Palm Beach Artificial Reef is currently under construction
After years of rumour, lobbying, consulting, negotiating, planning, and testing, Gold Coast City Council is currently building Palm Beach Artificial Reef.
It's the second artificial reef to be built on the Gold Coast following Narrowneck Artificial Reef which was completed twenty years ago. Both are what's termed MPRs - or Multi-Purpose Reefs - built primarily to counter erosion while also providing surfing amenity. However, there are some differences between Palm Beach and its northern neighbour.
For one, Palm Beach reef will be built from quarried rocks with a 160m x 80m core covered by rock cubes weighing between 1 and 8 tonnes stacked upon each other, unlike Narrowneck which used geotextile bags that over time either settled into the sand bed or split, resulting in a misshapen and ineffective reef.
Profile of Palm Beach Artificial Reef (Supplied: Gold Coast City Council)
Also, Palm Beach reef is situated closer to the surf zone and is shallower at its peak, which should give it greater influence in altering wave shape. Theoretically, this applies not just to the area immediately inshore from the reef but also upstream from it - i.e to the south - where sand should build up, bending from the beach towards the head of the reef (see pink area in image below)
Location of reef and benefit area (Supplied: Gold Coast City Council)
And lastly, Palm Beach has had a greater weighting towards surfing amenity than Narrowneck, which was built before the Gold Coast Surf Mangement Plan was created. Bureaucracy has its benefits! Then again, the website drably notes: "Under certain swell conditions, there is predicted to be waves breaking on the structure suitable for intermediate surfers."
Next week Swellnet will have a full discussion with Council engineers about what surfers can expect.
Location of reef in relation to Palm Beach Natural Reef (Supplied: Gold Coast City Council)
As for the specifics, it'll be located directly offshore from Nineteenth Avenue, roughly 270 metres from the shoreline. That places it approximately halfway to the natural reef, though the natural reef runs closer to shore just south of the new reef. It'll be 1.5 metres deep at its shallowest part at average tidal level. The footprint of the reef will be approximately 160 metres long and 80 metres wide. Construction finishes this October, weather permitting.
Comments
I can only assume as the benefit area acretes sand it will cause a deficiency in the amount of sand rounding the headland to Burleigh. Im not sure what the expected timeframe is to fill the benefit area but it could possibly mean you lose the sand at burleigh for a season in a year or two's time?
That's an interesting discussion point. I remember conversations in the mid-2000's (when the Superbank was in its prime) about how Burleigh was suffering from too much sand, supposedly as a result of all of the upstream pumping.
What is the 'normal' sand setup at Burleigh? The current rock break setup is quite a bit different to the average of what's been in place for the last five or ten years.
Also, keep in mind that the GCCC pumps sand from Tallebudgera creek to Burleigh beach (though not around the headland).
i have no doubt that the engineers have taken it into account and i am keen to read the story with those guys later on. I really like the idea of some of these minor modifications to straight section of beach for surfing use. Its such a watse to see perfectly groomed waves roll into a beach and just close out.
"Its such a waste to see perfectly groomed waves roll into a beach and just close out."
Welcome to Jan Juc.
Nah, it'll just slow it down. Eventually the sand slug will reach a critical mass and that sediment will slide around and go on its merry way to BH. Or, the first solid swell to come along will rip it out off the beach and then it'll slide northward with the current as per usual. But, this does mean once hte reef goes in there could be a temporary deficit at BH for a bit.
Burleigh banks have been shit for a few years especially after that last cyclone but what seems to feed it is sand from the tallebudgera creek pushed by S, SE currents and not much sand moving from palm beach
That’s incorrect and a common misconception. Whatever you think is coming from Tallebudgera Creek has come mainly from Palm Beach, with a smaller amount from beach compartments further south. This is because the sediment transport regime in this region (from K’Gari all the way down to Sydney) is south-to-north.
Most people think the sand you find on beaches comes down the rivers in the SEQ and Nth NSW areas (with the exception of the gunk sand sediment you find just north of the Brisbane River mouth…but that’s not what we’re talking about here). Whatever is seen coming out has been pushed into the lower reaches of the river (tidal zone) from the marine environment by large swell events, and is simply moving back out. This almost always only ever occurs during a significant fluvial flooding event (i.e. it pushes it all out). To a lesser extent the particular dynamics in the lower reaches adjacent to the rivermouth – that is, the bathymetry (the location, depth and shape of sandbanks and channels, including at the actual rivermouth/bar itself) – can combine with tidal waters velocities above a certain threshold to move some sediment back out towards the wave zone where it can then be shifted out and northward. As I said above, that sand can only have come from beach compartments to the south. Unless someone illegally dumped a gargantuan amount of sand in the river but unless it’s contaminated there is 0% chance of that happening because that sand can be worth quite a lot of money to the right buyer (e.g. a Council looking to replenish a beach after erosion!).
OzCoasts is an amazing resource that I highly recommend all Swellnetizens check out. https://ozcoasts.org.au/conceptual-diagrams/science-models/beaches/wdb/
Hope that helps!
The length is multiples of the typical wave length and so is enough to bend swells even if they dont always break. I think this is a test case for others around the world where the reef -
- Is far enough away from the beach to avoid nimby complaints.
- Lets swell bending create peaks and so the reef does not have to be so technically accurate at various tides and swell directions to produce good waves.
- creates 3 surf opportunities. The inside peaks (virtually a certainty), the rock reef break (a certainty on bigger swells) and the possible sand build up perfect bank (uncertain outcome).
- works with sandflow and build up so the rocks do not have to do all the work
- it has the permanence of rock.
We should all watch with interest.
I saw the rocks today in a yard up in Bris.
Do you know if they intend to cage them in groups?
Wish they'd build one of these in Apollo Bay (Vic).
Agreed...the days of imaging how to deal with "Victoria's longest closeouts" would be numbered. instead of building just one...how about 3 of them...cheaper than building a playground and much more interesting. Is Apollo bay a marginal seat? if so please hit up your local politician
West Beach SA could do with one of these, the amount of money they spend on sand carting for it washed away in the next storm. Ben your thoughts?
Awesome, i better get myself a jet ski for when's it's over 2 foot to join all the 'ex-pros' with my Instagram camera glasses and facebook signed gath helmut.. Yeeeoowwww
After 20 years of discussions, it’s about time an artificial reef was trialled at Old Bar, NSW before the dune washes away.
tbb / Central GC Groynes & Sand Pumping Study Paper (exclusive to swellnet)
Currumbin Creek Groynes...(Southbank-1973) (Northbank-1981)
Dredger pumps sand from Creek northward to PB SLSC
1 booster 250mm Pipeline runs North along beach up to 1.2km. ($1m/yr) Neuman
1974 -1997 (Informal Dredging)
1997- 2017 (Pumping Totals Annually) 30,000m3 > 75,000m3
Palm Beach Groynes (11th Ave- Start...25/9/1980 + 21st Ave-1980)
2004 (Proposed 3x Dogbone Reefs ...cost-$17m) Rejected by Surfing / Community
2013 Additional Sand destroyed southern PB surf - community for years later.
tbb (local surf observations)
[factcheck] This recorded peak sand level reflects the loss of surf amenity directly.
PB Groynes were beached high & dry at Low tide +23rd Reef bombie smothered.
The wider stringlined shoreline drops into a gutter with Bowling lane outta bank.
Ghost town year upon year...recently Sth PB started to breathe again...Shh!
It is believed Phase 2.5 backfill will suffocate the banks into GCCC racetrack & gutter.
23/Aug 2017 (Phase 1)Rainbow dredge (Palm Beach) dumped 469,838 m3
This link shows exactly where & how much...
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/gold-coast-beach-nourishment-38539.html
Sat 18th May 2019 PB Artificial Reef Works Begin...
Tallebudgera Creek (Groyne 1976)
Tallebudgera Dredger pumps sand inside the Point > N'Burleigh Headland onward.
1975 - 1990 (Informal Dredging) Middle 'Point' cement Pipe distorted the waves.
Burleigh Boardriders protested -sand dump fouled the Point from centre outward.
1985 (March) (One off Mass Sand Dump!) 300,000m3 @ Burleigh Beach
tbb links to 'Stubbies' of same month/year to see if any recall this Mass Sand Dump?
This was to offset starvation from Currumbin/Palm Beach/Talle Groynes.
Note: The original cement Pipeline was starting to break up by this stage.
1990 -2019 (Annual July Dredging) 26,000m3- to 100,000m3 ($1m/yr) Neuman
(1 booster 250mm Pipe Traces GC Hwy 1.8km> Burleigh Baths Cove pumpzone).
tbb local surf observations...
Wipes out Shorie to Rock break > Backbreak & Flatlines the Cove into Backbreak.
WSR Pointbreak/Backbreak is bastardized into a Superbank Closeout Race Track.
All breaks north closeout as one wave until Cyclone break-thrus (April-May)
GCCC reshape WSR Point break into Close-out Cape every year for 30 years now.
Little is said of Annual Mouth Dredging causing upper creekbank tree erosion
The river like mouth rages each summer smashing Boats/Jetskis/Float Toys/Clubbies.
Talle 'River' gutter coves inside Rainbow Weir rising N'B Point until tide escapes.
See: Above GCCC Map (Rainbow Dump drop-off contour out from NB headland)
Too many are swept into powerful boiling undertows...tbb Salutes NB LifeGuards.
Defying nature the tranquil Point & creek is supersized into a riverine bay resort.
River erodes banks racing around Cape racetrack funneling all north into Weir Trap.
Near no safety/enviro/eco conditions apply to Sand Pumping. (GCCC don't care!)
Blue Sky Mining 'wets down metals'...Rainbow Mining 'showers dry metals'.(Think!)
Rainbow Dredge rates as Australia's dirtiest Mining operation...(Beachgoers/Tourists?)
Link to "Palm Beach Reef given green light" for project archives (Including May)
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/08/29/palm-beach-re...
No offence but this reads like a text written by a software or something.
Truebluebasher that was confusing
My question - has any artificial reef been a proven success for surfing or for beach erosion etc?
All the ones I’ve seen seem to be a non event years later but make the AR companies a nice wee profit off council gullibility. Can’t believe we are still doing them? I’d be happy to be proven wrong...
tbs, UWA did a paper on the artificial reef in Perth several years after it was built and concluded it is performing to design and as well as expected. Its some 20yrs now that it has been there, I reckon local surfers would conclude its inconsistent.
I can confirm it is horribly inconsistent. It probably only breaks well a handful of times a year if that. Can't see how it is performing to design because as I understood it one of the original objectives was to make the original wave more consistent...fail.
The Cables reef? That's a pretty difference proposition to this one as it was constructed on an existing reef, not on sand. Also doesn't have the same sand issues, or the same kind of wave climate due to the shelter of the offshore reefs. And a range of other factors. I wonder how the they'll place the 1-tonne rocks - that's pretty small and able to be tossed right around by a good cyclone swell I'd reckon.
I reckon you're right.
I saw the rocks yesterday and was wondering if they intend to group them in cages.
From what i saw it doesn't appear as though that's part of the plan.
Might see a few on the beach in years to come.
Rocks in cages are called Gabions.
If that's what they're doing then they're going to be bloody big ones and made out of either marine stainless or 40+mm rebar....maybe put an extra zero on the end of the construction estimate.
After following TBB's link can see they're dropping them loose.
No gabions but a great addition to the vocab!
Footnote:
Aside from Inshore sea Critters in Dunes & Rockpool habitat being smothered.
GCCC Sandpumping is now being politicised for developer's favour.
2018 Burleigh sandpumping contractors informed tbb of straying from the norm.
2018 Xmas was also the opening of expanded "Burleigh Beach Bar"
GCCC had instructed Sand Pump crew to omit Public Rockbreak Sand packed Trail.
Fishtrap trail ever was iconic East Coast #1 Kombumerri Dream trail [# Prohibited #]
Instead, Boulders were loosely piled in a berm prohibiting beach access to NP Point.
tbb has retrieved pizza,chicken bones,coasters,serviettes,bottle tops from bar flies.
Beach Bar now breaches WSR tide, setting new precedent for other GC beach Bars.
Bleach Beach Bar met the tide, Broadbeach & Casino Spit Beach Bars are frothin'
GCCC #1 aim is to lease reclaimed beaches for Movie sets/Festivals/Markets/Bars.
In other words the Beach is rapidly becoming a shopping Mall of vice devoid of life.
Don't laugh! Tbb has seen it & was left for dead because of it. (True)
Beach Bars drown out & confuse Shark Alarms stranding tbb in sea of Shark/s.
Beach crew was waving me in...finally sussed it was not a stage sound check #*@!
Surfers & Beachgoers are being pushed back,crowded out & priced out.
Surf Safety or Environmental compromise is blatantly refused from public record.
Beach Reclamation is Council #1 priority.(Never to save us but for them to cash in!)
theblacksheep (Please forgive me! I don't mean to confuse).
1. Local Uni papers are 5 years out on dates & differ measures (Way more confusing)
2. Most studies don't run Currumbin thru to North Burleigh. (Either side of PB Reef)
Hence tbb's beachbum's stats run from neighbouring creek to affected Heads north.
Should give punters an even chance if all stats are present & correct on the table.
Good Question & I have half a good answer...
Narrowneck Reef came good for about 5 -10 years after build date (1999)
Turned to shit again after it collapsed under own weight, hence the recent top up!
It seems when the sand bank crowns the Peak before it Settles is the magic hour.
tbb tip! On Gold Coast perhaps wait 5 years surf it 5 years...Thanks for all the fish!
As for Narrowneck beach reclamation...GCCC extended 'A line' upper width.
This comes with a narrower beach with huge drop-off down from the path.
So yes The Reef left a wider path but at the expense of the now narrow beach.
dawnperiscope may share site & if 8t boulders are trucked or Rail freighted to Port?
Boulders are there loaded onto 'Dumb Split Hopper Barge' & Towed by Tug to Site.
Split Hopper empties full load at site then returns.
Meanwhile MACHIAVELLI (NZ Backhoe Dredge) Claw stacks boulders with GPS
tbb will link dawnperiscope to GCCC mobile pop up site for extra info.
Click on "NEW" video "Palm Beach Artificial Reef"
[2:00] Surfing design aspect
[2:40] Tug < > Dumb Split Hopper < > Claw Dredge procedure
https://beachesgoldcoast.com.au/projects/palm-beach-shoreline-project/
MACHIAVELLI (Backhoe Dredge stats)
https://www.heronconstruction.co.nz/Equipment/Machiavelli.html
9 GC News Vid at project start on Saturday.
https://www.facebook.com/9NewsGoldCoast/videos/323349698344855/
They are stockpiling in a yard at Murrarie
Thanks for the extra info
Hopefully something goes wrong and we’re left with a mutant slab.
Breaking onto rough-hewn 8 ton boulders....
Sounds nasty!
Based on the info provided 1.5m at average tide will be approx 0.5m at LAT. Waves will be breaking well before the top of the reef.
But in my opinion unlikely it will end up that way - i suspect the operating draft of the vessels used and the reach of the crane will limit the ability to build to the design and end up deeper than planned.
Perhaps they may use some some smaller gear to put the icing on the cake, but that brings its own challenges with 8 tonnes rocks.
Can we start a gofundme to have TBB's posts translated into English? I feel like there's such good information there if we could just make sense of it.
+1
Great info and take on things when I have the smarts to join the dots
Nostradamus mixed up the quatrains and made them cryptic for self preservation reasons...
Agree. True blue basher. You do some very interesting and time consuming research and make some good points that just get lost in your tbb writing style. Hard to read and too much in one post.
Make fewer points well and you would be one of the most interesting posters on here.
Looking at the shape, depth and swell this is going to catch it’s hard to see how it won’t be firing 24-7. 1.5m on average tide is shallow especially for something that far out, on low tide that will be waste-deep 1-2 foot waves will break.. Only problem is the amount of people moving to Palmy, but it should help take down the crowds at the points. My only question would be - why does the GCCC hate lefts so much?
10 cranes in the air at the moment, looks like mini Dubai. Far out I will need to ride a 12’9 to get a wave of the pack!
Going on that info it appears to have a good chance of working. Solid structure, shallow, big footprint, in a place that gets lots of sand flow, and lots of swell too (at least seasonally). There's been too many false starts to get my hopes up but I like the sound of it. However, I really doubt it will create a wave that will break uniformly like when we think of reefs. I think it will just give stability to Palmy sand banks while breaking up the storm bar - so it may create less closeouts over a wider area.
We need multiple of these along Perth's beaches
They can start at Secret Harbour perfect spot to try.
In times of old, before the development when it was known as "Surfs" it used to have A frames breaking further out
RIP Turtles to Golden Bay stretch, suburb about to infill the last bit of bush on this shoreline.
Always thought the Cables artificial reef was the wrong spot and too deep.
Would have been far better off between Floreat and Scarborough, at least they pull in a little more swell and it would break a long straight section of the coast.
Amen to that
Have heard many a story about how good it got. Never got to surf it pre development. Stabilisation of dune systems has ruined all of Perth metro/North of Mandurah waves.
quokks, the olde timers have told me that before the North Mole (sp?) that the stretch would have have some of the best shaped little peelers on the coast. That would be from south of Sandtrax all the way through to Leighton. Leighton was always a favourite when it was on, it seemed to have better shape than the beachies further north. I can vouch for the Surfs banks as that was my formative time (first place I properly stood up) and I think I have old photos around somewhere.
Yes fellas, I have lived in GBay and surfed the area for the past 27 years, and I can also confirm how good "Surf beach" used to get before the developers bulldozed all the dunes flat to the beach in the early nineties. Before that we had huge dunes right where the southern carpark is now, deep gutters most of the year (obviously best in winter & spring) with perfect A frame peaks breaking way out.
My cousins tell me it was even better in the late 70's & eighties with one day in particular etched into folklore - "Easter Sunday" where huge perfect uncrowded 5-6 foot A frames rolled through all day.
In the pre Secret Harbour days, you would rock up with your 4WD, park in front of a peak and off you'd go. It was never the same again....
I'm just glad I got to experience it for a few years.
Can they build a few of these for us at the locals in Tassie.
Fantastic!! Looking at the design - this should provide a cracking bommie, waves will be coming out of -10m water, drawn into the reef like a swell magnet, running up a ramp pitched at 1:12, cracking along for 60+m, longer rights, shorter lefts. With less than 1m of water at low tides, reef should be breaking a high % of days p/a. The head of the peak, exposed and situated several hundred meters offshore, should thin the crowds too, keen surfers only. A great and different addition to the surf palette of the Gold Coast. Well done GCCC and let's hope the final outcome is positive too.
Stu, you are meeting with Council engineers, perhaps you could ask them;
*) is there availability of the final design plans? a link?
(where are the links to the pdf concept plan by SMEC in 2014, and earlier work by DHI & Simon Brandi Mortensen who played a role in the concept design)
*) what is the forecast for the sand deposition, the beach salient? Can we please see a link to the plan for predicted beach morphology?
*) good beach break banks, inshore of the bommie - where are they anticipating that to occur?
*) "the hole" inshore of the bommie - where will that be and how deep? (which will influence trough and bar locations)
*) What is the Performance Criteria for measuring the success or otherwise of the reef? Or is the benchmark set vague, to stage manage the expectations?
*) GCC Council, how are they managing their conflicts as both; regulator, developer and spokesperson re: performance criteria.
Big thanks
Hey Andrew,
It's not a face to face, or even or over the phone, interview. You know how it is these days with councils, you can't speak directly to the engineers, everything has to be vetted by the media team, and that's the case here. Some of the questions above will be answered but not all unfortunately.
Good questions Andrew.
I would also like to add one, regarding the reef sinking under its own weight.
Are they making it shallower than planned to allow for sinkage, do they have some kind of formula.
Do they know if there is a rock reef directly below where they are building the reef.
Do they have any numbers on how much the Narrowneck Reef has settled.
History shows all attempts to build an ASR from either rock or sandbags has been a failure. The so called experts are very slow learners Fremantle rock reef a failure Narrowneck sandbags a failure
All reefs around the world are generally smoothed surface and rocks won't provide a smooth surface
The review of the Palm Beach reef by an eminent Proffesor on the review panel stated that if the reef caused sand loss at Burleigh Heads it would need to be removed Good luck pulling rock out of the water. Simply put what ever you build in the ocean needs to be removable and rock is not .All the tank testing and computer modelling in the world will not provide an answer you can rely on and history shows that Porstea where there is major sand loss and yet all the computer modelling of the dredging of the bay stated there would be no impact .The only answer is to build it and see the results
Good luck but I sense another failure on the cards with sand loss and no decent surfable waves
Shane. How’s it going with your proposal at 7 mile beach? Hopefully you are getting support from the community and the council.
ShaneAbel...what about the Jetty's in California (they create surfable waves on both sides? What about South Stradbroke? Is there nothing that can be done to help nature with better breaking waves?
Don't agree that a smooth surface in required for a reef to work well. A smooth gradient is needed though. I once snorkled over the reef at HTs in the mentawais and was surprised at how uneven and cutup by crevices the bottom was. Somehow that reef produces some of the most perfect waves in the world. Macaronis is also much less smooth than you would think. But they both have very even macro gradients that form the waves with heaps of little ledges and channels cutting this way and that .
The gold coast has lots of longshore drift and sand movement which other artificial reef attempts have not. It is prime territory for reef structures to capture sand and thereby build sandbars. On a Perth tyoe beach the reef would have to do 90% of the work. In this case with good probability, the reef may end up being only 50% of the eventual wave making set up with sand capture doing another 50%
Best chance yet worldwide i reckon.
The GCCC should buy a sand dredging barge like the one pumping sand a couple years ago. That created good banks and beaches were still good for about a year until a cyclone or two destroys everything. They should pump sand up and down the coast for 5 or 6 months then rent it out to other city councils around Australia for the rest of the year. Win win.
Crew are getting mighty hungry for some profiling kits... tbb will oblige.
Currumbin Coastal Processes Assessment (Profile Evolution PB Pages 58-59)
Yep! That sounds hardcore enough for swellnet ASR crew!
https://www.tweedsandbypass.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/82443...
Code: Palm Beach central Graph applies with the 300-400m setting.
What's good about these tables is they can tool any coastline by comparison.
Best if Fishermen & Surfers share the tables to lobby for better outcomes.
tbb would be interested if crew can predict how PB Reef wave reaction plays out.
Quick tips: Note the Higher the 'Profile' the sooner & deeper the inside drop off...
Note also the higher the Profile the less chance of joining with backbreak!
Also the higher Profile wave seems to lose momentum as to gradual rising waves.
No matter the depth sharing a common gutter Low/Slow point can be a variable.
{tbb Bonus Stats} Will help with profiling.
PB 2019 Tide ranges (Low-0.15) < >(Summer is 1.91m)(Winter is 1.89m)
Highest Point of Reef (Only) sits at 1.5m below (Average water level)
Low- 0.5m below surface/ Mid- 1.5 below surface / High- 2.5m below surface.
However! PB Rock Reef doesn't quite sit as wild & free as Surfers might wish!
Phase 3 (Sand Reef) $21m 600m x 200m sits (300m ) off 4th Ave
Phase 4 Rainbow Warrior sprays a line of defence ensuring no wave slips through!
GCCC desired outcome will resemble Bilinga Wave Desert...[Aquaduck Timetable?]
https://images.trvl-media.com/hotels/10000000/9630000/9629600/9629543/a7...
Shakespearean effort TBB.
The report you linked to is very interesting. Currumbin looks to be another man made wave with more of a straight beach prior to the groynes there and was at best random beach and river mouth waves before the two groynes were built. The whole gold coast has changed for the better surf wise (on the whole) from man's meddling (TOS, Dbar, Currumbin, Superbank).
The old photos show that before elephant rock was linked to the shore, not a lot of sand build up occurred around the rock as it sat out to sea. This might then hold true for the Palm Beach reef. The sand might just pass on by. There would still be a mini tombolo start to form shoreward and crossed up peaks would occur in there to improve the beach breaks. The sand build up is far from a certainty. Anyway, it is still very interesting from a coastal geomorphology viewpoint to watch a coast adjust live in our lifetime..
I'm also not so sure how much sand build up will occur shorewards of the reef due to the distance offshore and the potential for scouring.
frog is kind, thanks!...tbb will reward frog by sharing a little known Currumbin secret.
(Perhaps tbb might later trawl northward!)
The original Currumbin shoreline as with Burleigh was basically a Lagoon
Green Rock was part Island into a long right point feeding a large central Lagoon.
1910 photo shows how sea breaks thru & naturally pools around the base
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Pulpit Rock held a 'massive' windswept Dune shaping a long left point into Lagoon)
We can only assume a massive rip back out the centre was fueled by said Lagoon.
(Pause!) Green Rock = Elephant Rock + Pulpit Rock = Currumbin Rock
Border Buggy Run/Coast route lost Horses & Riders to "Currumbin Quicksand"
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Something had to be done so local Jim Farrell hitched a scoop to his horses.
Little by little Jim forged a route- transfering massive north dune to fill lagoon cove.
In doing so shaped the Currumbin foreshore into the present day iconic Beachfront.
Prior to this Currumbin was inaccessible so therefore no pre 1900 photo exists?
1912 Photo shows Pullpit Rock being set free by sea after Jim removed mega dune.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1915 photo shows Jim's sand sprawl that forged an esplanade for houses & shops.
See how no lagoon or shrubs are left only the new grass is seeding.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
tbb notes...
*Frog would be right in thinking local Marine Scientists overlook this fact...
*Same experts have no record of Southport 1877 Beaconed Ship breakwall...
Arakoon was the name of the interstate crossborder GC passenger ship.
Arakoon was running Surf Safaris from Bne to Main Beach(re: MB Bodysurfing-1864)
Experts deny GC 1st major infrastructure...Central to the Spit Master Plan...(Why?)
For the record ...tbb told them so, until he went blue in the face...(Deadset lamebrains!)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181789893?searchTerm=Southpor...|||sortby=dateAsc|||l-decade=187
Currumbin / Jim reprise...
Jim also shaped & surfed the first Stand Up surfboards on the Gold Coast (1910)
These were Sawmill slabs! Still Jim surfed them on his own man-made surfbreak.
Jim Founded both Currumbin & Tugun SLSC's
He also pioneered the first Surf Safari 'Rattler'(Bus) to Southern Points
Jim also cut to size & delivered timber for original Seawall at Coolangatta.
He also pioneered sand mining his own beach front for essential Gold,Rutile & Zircon.
Surf Pioneer Jim deserves acclaim if only for beach reclamation.(Nope! & Nope!)
'Farrell Lookout' is set back just off the GC hwy at Tugun-(Hill)-Currumbin
Photo of Currumbin's Mr & Mrs Farrell from 1890's...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Jim at Tweed Heads Bay St Bus Stop 1920 (Red Rattler was more a Tray back)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Jim with open air Surf Safari Passengers 1930
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
What a post. The coast needs historians, as it changes so much (but so slowly over a lifetime) - I used to play on the rocks at the mouth of the Maroochy, they were on the southern side. Now the river has meandered and the rocks are on the northern side of the river.
Channeling 'Alf' from Home & Away
"Flamin' hoons tearin up the sand dunes!"
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
that is pretty amazing - the changes are so dramatic - the Currumbin rock embedded in a massive dune - never would have thought it. I guess Burleigh would still have had a wave back in 1900 as it is too pronounced to be swallowed in sand like Currumbin was back then. Some coasts are pretty much how they have been for centuries - surf coast for example. Gold Coast is totally changed.
There are a few holes I would love to fill on the MP limestone. With a bit of blasting and filling there would be some awesome waves and I am sure there would be zero opposition.
memla I've seen one of the breaks, end of street name starting with 'T' - looked like quite a good slabby little wave but there was the odd gap where it would back off before going really shallow again.
Ahh yes that is well known local haunt and yes and that hole could do with a few tons of concrete like many others. Who has a problem with blowing up a bit of reef and filling a few holes with concrete? I would have thought that was the height of environmental stewardship just making a flatter more defined reef.
Check out WOTD, I reckon the same could happen there in a few places but shhh! :)
When I say a smooth reef it's from a global perspective the reef may have holes and a few lumps and bumps but when viewed overall it's is smooth
Having dived on the reefs in the Maldives Bali Hawaii they are smooth overall
They don't consist of 3m plus nominal boulders dumped off a barge in,to water
But isn't this setup designed to break the swell up and possibly form waves inside the reef in peaks instead of closeouts?Ive seen quiet a few of those type of natural set ups like that which can catch and hold sand and turn a closeout into ,on the right swell a perfect A frame.
The beachie that keeps getting flogged to death on WOTD is a perfect example of this
Now all we need is an artificial reef every 500 meters between southport spit and byron. its going to take a fair bit of interstate and intercouncil coordination
Central Beaches (Part 2) Ye Olde Currumbin Right Bank
From Farrell's Currumbin beachfront to creekmouth requires Saltwater storytelling.
Respect to First Peoples for tbb bastardization of Storytelling... as for reference only.
'Gillama-beljin' (Orphans) Rocks we see adrift but dependant on parents (makers)
Eg: Small outcrops/reefs occasionally connecting by 'Land bridges' but also cut free.
PB reefs+Bombie/Currumbin,Elephant,Flat Rocks/Kirra Reefs/Snapper Rocks etc ....
'Booningba' Echidna pertains to like Headlands but not only by habitat or look.
[factcheck] Echidna is actually a supreme being that rules whole OZ landscape.
Echidnas shame humans from surfing offshore Islands to scaling Frozen Peaks.
Both Pt Danger & Fingal relate to Echidna. Note both Headlands can also isolate.
Saltwater best explains the Southern Flank of Currumbin & many East Coast Creeks.
What's missing are Fish Traps pertaining to North East coves along East Coast.
How deep down they are, is possible for one to measure I guess.
Navigators...
1799 'Sth Entrance' was located from inside MBay ...other rivers from 1820's onward.
Ask why! Cook & Seafarers failed to chart major SEQ/Northern Rivers/Creeks?
1) EC Rivers & Creeks are naturally silted and require major rain event to clear mouth.
Early 1820's a succession of Rivers were discovered...(Nerang River from a storm)
2) Sailing inshore north all narrow north channel creek mouths are hidden from view.
3)Navigators sailed offshore south avoiding inshore swell with river mouths distant.
1828 Henry Rous discovers Currumbin/Tallebudgera Cks only by onshore expedition.
1835 Convict Logging / Rafting (Being after 1829 Tweed Surf Rafting to Dunwich)
1850's (Currumbin/Tallebudgera -deemed 'Non' Navigational) Failing Rafting Trials.
Surf Rafts were instead assembled at Rafting Grounds inside the Creek mouths.
Then surfed out the mouth around Burleigh Point, surfing thru Seaway to Bne River.
Farrell's 1900' breakthru can be seen as mere tinkering more than some ungodly act.
As the southern flank at times did replenish as now. Forging a Coastal Route was all.
Next Issue! Currumbin Creek Mouth (Costello)>Granny Birch's island in the stream)
Standing Waves +The inside Point +Two Creek Entrances?
GC Central Beaches ...Part 3 -(Currumbin Creek Mouth)
tbb respects Saltwater surf dreaming {Ngarakbul Githabul Bootheram}
Creator Nguthungulli's son Burrigan (Springbrook) has a camp out to sea from mouth.
Burrigan was enjoying the surf when the water serpent swallowed him.
Serpent Warrazum travelled for days beneath in Lava Tubes up thru Volcano.
After 3 days Warrazum settled to sleep in his newly formed cavern at Springbrook.
Burrigan escaped the Serpent & sang to his Dogs & Sky ancestors for strength.
Serpent Warrazum heard the song & fought with Burrigan...
Roof of the cave collapses the writhing Serpent carving out Nerang River.
Burrigan returned as the Spirit of the Sacred Cave singing to his Ancestors.
His ancestors respond by keeping his cave alight.(Natural Bridge Glow Worms)
Refer to the 'Stella Starlore' for East Coast Surf Dreaming.
https://starlore.com.au/2018/04/26/1574/
1839 Dixon with local Aboriginal crew... Surveyed & named it 'Anson Creek'
Costello Yugambeh Family lived on the Island in the Creek Mouth.
1920's They were joined by Bill & Maria(Granny)Birch in a driftwood house.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1930's Cyclone washed most of the Island away.(Reclaimed as North land Finger)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Bridges
1903 (rail) Today's Heritage Listed Ped Bridge
1926 (Ped swing bridge)
https://scontent.fbne6-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10312667_783030735073197...
1908-'26 Humpy back over main creek '31xx >'37 re-open >'52-'90 Throwers Bridge
1923 (Pockocks Bridge or Saltwater xing) / 1940 Wendt's Bridge
1974 GC hwy bridge + 1985 Pacific [M1] Bridge
1980 Community fought off Whiteshoe Resort to protect North Bank.
Northbank Reserve Boardwalks Beree Badalla 1980/Tarrabora 1999
2 Creek Mouths are better than one?
1972'
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
2011
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
2013
https://www.facebook.com/280745045301771/photos/a.514936315215975/514936...
Dredging brings Tidal change ...(What Creek studies need to be considered?)
Salt to Fresh regime changes may endanger Creek life in Currumbin Estuary
An increase in flow speed may undermine many Bridge / Jetty supports.
Deeper Creek mouth downflow speed causing erosion at Pockocks/Wendts xings.)
Upper Currumbin Creek Standing Waves (Size/Shape) Natural or Not - Good or Bad!
Inside Car Park Point Waves...Should they work as an overflow Bank or be tamed.
A break in the Point Line pumps Lacey's banks & classic reverse Left into North Wall.
Does dredging alter Alley Wave Face-Chatter + Point Speed + Wave Face steepness.
Are upper most Creek Pools & Slides at risk if dredged during drought?
Quite a lot to consider in a NP/WSR /Protected Estuary
30/Dec/2018 - 8/Jan/2019 GCCC Closed Rock Pools due to Contamination
Long history of accidental deaths at Currumbin Creek Mouth & Rock Pools. Take Care!
Let's hope it works and they then replace the Narrowneck set-up which has been a disaster.
The southern ocean would appreciate some of your reefs. Bring em to SA i reckon
Ben
Could this design be replicated on the SA South coast to break up the monotony of the Goolwa to Middleton stretch?
Victor harbour to goolwa area receives refracted low energy swells from a single main direction. Thi limits rip formation and means very little lonshore drift. So a palm beach type reef would create a degree of refraction and inside crossed up peaks. Any outside reef break would have to have the rocks do all the work. Less sand build up. So that means lot of rock and lots of money.
Mowgli posted this further up the page.
https://ozcoasts.org.au/conceptual-diagrams/science-models/beaches/wdb/
Well worth checking out even if you just look at the pictures and below read the authors descriptions of what you are seeing.
Very educational.
Another thing that I like about the site is that you can move your cursor over highlighted words which you might not know the meaning of and the meaning appears.
A while back there was a massive lump of seaweed about the 40m long 15m wide and 2m high on the Sa coast between middleton and goolwa. It was on the low tide mark and created bullshit good banks I never seen before on this stretch in the last 40 years and havent since so it would work in SA but under modified conditions no need to go 250m out to sea. It created channels and bars that went 250 m out to sea. Cheaper than carting rocks on a barge.
Water and sand movements on beaches are both simple and very complex. They can be broadly described into differing beach types as in the link above from philo but once you look for quality waves it gets much more complex. A rip can create perfection of just fat burgers. Sometimes a small amount of rock reef in the right spot can create almost a permanent bank but only if it works in with the natural water flows and sand movement on that beach. The reef might actually need a headland nearby to concentrate the rip or be in just the right place where the beach "wants" to create a bank. Other times there is a mass of rock underneath that provides unseen structure to the beach.
Some permanent rips create great banks, others more rarely. If you watch Bondi Rescue you see 3 main rips that are always there but create pretty poor waves overall. I bet a well understood modification (reef) could work with these rips to make the south or north ends produce quality waves. It would however, require a deep understanding, modelling and testing.
Given that man has sent rovers to Mars I am sure that if it paid to do or was a government priority, any beach could be studied to the point of almost total understanding of its sand flows. Then various forms of modification could be done (sometimes low cost but more often expensive) to create great waves. But plonking rock or geotextile bags on a whim and a prayer can easily result in nothing much. The seaweed example above is interesting and shows how small shifts in water flows can create much bigger impacts but I can imagine it being hard to duplicate without deep understanding and modelling.
Palm Beach is a high probability good outcome for surfers. But the sole reason for it is really to protect expensive real estate - hence there is money and government will. No big money = no new spots - just "what if" daydreams.
The simplest option is a small mobile sand pump barge - these are quite low cost and could motor out and pump for a few days and create a bank. EPA approval might be a hassle.
100% agree.
But the first step would be to do the science/ART of wave shaping using solid structures, to do this we (note I didn't say they) need to build a state of the art wave tank.
A state of the art wave tank would be able to generate different size swells, different period swells and most importantly a range of different swell directions.
Second step test every ones ideas and film and record using a high speed camera, upload each experiment to a dedicated forum for peer review and feedback.
Third step introduce sand into the wave tank and study how sand movement reacts to all the different types of solid wave shaping structures.
Fourth step devise ways to work with sand movement by creating simple underwater structures which capture and shape sand into ideal bathymetric shapes.
Proper engineering practice, small scale modelling first, peer review, constructive criticism, evolve ideas, then full scale.
The art of wave shaping is a new frontier science.
We pump sand from the murray mouth to keep the thing open (another time) and that creates bugger all really. 100's of tonnes a day nothin
"Next week Swellnet will have a full discussion with Council engineers to see what surfers can expect." .... That statement was a little misleading, but I'm just curious as to the progress of the engineers in releasing theirs.
Gold Coast Central Beaches History (Part 4a) Palm Beach..to 1980
A swampland with Jungle & Quicksand in the South & Dunes banking to the north.
Both Creeks silt to almost close up leaving a lagoon like estuary.
Decade after Farrell filled beach Lagoon.1910 re: locals free Currumbin Creek sand.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1924 Beaches are healthy & wide along whole of Palm Beach...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1930 Talle Creek Silted Shut ...note similar problem as with Currumbin Ck Mouth.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Sand overload led to a way too generous Beachfront Build Line ...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1936 erosion was patched up with Sand Bags + Branches.
From here on much changes to affect the beach but seldom studied to this day.
Just like Part one ...GCCC /Uni studies dismiss many major developments.
1950 Erosion companions Tallebudgera Ck Dam 1950
1954 Major Erosion followed Sand Mining of same time.
1958 Photo shows healthy beaches a decade prior to Canal Estates
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1961 Koala Park reclaimed
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1967 Major Erosion on the back of Hooker Rex Palm Beach Waters opening 1967
1967 Cyclone! (pause)
Our family vacated our 1st GC Home during the night @ Palm Beach Camp Grounds.
Photo shows our former vacant homesite...(Soon after the site was reclaimed).
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1967 A line Boulder Wall was built along Palm Beach
Stormwater Pipe was Exposed requiring GC 1st Groyne (All this! Never mentioned)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Groyne was built in 1967 (1975 photo shows this short high Groyne hiding the Pipe)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1968 Shows a healthy & wide Palm Beach after reclamatiion..
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1973 Currumbin Groyne (200m)
1974 Cyclone Erosion follows both Creeks navigational/Bridge dredging.
1976 Erosion follows Currumbin Waters opening + Tallebudgera Groyne part one.
1975-81 Talle Groyne(190m) & Sand pump to Burleigh Point was built in 2 parts.
Tbb surfed FishTrap under Talle bridge rock patch during Stage One + standing wave.
Photo shows down river invite mid construction before it slowly banks off.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1977 Talle Ck Left Point also started shaping up during end of Stage one...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Review the last 1977 photo! Note it shows sand disappearing in central Palm Beach?
It seems that Currumbin + Talle Groynes robbed Palm Beach of Sand.
Add that, mega canal systems were never accounted for when reopening both creeks.
Essentially inviting the whole Ocean a mile inland with surreal speed & depth.
Quite easy to see how we invited the Ocean to take our shore.(We never discuss!)
The decade ended with dreamboat canal homes but no beach to Swim or Fish
1977
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1978 Going
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1978 Going
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1978 Gone
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
You might find it strange but North Palm Beach held good rip banks at the time.
PBB were going strong so too the bombie/ Surf Cinema & Laceys Lane & Alley crew.
Next issue... Palm Beach (Part 4b) 1980- today
Central GC Beaches History (Part 4b) Palm Beach 1980 to 2019
Recap: 1970's Waves are breaking against Palm Beach 'A line' rockwall barrier.
This saw the urgent need to construct Currumbin Creek Training Wall & PB groynes.
1980 -2 evenly spaced mini Groynes.
(11th Ave)Groyne being the longest at 75m...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1982 Image of same Groyne starting to draw in surfers.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
(21st Ave)Groyne being the shorter at 55m
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1982 The reclaimed Beach being very fine on high tide line between new Groynes
1981 Currumbin Creek (North Training Wall 160m) (Ignore library Photo date)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1981 (325,000 m3) @ $650,000 was pumped to backfill the Tri-wall project.
1984 Finished product after Sand Pumping
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Cyclones '89 Aivo,'90 Nancy + '04 +'09 Erosion
2000's Beaches south of 13th ave were still prone to erosion.
1999 GCCC proposed 3 Dogbone Reefs $17m (File link does have Map of 3 Reefs)
(GC Shoreline Management Plan volume 4)Pages 102-103 or...
Update on Recommendations for Palm Beach Protection (Page4-5)
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/bf/gcsmp-vol4-casestudies-dec0...
Dogbone Reefs were rejected in 2004 by Surfing/Community (surfers link)
http://thedailysurf.com/~thedaily/archives/news/2004/0104/240104b.html
2000-2010 13th Ave Big Wide Left was screwballing back toward 11th Ave Grone.
2010 Reverse inside Left off 11th Ave Groyne was drawing a crew.
2000-2010 ...21st Ave Step Down Dirty Right
This Steep wave stoked up the Corkscrew Left off the 24th Ave Bombie
Southern Palmy was firing with X Long lefts & Inshore A frames
2013 Cyclone Oswald washup GCCC ramped up all south Sand Pumping
2013-18 The whole Southern Palm Beach becomes a wave desert for 5 years.
Palm Beach Bombie is buried & Groynes are now High & dry at low tide.
2017 Cyclone Debbie
2019 Oma
GCCC reports say Palm Beach has returned to 1960's Width but also higher.
2019 Autumn brings rare offering of Southern Palmy banks
Now come the Dredges / Sand Pumps / reef rocks....poor timing guys.
Recapping that Current Reef Plans are a 4 Phase Project.
The Reef is actually a minor component in overall scheme... https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/20-million-artifici...
Palm Beach Coastline Layout from (N>S) Creek to Creek
Ck Groyne\_ (Bombie)_|Groyne|-{Reef}_(Sand~|groyne|~Point)-(Sand Reef)-\\Groyne
Phase 1 (23/8/2017) Rainbow Sand Dump of 469,838m3
Phase 2 (18/5/2019) Rock Reef Construction
Phase 3 (Follows) Shaping up much bigger 'Sand Point' & 'Sand Bombie'
Phase 4 (Finishes) Backfills of all above marine debris for a wider Beach...
Repeating! The Rock Reef plays a small part in the Larger Reclamation Works.
tbb has not heard of any cancelation of Phases 3/4...Please inform otherwise?
Perhaps GCCC meeting is needed to sort out misleading info.
In tbb series you read loosely about Palm Beach Bombie but rarely do any see it...
This GCCC publication captures rare close up photos of Palm Beach Bombie
Sure! It doesn't take in the Reef but explains much much more in an easy format.
tbb Bonus..."How Palm Beach Operates"
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/bf/how-palm-beach-operates.pdf
tbb may yet wrap around the Point to finish at North Burleigh (Part 5)
Central GC Beaches history (Part 5a) Burleigh Heads. (Warning: contains Rant!)
Local Saltwater crew's creator is Jabreen entombed in Burleigh Headland.
Jabreen was wiped out on the 1st wave emanated by his Mother's angst.
Marathon swimmer/bodysurfer raised the headlands trapping himself within.
Distant clans celebrate Creator with Mega sea harvest in fish traps shaping WSR.
Recapping: The Big Swamp was Gold Coast's Original Name.
No secret that GC towns are built on one long reclaimed jungle estuary of quicksand.
BHds to Cape Moreton was as one unbroken Coast up until 1790's.(This period!)
Past Newspapers & Aboriginal Stories point to a Burleigh Town ocean outfall.
There are also many telltale signs to back this up.
Saltwater Rock Traps mostly featured on southbank of creeks facing n/e as here.
Burleigh Foreshore Lagoons once deep onto dunes rising very high to North Burleigh.
Sand blows over the Miami side northward to Miami is low rising toward Northcliffe.
These low points(Likely Sea Entries) correspond with GC stormwater outfalls.
However BHd's Lagoons can be shown to easily pool ocean with N-S Lagoon.
Locals know the sea floods Burleigh from the Ocean back up the stormwater pipes.
1954 Waves crashed through the Cinema (Centring the town's past lagoons)
2016 Waves broke inside the Pavillion Pool again between the past Lagoons.
1872 Burleigh Heads was reserved for Public Purposes (As now a Surfing Reserve)
1870's Big Swamp creeks drained by canals to tide with 1877 Bouldered Seaway.
1885 (BH- Swamp) Main Canal tides via half built Nerang River Causeway@(Goat Is)
(Important)
1885 Pacific process to Hinterland from Bhds to Seaway was 100% trained by man.
GCCC/Coastal Engineers fail to evaluate this or consider natural B'Hds major outfall.
Scientists fail to record GC 's largest natural + Man made ocean outfalls.
How can scientists dismiss GC's greatest ocean engineering feat from ALL studies.
Sorry crew! But disregarding GC/Brisbane beginnings fuels further hidden agenda.
Govt ensure History is more freely available but increasingly lighter on the detail.
Spit Master Plan denies volumes of Salt Water connect & Original Seaway 'Shipping.
tbb's study above is exclusive to swellnet readers who value scientific heritage.
No! You won't read even half of it in Govt/Uni publications.
Photo of 'Point' Lagoon (*Saltwater stories of a sea creature inhabiting this Lagoon)
Note: Surf crowd teams highest waves out to sea (Prior to Surf Boards & Surf Clubs!)
Photo show surfers mindset of chasing a wave is natural order not a bought one.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Photo of full lagoon shows how naturally all swamps overflow to meet the sea.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Burleigh's central Lagoon would've overflowed to merge both.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
The Big Swamp(Main Drain) with Reedy Ck (Left) empties to N-S Lagoon (right)
Stony Ck (Low centre) flows (right) to N-S Lagoon to (reclaimed) Burleigh Lagoons
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Footnote: Talle Ck was likely high dunes, while Burleigh Point mouth was open!
Possibly as recent as East Coast discoveries (Dependent on heavy rain events)
Again! This is purely Locals Only beach bum here-say...(Certainly looks that way!)
Super Sleuths! Yes! Casting adrift a large sand island nearing WH K'gari in size.
Central GC Beaches History(Part 5b)Burleigh Heads 1900-(final)
Big Volcano once hosted Cave Networks now flooded,walled off & quarried.
Surf/Soundscape echoes our shores. (Just a few examples)
Angourie sounds the Wind / Goanna H'land caves sound Rain & Goanna v Snake
Fingal Cave vines chimed a harp like tune / Tugun the sound of waves.
Currigee 'TOS' waves-Bne's backbeat / N'Straddie Blowhole is that off a Whale.
Burleigh also hosts caves but the Burleigh Barrelometer sounded out the Weather.
"Wave Sound in town then rain is found...Southport sound signalled sun is around."
Clearly at turn of the century both Saltwater & Settler's lives were driven by surf.
1920's B'Hds 'Stand up surfboard riding' features in text, posters(1910's ?)
Washed up Springboards/Coach Seats were used for tent shelving & likely surfing.
Photo: Boy most likely ripped up duck boards >(Girls Change shed) Bhds1920's Fad
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Extraordinary selfies of fearless women perching ocean outcrops were also a fad.
Even more crazy fad of pioneer women vine sweeping arcs around rockscape below.
Burleigh hides yet more mystery...few realize the ocean gifts The Point with payloads.
Sure the odd Whale/Seal/Logs even Mines but way more weirder shit than that.
1930's near every year Tonnes of Seaweed coughed up on the Shore... as again now.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/tonnes-of-seaweed-w...
Ever since (Late 60's/70's coins littered to N' Burleigh) Golf balls / Goggles / Sunnies.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-03/hundreds-of-pairs-of-sunglasses-a...
1933 Town Swamp reclamation was complete > (1937 Bowls Club)
1935 Beach Wall was repaired with same rocks in 1949 (None mention) & later 1956
1943 War Sand Mining takes out N' Burleigh's XL sand surfer's dunes.
GCCC continuously comb down dunes ever since...no sand surfing / backflipping here.
1954 Cyclone took out Skating Rink & waves crashed into Old Theatre re: above
1965 Burleigh Boardriders (1977 N Burleigh Boardriders)+Boogers/Mals/Sup Clubs...
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/beaches-and-fishing/burle...
1970's Burleigh Left was the very deep inside Point @ Stormwater outfall.
Stormwater works with Talle Creek works shaped up a solid reverse Left in late '70's
1970 1st photo shows the open drain
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1978 Finger like Storm drain / Point combo trailing a reverse left on back out tide.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1970's Surf Mag snapped The Left with Magic Castle Backdrop...(Anyone Please!)
1975 Talle Groyne & Point pump pipe (see above Part One for detail)
1977 Stubbies of course...swellnet has a 1970/80's Burleigh Feature...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2019/04/25/dick-hoole-wh...
1985 (see Part 1) Score! tbb actually tracked down the Mega Sand Dumpster .
Using offshore reserves (1st time) Belgian Hopper Dredge 'Villander & 20' ?
Photo shows remaining mid bank some months on...
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
1990's Creek Dredging & Burleigh Beach Sand Pumping regurgitate on yearly cycle.
Mid- End of Winter pumping smothers banks until post Cyclones '3 months session'.
GCCC shaped Burleigh Heads for next 30 years on...( Pumps flatline & starve surfers!)
Locals Only Tip : May / June is recovery period for best Burleigh Point & Beachies.
Footnote: tbb would love to know of displaced iconic Burleigh Point rocks/caves/pools.
If massive fallen rocks block track with no Tech machinery...Explosives or diversions?
tbb thanx swellnet forum for canvassing central GC beaches History (study paper).
Ask for errors, omissions or sources...tbb is more than happy to share local GC breaks.
A big special thanks to GC Local Studies Library Ladies & Old GC
Should swellnetonians be after a GC photo...tbb recommends our best image banks.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Index
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-you-seen-the-old-Gold-Coast-28074504530...
tbb gift: Helicopter swoops Greenmount boardriders...looks like 1959 (WSL/WSR)
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Fascinating stuff. I'm slightly off-topic here but I'm told that in the early years of settlement on the southern end of the Gold Coast, that the Tweed would occasionally flow out on the northern side of Greenmount headland...have you ever come across any pics of this happening?
Cheers,
Murphy
Yep, I've been told the same, Murphy. It's only a narrow isthmus from the basin behind Twin Towns to Greenmount so it's not unreasonable to think it could happen, however I could never find photos of it.
Isthmus is such a good word. It always reminds me of Days by the Ocean by Raymond J. Bartholomew.
I am an island, I am an isthmus.
I come from Bermuda
I don't believe in Christmas.
Thanx so much to very observant crew...tbb touched on this re: Part 2 (Recap)
(The Echidnas) Fingal/Point Danger/s can all swim to sea or engage mountains.
As said The Echidna is Oz most adaptable animal, ideal in linking climate story lines.
Exactly as it sounds these headlands all lock sea islands to Mountain stories as a trail.
Fingal Echidna story line is recognised in court winning land rights for their people.
See: Stella Starlore for whole story & other Saltwater Surf Stories
tbb often notes E/Coast silted creeks & rivers as the norm re: {Cook's Charts = Zero}
ALL only opened between 1790's-1820's & most have closed over again since.
(see: above photo links 4a)- 1910 Currumbin/1924 Talle Creeks totally sealed up.
Bank Logging (1830's-1850's) Silted up the Tweed / Rivers (Vessels couldn't enter)
By picking off the easy timber they in turn silted up their trade routes. Start surfing!
Logs were detoured via Back Channel out thru Cooly Swamp < > Cooly Creek.
Note : 'Coolangatta' Ship was loading via this route. Open & wrecked by storm waves.
Same reason many started surf rafting to Bne as Ships refused to anchor off Tweed.
In turn the original turn of century Breakwalls built up this 'narrow neck' somewhat.
Feb 1954 Waves broke thru at Greenmount to merge with Tweed River banks
Cyclonic Seas with 2 mtr flooding on a King tide + 3m waves = 7m will do the trick!
Possibly less built up back in 1954...could be that 6m would flood same area.
Good Cameras were rare to Record in Storms nor access dangerous Epic flooding.
However news articles are available of the day & one just might...If we're so lucky!
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/226273455?searchTerm=Coolanga...|||sortby=dateAsc|||l-decade=195|||l-year=1954
Further news records waves & water level over Marine Pde seawall/Cobaki Lakes Rd.
This paints a picture of a rising sea & river flooding Lakes & Seaside as one.
tbb recommends an incremental setting Flood Map (Best ones charge!) tbb freebie...
http://flood.firetree.net/
Set the Map to 7m for said breakthru but add tides/waves above 1954- 2.1m surge.
With work you can trace/date a dream trails eg: Black bean trail from boarder north.
Most dream trails follow ridges or today's original town roads mirroring our Galaxy.
http://theconversation.com/how-ancient-aboriginal-star-maps-have-shaped-...
Headlands rise with Mountains as Warriors/Hunters 'Jabreen-Burleigh" (Demi Gods)
(The Orphans) Currumbin/Elephant Rocks & Raised Bombies/Outcrops are cast adrift.
Here's a typical (Saltwater People) "Orphan" Resembling one of ' Currumbin sharks.
https://digitalbank.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/vital/access/manager/Repository...
Snapper Rocks (Orphans) Resemble Mother/Father whales with calves.
Orphans translate as they sound,being separate with return visits to parental shore.
Saltwater story or characters record how our land was formed.
tbb has yet to see an error in Saltwater geology...both fascinating & extraordinary.
Recording ancient volcanic & flooding events with morphing creatures reflecting ages.
Each creature where it should be behaving as it should when time & need arises.
Stu mentions of never seeing said photo ...soon the norm Ozwide for past events.
7:30 report Thursday 18/6/2019
National Archives [Cue 22:00] going going gone (How to save ourselves?)
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/7-30/series/0/video/NC1901H094S00
Rogers website - pre 1950s goldcoast pics
The reef is still under construction, but has anyone seen it under this latest swell?
Breaking? Trying to...?
Here's timelapse video of it.....
http://www.livetimelapse.com.au/clients/city-of-gold-coast/palm-beach/if...
Congratulations swellnet! Stu called it & swellnet delivers another first...(Read on!)
Palm Beach Reef is currently 40% built (Primarily the base only)
Crew evacuated PB Reef on 24th of June 2019...(Prior to East Coast Low Swell)
Important: Split Hopper dumps a full pile of rocks. Backhoe Dredge stacks it!
tbb is saying the Reef is likely to resemble a work site with odd Piles of Rocks! (Ok!)
So this discovery is mostly about Site & Quantity. Only workers know rock locations.
In any event...Only at Low Tide + Huge swell combo could land a wave upon it.
WRL Cam is rock solid & set in position since 2004 + Dredge is GPS positioned.
These following Photo frame's edges are the same as day 1.
[Attention] tbb invites crew to 'Focus' on top edge centre of frame... > [UTC] <
Firstly tbb will load a test frame.
[important] You'll need to click Frame 2 for Images of Palm Beach Reef
Left click to Zoom image.
This photo is Low Tide on Sunday 16th/June/2019...note > [UTC] <
http://ci.wrl.unsw.edu.au/current-projects/central-gold-coast-palm-beach...
Stu's Requested Photo is Low Tide on Sunday 30th June/2019 (Mid East Coast Low)
http://ci.wrl.unsw.edu.au/current-projects/central-gold-coast-palm-beach...
Note > [UTC] < = Reef Site ...Stu's Left hand wave train is firing up...
Whitewater trail traces back to A frame left shoulder tracing to rising 3rd Set wave.
No matter what size or shape this is the 1st wavetrain peeling off Stu's Reef.
No doubt useful as a minimum base height/swell ratio for other Reef designers.(Cool!)
Credit - 'stan1972' Vid woke tbb to the fact of valuable & reliable WRL resource.
New wave of the Day ~~~^~~~/(`~~~/(C...[ Stu )
Update...Big swell wash up!
11th July 2019 ...Dredge,Tug & Barge return to Reef Site...(fine weather + clear ocean)
(Recap)
tbb will answer all of crew's wishes
1) Crew wished for an upended mutated Slab (Tick)
2) Engineers update (Tick)
3) Rocks being in disarray (Tick)
4) Big Swells striking reef base (Tick)
tbb will share 'Top Secret' update if you promise not to dob in the whistleblowers.
Trust these guys with yer life you would so following review is straight up!
tbb can confirm Stu's Reef call.... Life Guards also saw Waves rear up the Reef...
Pretty much as WRL Cam frame shows...enough to flutter & trawl over the reef.
Interesting as it was the wave base that proved the source of concern.
Reef Crew turned up for work today & got a rude surprise...(Engineer's Report!)
Mid Winter Swell blew the Reef apart...The Reef base is here & over there & there too.
Word is that Wagga is not the place to shop for a designer surf reef...(+ Giggles!)
tbb witnessed yet another Rock filled barge was still dumped on the rubble this arvo.
It seems GCCC are pushing on regardless...(Crew's request for Mutant Reef is alive)
tbb doesn't expect local rate payers will read about major PB Reef Damage.
Reminiscent of 1999 gccc Narrowneck Reef bag tears fouling the profile of that reef.
Reefer Madness Surf Safari...All aboard Jefferson Lane Gravy Train...
Slater,Doohan,Dutto...(Properties are no secret as said not actual primary residence)
Kelly's Palmy Pad (Reef sits between Groynes)+ multi world champ racer lives near!
https://www.onthehouse.com.au/property/qld/palm-beach-4221/2-197-jeffers...
Dutto's next door dunny also had a beaut makeover, again nothing suss!
PS: If any know more about Palmy Reef Wipeout...please share!
June 2019 [Long awaited photo of Reef] @ 40% complete
(*Prior to Mid Winter smash up derby)
https://beachesgoldcoast.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/reefmidconstr...
(Time Lapse is up & running again).
Good chance they're picking up the strewn boulders while the going is good.
https://beachesgoldcoast.com.au/projects/palm-beach-shoreline-project/
Recap...tbb mentioned about Palm Beach Reef being smashed by Heavy Swell.
Today's flat ocean affords a clear aerial inspection of Narrowneck Reef top up!
Narrowneck Reef doesn't look pretty either! Sand Bags are all scattered about!
In part explains why Narrowneck suffered heaviest erosion during Big Swells.
Readers should be able to link to said site without tbb assist or Phone a friend!
Don't know how or for how long GCCC intend to hide busted up Reefs.
GCCC should just pretend to build wave pools along with the rest of our experts.
"A Sea Horse! My kingdom for a Seahorse!"
Haha, good stuff TBB...
My Kingdom indeed...!
Thanks TBB, great photo of the partially constructed reef.
From that pic, I get the sense that the best surfing wont be on top of the reef but on the leeward side closer to shore where straight swell lines will (or at least should) be broken up. A 'bombora controlled beachbreak' as Andrew Pitt wouild call it.
Also TBB, did you notice the web address for the photo above and wonder who Sam is?
https://beachesgoldcoast.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/reefmidconstructionbutsamisannoying-e1562196975972.jpg
reef mid construction but sam is annoying
Cheers gray ...tbb's rates keep getting gobbled up by the sea,
Just so long as the swellnet crew get free entertainment then it's worth the tin rattle!
Excellent job Stu! That photo & crews comments kick top story along real nice.
Request for Magic touch to highlight some 'action' on Stu's Reef ! (Pretty Please!)
This Photo shows a freaky small-average cross swell bucketing the whole Reef.
tbb thought this was photo shopped but it looks like the real deal...What do crew say?
http://dredgewire.com/media/images/large/1561016809_palmbeach.jpg
Here's the Dredge Project Site that image come from...
http://dredgewire.com/article/11187/construction-of-the-palm-beach-artif...
Note: Palm Beach Reef is listed as Florida Coast under US projects...
Wherever Kelly Slater hangs his wettie that's his home.
Stu's right ... I am Sam joke is freaky enough now the US joke!
Reminder that this is tbb's money you clowns are fooling around with!
If the going gets too rough...Truebluebasher will manhandle the Mutant.
Ha ha ha...just as there's a Royal Hotel in every town there's a Palm Beach on every coast.
@ tbb said:
"Note: Palm Beach Reef is listed as Florida Coast under US projects...
Wherever Kelly Slater hangs his wettie that's his home."
Me thinks that's old news.
TBB needs to dig deeper, head SOUTH young man!
KS, a cockroach now, go blues! but only just ...
Hint: STD creek ;)
Crew has tbb in two states of mind...don't rush me cause we're not done here yet!
Photo date is elusive ...1st reef action at 40% (intact) Reef build.(No dredge on site?)
Prior to Big Swells...it's cool how Cross Swell converges with Reef's ring lines
It really is perfectly framed, born from necessity as if accidentally on purpose.
http://dredgewire.com/media/images/large/1561016809_palmbeach.jpg
With Local Knowledge checking pack up date + Tides,Sun,Mist,Cars + PB WRL cam.
Photo was taken to time outgoing Tide of 0.39 @ 8:12 am Tues 25th June 2019
This being the day after pack up & the calm before the storm. (Photo is invaluable!)
If we examine the Plans as to Photos we see how it came unstuck just days later.
(No 6-8 tonne boulders were in place) Smaller 4-6 tonne boulders tumbled about.
Dredge has GPS to correct the lighter 4-6 tonne rocks, throw in some overtime.
It won't be as neat but multi tooled dredge can re-bed & re fashion rocks to suit.
40% done!
[ ATTENTION ] (Drone Fly-over zoom Video of PB Reef)
Possibly a Damage flyover assessment video that was chopped up & fed to media.
tbb will play the two edited reels by My GC News (web) + TV 7 News
Recent Photo (above) showed PB Reef neatly bunted..
New video shows that the recent ''Double Swell" scuttled the PB Reef as LG's said.
http://www.mygc.com.au/work-ramps-up-to-protect-gold-coast-beaches/
Shoreline collar (4-6 tonne) lighter boulders look to be scattered over the base.
The remaining base seems to have 80% integrity as to above photo.
Seems like they need to cherry pick the lighter coloured boulders back to shore side?
https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSGoldCoast/videos/1276122889217803/
In any event the Mayor reckons it's sweet & ahead of time?
Consider the crew had 2 weeks off & now a week behind on site restoration!
Smack-bang in the middle of a Whale Crash Up Derby..(Ouch!)...Outta my way you!
Hippy Greenpeace whales forever torpedo the Mayor's dredge-noughts...Incoming!
(Video): Talle Sand dump travels as far as Surfers' (GCCC used to say N'Burleigh)
Surfers figured Sand Dump smothered all A frames north! Now we know so!
Whales & Surfers from Tweed to The Spit soon get snowed in...God speed crew!
Cross fingers it at least has some form of novelty low tide barrel off a corner.
be a smoking hot fishing spot at the least once the structure gets colonised by benthic and demersal organisms.
Encouraging to see a Local Council take in the surfing component in relative design. Too often marine engineers briefs are solely focused on beach regeneration or erosion control issues, and are not told to factor into the project design, the social and economic benefits of new surfing amenity. We build thousands of community ovals, and fund major sports stadiums for other sports, that often do not have the participation rate surfing has. The Gold Coast / Tweed Councils understand the economic lift the Superbank has delivered. Isn't it time our governments and politicians took a different view to surf break enhancement, especially given the tourism and property upgrades a world class surf break can bring to an area ? The Central Coast Council is facing major issues with Wamberal Beach storm erosion revetment works. Maybe the Central Coast Council could consider reviewing a similar offshore reef project, to possibly assist in storm erosion control, and at the same time add some new surfing amenity ? Cr Bruce McLachlan Central Coast Council * note this is a personal opinion, and not representative of Central Coast Council.