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High rise living – apartments and
holiday accommodation
Nerang River
Canal estates a few metres
above sea level
Recreation facilities
attracting more than one million
visitors in a summer
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copyright manuel smith 2006
Surfers ParadiseBurleigh Heads
Tweed Heads
Longshore drift
QueenslanQueenslandd
NSWNSW
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The spit
The Broadwater
Main Beach
Gold Coast Hinterland
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Loss of amenity – beaches are important for tourism and tourist operators
Building on the foredunes –roads and buildings
Erosion of the main beaches especially during cyclonic storms
Lack of sand supply to maintain the beaches
Destruction of the high amenity value of the coast – tourists want a wide and clean beach with plenty of sand
Need for protective works to prevent erosion of the foreshore and infrastructure
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Nerang River
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1967 1967 stormstorm
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Building on the foredune – reservoir of sand
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Impedance of sand Impedance of sand
flowflow In the late 1970’s the Tweed Heads Training walls were built to open up the entrance to the Tweed River to allow boats to enter easily
Qld - Coolangatta
NSW – Tweed Heads
In the 80’s and 90’s conflict has occurred between NSW and Qld and the Gold Coast and Tweed Head Councils over who is responsible for impeding the sand flow
copyright manuel smith 2006
copyright manuel smith 2006
Loss of sand supply to the Gold Coast beaches – no sand to drift north
Erosion of the southern beaches such as Kirra Beach
Need to establish beach replenishment progams and storm prevention measures – bypass the Tweed Heads Training walls
Construction of offshore reef in 2000-01
Settlement of claims between States
Longshore drift
South to North
South of Tweed Heads
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Sand pumped onto the beach by pipes Sand pumped onto the beach by pipes under the dunesunder the dunes
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Longshore Drift
Burleigh Burleigh HeadsHeads
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Kirra groyne Kirra groyne removed in 2000removed in 2000
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Cause of problemCause of problem
Sand build up Sand build up behind Tweed behind Tweed Heads Heads breakwaterbreakwater
19991999 20032003
After 2 years of sand pumpingAfter 2 years of sand pumping
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Dune scarp and erosion May 1995
Replenishment and dune managementA concern for some
time
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Sand pumping onto Kirra Beach
Sand is pumped from the South at Tweed Heads onto the beach at Kirra
Sand is pumped to Main Beach from the Southport spit
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Offshore
reefIncreased width of beach
Success or failureSuccess or failure
Beach width has increased significantly and provided more material for dune preservation
Created one of the best artificial surf breaks in the world – Surfers are overjoyed
Has reduced the cost of sand nourishment programs
Total cost about $8-10million
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Sand replenishment has been going on for 30 plus years to maintain a wide sandy beach along the 42 km section of the coast from Tweed Heads to the Broadwater
Dune systems have been created to build up sand reserves on the coast – revegetation programs are always in a constant state of maintenance
Since 1970 the Gold Coast Council and Queensland Government have outlaid $40 plus million on beach replenishment and nourishment
NSW agreed to provide compensation of $20 million to Queensland for loss of sand from the Tweed Heads training walls. They also agreed to maintain the bypassing system by pumping 500,000 cu metres of sand per year onto the Gold Coast Beaches. $8 million to build and $750,000 per year to maintain.
It is estimated between 10 and 15 million cubic metres of sand is also required to offset the potential storm damage.
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How can the Gold Coast afford it?How can the Gold Coast afford it?
Being Australia’s most popular tourist destination, rates, taxes and charges allow the Gold Coast Council funds to manage the system as they see fit. The amenity is larger, more popular and significant to the locals and tourists.
Cyclonic storms in summer are more severe than in other locations so the potential for damage is huge.
High rise buildings of many storeys hold a greater value than many other coastal locations, therefore there is a much greater need to provide protective works against storms. Part of this is a healthy beach/dune system.
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In the 1970’s and 80’s it was fashionable in Australia to lie on the beach and sunbake. Residents and tourists alike, complained about the high rise apartments and hotels casting shadows on the beach stopping them from sunbaking in the afternoons.
In the 1990’s with the high incidence of skin cancer and an increasing awareness by the public of spending hours in the sun damaging your skin; the shade in the afternoon has become a highly valued amenity. It is an attraction and feature advertised in some brochures on the Gold Coast.
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Australia’s highest Australia’s highest apartment towerapartment tower
Australia’s most Australia’s most expensive island landexpensive island land
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copyright manuel smith 2006