I believe that natural is always best. Natural reefs, natural sand flow, even to the point of erosion and then sand coming back. The ebb and flow of life.
Hit that one on the head Ash.
I agree:)
BUt maybe just a couple of solar powered D11T's and a few more solar powered D9Ts' too push that sand around a little wee more.
Wouldn't hurt would it.....!
There is plenty of it, that's for sure and it keeps on coming from the Blue Mountains deep in the NSW region, These QLD's need something from them eh......
FWIW, I am not in favour of "hard" concrete type structures ... I'd prefer if all improvement come from using the sand in better ways. Nature can move it around too. Balance and rebalance.
I also think a huge part of the "crowd" issue comes down to etiquette. Lack of understanding, or care, or whatever contributes to the issue with poor surf etiquette increase tensions and seriously affecting safety. That's everything from wearing legropes when others are around, through to drop in's, and paddling wide, surf within your ability not your ego, etc.
PWC and other motorised craft should be banned from the line up UNLESS there are NO non motorised craft in the surf zone. Should be a mandatory 1000m (i.e. motorised craft stays clear of non motorised craft, regardless of conditions.) As soon as a surfer paddles out, the motorised craft should have to fuck off. Simple. Reward surfer putting in the effort, not the fuckwit on his toy.
Well said Wingnut on the etiquette. I was going to post something similar in my first posting but banged on enough over the environmental side.
Would surfing be more enjoyable if not for the me me me attitudes of some? The ones who paddle out and believe they are owed all the waves. Old mate paddles for first wave of a set and fucks up the take off, then expects to be on the second wave of the set, if not, the third. Sorry mate, back of the line. The bloke who is a constant snake. The bloke with the constant sore neck (couldn't turn his neck to look inside seeing somebody else already on the wave).
Let's do a little math. 12 people on a bank, 3 wave sets, sets every 2 minutes (short period stuff). First three cleared out and back of the line inside first minute (timeline is starting on first set), 2nd three get cycled through at the 3 minute mark, third 3 at the 5 minute mark, last three at the 7 minute mark. First three back taking off 9 minutes after their last wave. Is 9 minutes too long to wait for everybody to share the stoke? Lets punch the sets out to a 5 minute wait. Still no more than 15 minutes between waves. Enough time to have a chat to your fellow man, find out what craft he is riding, discuss reef design if you must. Peoples attitudes need to change before we start advocating changing the natural environment to spread the same problem further afield.
Your line about surfing within your ability and not your ego rings true. I believe surf reporters have been a small part of the problem. How many times do you hear the TV/Radio/Internet surf reporter banging on about the same breaks over and over. Duranbah, Snapper, Greenmount, Burleigh..... Once was a time that you had to prove competence to surf these breaks. Now little Johnny wants to learn how to surf and parents keep hearing the same place names that it becomes etched in their minds. All the surfers go there, must be a good place to learn.... Actually, no. A good place to learn is on a beach break away from competent and competitive surfers. A place where you get to learn how to paddle out without getting in somebody's way. A place where you can fuck up a takeoff and not take somebody's head off. I take something from Tom Carrolls book The Wave Within. He won his world title on the back of Peter Manstead (and I think Dougal Walker from memory) taking him to surf the shittiest beach breaks they could find, because mostly that is what they found on tour at that time (and in general at your home break). It's easier to surf clean conditions but nothing improves your surfing more than being able surf shit conditions. Last point about surf reporters...how about dropping a few lines about surf ettiquette into your report because it does appear people need constant re-inforcement. "Yep, great morning this morning...2-3ft of easterly swell, light wsw winds, and remember everybody, drop-ins are dangerous, wear a leg rope, don't snake, and wait your turn".
As for the PWC, absolutely correct. No PWC anywhere within 1000m of any other surfcraft/swimmer (except surf lifesavers in lifesaving mode, not just fucking around). Back in the day, surfers were lauded for their water skills. Paddling out at 12 foot Burleigh, 10 foot Kirra. No PWC for Rabbit, the Petersons, Doris, Wayne Deane, the Harris brothers, to name but a few. These days, the "Pro's" can't seem to handle anything over 5 foot without a PWC. It's plain fucking embarrassing, not to mention dangerous as half the pricks don't have a clue. Rant over....for now.
great photo welly.
you will have to translate okkuckie boys?
you'll be doing the haka next, lol
my thing is, that if this place is made a Surfing Reserve, maybe not allowed to do anything?
still think a dredge is best so it create channels along southern closeout sections in winter and northern in summer
it could also be on hand to maintain waterways and fix up storm erosion.
news flash, warriors dont make the 8, blacks humbled by wallabies;)
Dave. Witnessed the RED dredge same time frame as Artificial Reef (Narrowneck) or maybe even pre. Did not work. $30K a day, in the 80's. Dumped and sand was washed away. We need sand pumping same TOS.
Plenty of sand on all the beaches at the moment, it just needs moving IMO.
yeah, there is no quick easy cost effective answer to this issue as we are dealing with the ocean. Even the best researched and placed artificial reefs may not work as intended all the time or anytime. maybe we should all take up chopper racing! First race, Geelong.
Here's what I think should happen on the Goldie (nth-sth)
-Seaway to Surfers will have a backpassing system installed that will take about 30% of the sand going to TOS and recycle this through a pipeline back to Surfers Paradise. Periodically this will be topped up with sand from the Broadwater. Placement of a permanent pipeline to manage the high value exposed infrastructure at Surfers will mean that there are opportunities to break the pipe at any point along the 7-8km line with a head and either temporary pipes or a simple gantry system (permanent pipes that fold away when not in use). This presents great opportunities to use sand to make temporary breaks along this stretch.
-Seaworld artificial reef. The GC Shoreline Management Plan has a provision for an offshore area to experiment with ASRs in this region. Council has signed off on this but there's no money attached. With SE swell and fairly constant prevailing wind, this represents a far less complex area to focus waves than some other possible sites.
-Miami-Surfers. Another large reef (Narrowneck size) will be placed offshore between Nobbies and Narrowneck to complete the offshore detached breakwater/groyne function and offer coastal protection along this stretch of the coast. Depending on design, this has potential for the creation of surf on the reef.
-Burleigh-Nobbies. A seawall will most likely be built at Burleigh Heads in front of the park. Nobody is under the illusion that this part of the coast functions as a natural coastline anymore. But like the rest of the coastline, it will be fronted with significant volumes of sand and is only likely to be exposed under extreme conditions. A new pipeline will be constructed on the headland, just to the north of Tallebudgera Creek to capture and discharge sand that is currently taken over the hill. A new operating procedure will be put in place that allows sand to be cleared from the creek in smaller amounts and on a more frequent basis. This ‘drip feed’ will ensure ongoing supply for Burleigh Heads, rather than the large annual slugs that are pushed over the hill. The sand supply will feed the centre and north of the beach also, however, there is a remaining deficit in this area that will need to be dealt with or a recognition that the coast wants to realign shorewards and we should get used to not having much sand at North Burleigh.
-Palm Beach. The seawall at Palm Beach is at least 50m too far shoreward i.e. the highway should really be where the beach is. A combination of sand pumping and offshore reefs are most appropriate here. A permanent pipeline should be constructed the length of the beach with the option to pull in sand from Currumbin Creek in small amounts and on a regular basis and also the option to backpass a % from the north of the beach. The pipes could have a gantry system, be mounted on the existing groynes or have temporary pipes installed as needed. The temporary pipes and bulldozer system currently used, while working well, is adhoc and should be replaced. Depending on how quickly the TRESBP sand makes it’s way to Palm Beach, additional volumes may need to be imported in the next few years. A key issue here is holding sand on a beach that doesn’t want it. Here a series of purpose built offshore artificial reefs working in conjunction with the natural fishing reef areas (which may be augmented) can work to hold sand on beaches for longer and also provide wave focusing structures (like bomboras) that sit just outside of the surf zone rather than traditional surf zone ASRs. Palm Beach receives 6% of surfing effort on the Gold Coast, almost exclusively from locals, and while not being a mega-point break, delivers high frequency medium quality surf.
-Currumbin Creek. More effective management of the sand in the creek (see Palm Beach above) using boats that are rigged up to the new permanent pipeline can provide effective management solutions for small volumes of sand on an ongoing basis. The outside bar should not be touched as this is driven by the longshore drift.
-Flat Rock-Currumbin. Nothing.
-NthKirra/Bilinga-Flat Rock. The TRESBP pipeline will be extended (including boosters) with multiple heads and either temporary pipes or a gantry system put in place to deliver A-frames peaks at multiple locations. The offshore area about 2kms north of the surf club will be the location for a new ASR. This will be out of the Snapper – Kirra shadow and allows clean unrefracted wave energy to be focused. A bombora ASR i.e. a wave focusing ASR is needed rather than an ASR in the surf zone itself. This will also mean that there is far less disruption on longshore drift.
-Snapper-Kirra. BAU with TRESBP, but with a closer focus on surf quality and judicious use of all outlets, which will mean that boosters are needed. A barge towing a rake can be used to break up the outer bank if and when that is needed.
-Dbah. Permanent pipeline connected to the head at the back of the beach, with 1 pipe running 2/3 – 3/4 of the way up the northern breakwall and 2-3 outlets/gantries on the beach. Given the decline in the economic importance of the river mouth being navigable relative to the value of surfing it is worth considering shortening the breakwalls rather than replacing them when they reach the end of their working life (say prior to 2025). This is the same time that the TRESBP contract finishes and is due to turn over to the state govt, so a good time to rethink the management plan for south of the border also.
Sure there are risks and legal issues to navigate. But with 60,000 resident surfers, many more visiting; a $3B+ contribution to the local economy; a net gain for coastal protection and the environment, why would you not go ahead? For the same cost as resurfacing a road or two, a couple of halls, a soccer field and a pool, could the GC really become surfers paradise?
great suggestions Lazlo. My understanding is that a whole new deed of agreement would have to be signed re TRESBP for any changes to be approved to initial contract, so two state govts have to agree-nsw wont fund any of it, also -new E.I.S because of changes since pumping began.
So once again its the red tape and cost that is the real issue.
U have got some great ideas and it will take everyone throwing their ring into the hat to get any changes happening.
The deciding factor will be cold hard facts that the GC is losing tourism dollars because of overcrowding or economic data showing the increase in tourist dollar due to having more surf breaks.
Like the boys have said, I think it will be more about etiquette and pwc. I can see it now as they fly in from japan, china, brazil and so on, the welcoming video telling them all, please dont drop in on rave when he's bodybashing snapper;)
Hi Dave,
The GC is too big with too many surf breaks with other viable options too far away and small relatively (i.e. Byron-Lennox or Sunshine Coast) for a credible economic argument to be mounted that the GC is losing tourism dollars or leaking local dollars. That already happens. Basically there are too many options on the Goldie and people will simply argue that substitution is taking place i.e. TOS is too crowded so someone goes to Burleigh and still spends their money in the GC. This doesn't say anything about wave quality etc though.
I believe the whole of the GC is declared a bathing reserve out to 400m. So at any point in time Council lifeguards can exclude surfers or motorised craft. This is what legally happens during the Quik Pro. But it also means that motorised craft are not permitted within 400m of the shore unless an exclusion is granted. So in almost all cases the paddling surfer has right of way and presumably legal precedence should things turn south. If anyone thinks I've got this wrong then let me know. Thing is, more and more surfers are buying PWC cause it's fun and new and so the social tide is turning - like it or not. If everyone knew the rules would they tell all the pros, semi pros and local hotshots to get out of the water when they pull up on their skis? That's a real problem you need to deal with.
There are four strategies for managing surfbreaks: 1) increase supply; 2) increase the durability of supply; 3) reduce demand e.g. lotteries, ticket systems, lid only days etc; & 4) modify how we use the resource. It's this last one that's hardest to quantify and which varies so much depending on local culture, surf craft used etc e.g. I might need all of the face of a wave just for myself to get the most out of a surf or I actually surf better when sharing waves and the surf is more performance dance...
Great suggestions Lazlo. There's a lot to digest but it all makes good sense. However, we need a proof of concept for everyone - both the council and the surfing community.
C'mon Ben, I think you can do better than that. All the evidence has been laid out over many years. It's not for lack of scientific or practical evidence that this stuff doesn't happen. I'm not suggesting that everyone, or even the surfing community itself, agrees on the same path forward but I am saying there's a lot of evidence out there.
Don't get me wrong, I like the ideas. But we've gotta convince the surfing community AND the council that these ideas will work in everyone's best interests.
The general consensus right across the global surfing community is that artificial surfing reefs don't work. So your suggestions for artificial reefs or bomboras at Seaworld, Miami-Surfers, Palm Beach and Kirra to Flat Rock need to be proven in some capacity before the surf community will come on board. There's been too many promises and too many failures in years gone by (no-one wants another Narrowneck).
As for the other suggestions, I reckon surfers will treat any new sand pumping proposals with skepticism, because of the wide range of possible outcomes. Sure, it's had benefits at some locations, but other locations have suffered (when I lived on the Goldy from '03-'06, I remember speaking to many long-time surfers who were annoyed with how the flow on effects of TRESBP had affected Burleigh and Currumbin, to their detriment).
All I'm suggesting is that we pick off the low hanging fruit first. Sure, a backpassing gantry system stretching from The Spit to Surfers would be unreal - but it's a major project. We need to kick some small goals first to gain the trust of all parties.
Lazlo…now all you need is a business plan with the technical engineering and you might convince a few. If you can get a few key interest groups on side, that is, reefs or break walls for their benefit then you might have it. I would be surprised if the Council only listens to the surfing groups. Boaties and SLSC would be a starter.
Lamentably, I wouldn't know a business plan if it bit me on the arse. As for the rest of the issues - doable!
Hi Guys, lots of ideas being posted here ...my thoughts re - creating surf breaks on the Gold Coast-
For any idea to get a run it has to make both practical and economic sense. Sure, pumping sand to various locations will work to a degree, but there is a cost to install and run the pipes/pumps and sand has to come from somewhere continuously for this to work- high ongoing costs. Unless they need to pump sand for other reasons I don't believe this will be economically viable just for surfing. Building rock groynes or artificial headlands- no guarantee of creating surf, visually undesirable- ruled out as an option at Palm bch. Dumping rock, sandbags, or other thing in a random or even in a carefully placed manner to create reefs- all these type of structures will either subside, or not be shaped accurately enough, or will have a very rough crest with gaps between whatever units are used creating hazards for surfers. Whatever units are used they will have to have a very large mass to resist being moved in storm events, and this precludes them being able to used to create an accurately shaped reef. They will also have to make the reef crest deeper to make it safe- too deep to break consistently. Remember- the more accurate the bottom shape and crest level the more perfect the wave shape, and if we are going to bother designing and building an artificial reef- we may as well build one that is as accurate/perfect as possible. Dumping sand offshore, or moving it around onshore at low tide- ongoing high cost, temporary and variable results, will wash away easily.
The most practical solution is to build offshore reefs- fully engineered and perfectly shaped for creating reliable perfect waves, and safe for users. Unlike all other suggested solutions, these reef units would be a patent protected commercially viable product in their own right and able to be marketed worldwide- so the idea is that an artificial reef program on the Gold Coast would actually produce income for GCCC, not cost them anything in the long term - that also makes economic sense.
Cheers
Steve B
see -www.offshoresurfreefs.com
Steve, your design would work well in a wave pool. Maybe? a larger scale model in a wave pool context first, to really prove the concept, surfers actually riding the wave and then the open ocean use would follow. Just a idea.
Wingnut- the many wave pools that have produced small rideable waves, eg wavegarden etc, really have already proved the basic concept of using specially contoured bottom shape to create waves- its not that difficult. The actual bottom shape to use can vary widely, depending on what type of wave you want to create, and can be computer modelled, or physically modelled on a small scale quite well- that is not the issue.
The next step is to create that artificial landform in the open ocean, which is where others have tried and failed. My concept solves all the fundamental problems that other reef designs have had, ie subsidence, inaccurate constructed profile, inaccurate crest level, durability, and safety.
In-sea trials is where we are up to with artificial reefs, not in pools- but you are right in that to keep cost down for the first one, a smaller full-scale reef would be the go- a location that is somewhat protected but still gets some smaller clean swell wrapping in would be ideal , eg Nth Kirra/Belongil. - just need the funding.