We cant highbank but they can dredge the ocean for the Commonwealth games. City of Gold Coast
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Gold Coast Beach Nourishment Project
City of Gold Coast is delivering a major beach nourishment project from June to October 2017. The Gold Coast Beach Nourishment Project (GCBNP) aims to increase the volume of sand available along vulnerable sections of our coastline to buffer against future storms and coastal erosion.
The GCBNP is part of the Ocean Beaches Strategy 2013-2023, ensuring our beaches are clean, healthy, safe and accessible now and into the future. It will also ensure that our beaches will be in the best possible condition for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about our beach nourishment project below.
Beach nourishment schedule*
Tip: Horizontal scrolling available on larger tables.
Date Location
Tuesday 15 August Miami Beach Hythe Street
Wednesday 16 August Miami Beach Santa Monica Road
Thursday 17 August Miami Beach Kelly Avenue
Friday 18 August Mermaid Beach Surf Street
Saturday 19 August Miami Beach Hythe Street
Sunday 20 August Mermaid Beach Chairlift Avenue
Monday 21 August Mermaid Beach Dudley Street
Tuesday 22 August Broadbeach Margaret Avenue
Wednesday 23 August Broadbeach Second Avenue
Thursday 24 August Surfers Paradise Clifford Street
Friday 25 August Surfers Paradise Thornton Stree
Saturday 26 August Surfers Paradise Thornton Street
Sunday 27 August Broadbeach Margaret Avenue
Monday 28 August Miami Beach Santa Monica Road
*This is an estimated schedule. Works are weather dependent.
Beach nourishment progress by suburb
Total percentage of sand delivered: 45 per cent as of 11 August 2017.
Surfers Paradise
Broadbeach
Mermaid Beach
Miami Beach
Palm Beach
Project update August 2017
An international dredging and beach nourishment tender was advertised from October to November 2016. The contract was awarded to RN Dredging Pty Ltd in March 2017.
The surveying of the seabed is continuing during the works.
The beach nourishment works are scheduled to take place from mid-June to mid-October 2017.
Sand will be placed in two locations:
Sand will be placed in shallow areas around the wave breaking zone. This type of nourishment will have an effect on beach widening following placement, and will have the greatest influence on surfing amenity. Sand will be placed in patterns to replicate natural rhythmic sand bar formations.
Sand will be placed further offshore in deeper areas. This nourishment will move more slowly with natural processes, and provide a long term benefit for coastal protection by increasing the volume of sand along the coastline.
Beach nourishment history
Nourishment locations
Project aims
Project method
Stakeholder engagement
More information
For more information on the Gold Coast Beach Nourishment Project, download the fact sheet (PDF 240kb), or email:
[email protected]
Beach Nourishment - Before
Before nourishment works
Narrowneck, 1998, low tide
Beach Nourishment - After
After nourishment works
Gold Coast Beach Nourishment Project - footage courtesy of Nine Gold Coast News
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Frequently asked questions
What is beach nourishment?
Beach nourishment (also referred to as beach replenishment) is the process by which sand is added to the beach from other locations. The sand acts as a buffer that provides protection from coastal erosion during weather events.
How long will the dredge be operating on the Gold Coast?
The dredge will be operating from 16 June 2017 until mid-October 2017.
How much is the City spending on beach nourishment?
The City is committed to ensuring our beach amenity is maintained and that our infrastructure is protected from coastal hazards. The City will be investing $13.9 million dollars to undertake these nourishment works using a specialist beach nourishment contractor.
What does the beach nourishment project involve?
The project will involve offshore dredging by a specialised vessel. The vessel will take approximately three million cubic metres of clean sand from our offshore sand reserve closer to the shoreline in order to restore, protect and widen the beach. The nourishment will provide enhanced beach amenity for the Gold Coast community, and increase shoreline protection to withstand high energy weather events.
What is sand rainbowing?
Sand rainbowing is where a sand/water mixture is projected from the bow of the vessel and placed close to the wave breaking zone.
How will I be impacted by this project?
The vessel will operate 24 hours a day for about 16 weeks and will nourish our most vulnerable beaches. This will have minimal impact on beach users. Ocean users are prohibited from going near the dredge and associated works for safety reasons.
Is this method safe for marine wildlife?
The project has been assessed by federal and state governmental agencies to make sure it meets strict environmental approval requirements under the environmental legislation. This includes assessment under the Environmental Protections and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to ensure the activity is safe for marine wildlife, and the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995 to ensure that the work will not negatively impact our coastal environment.
Will water quality be affected by this project?
This activity will not affect the water quality; however there may be localised, temporary changes in water clarity where the sand is being placed. These changes are typically less noticeable than those seen during large rainfall or swell events.
Where will the sand be placed?
Sand will be placed in two locations:
1. Sand will be placed in shallow areas around the wave breaking zone. This type of nourishment will have an immediate effect on beach widening, and will have the greatest influence on surfing amenity. Sand will be placed in patterns to replicate natural rhythmic sand bar formations, which are known to improve surfing opportunities.
2. Sand will be placed further offshore in deeper areas. This nourishment will move more slowly with natural processes, and provide a long-term benefit for coastal protection by increasing the total volume of sand along the coastline.
How long will it take for the sand to move around (response cycle)?
Generally, sand moves at different rates depending on where it is in the beach profile (above and below the surf zone). The sand deposited around the wave breaking zone is expected to move onshore within weeks, whereas the sand deposited offshore in deeper areas could take months or years.
How does this project link to the Gold Coast Surf Management Plan?
As part of the planning and design phase for the nourishment works, the City has investigated how sand can be placed to mimic natural sand bar formations known to promote good surfing conditions. The placement of sand by the contractor will use patterns that mimic these natural sand bars.
How much sand will be placed each week and where?
The amount of sand placed each week will depend on weather conditions. Please keep an eye on our website for an updated schedule. It is estimated that 200,000 to 300,000 cubic metres will be deposited each week.
What impacts/benefits will the sand provide long term?
The sand will provide the beach with long-term protection from storm events.
Are there safety issues for ocean users while the works are undertaken?
The dredge will be operating under local laws and regulations which include safety requirements. The project is working to a safety management plan which addresses safety risks. All ocean users are urged to stay away from the dredge at all times.
What is the effect on boat users?
There will be a large dredge vessel operating in compliance with maritime safety laws within Queensland. Boat users are urged to stay well away from the dredge for safety reasons.
What are the impacts for sharks and marine life when theres turbid water?
Turbidity is temporary and short term. Comparatively, the dredge will produce far less turbidity than you see after rain events or prolonged northerly wave conditions.
Will rips and currents form as a result of operation?
The sand placement will replicate natural sand bar formations - it will not create excessive rips or currents.
What processes and procedures are in place for whales?
The project is being undertaken in adherence to strict environmental protocols and a stringent approval processes has been met. Management procedures for whales are in place and the dredging contractor is complying with the Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005.
What happens if a whale is sighted?
The dredge master is responsible for maintaining an appropriate buffer zone with respect to marine fauna. The white whale, Migaloo, will be tracked through regular communication with the White Whale Research Centre and dredging is to cease when Migaloo is within one kilometre of the vessel.
Are there any dedicated crews watching out for whales?
A fauna 'watch keeping' reporting system is in operation, obliging all crew members to report marine mammal observations for the duration of the project. All crew members have been trained by a marine biologist on the detailed and various species of marine mammals known to enter Gold Coast waters and how to report observations thoroughly.
The various expected behaviours of each marine mammal were also specified. Further to this, there are two dedicated officers on the vessel who maintain 24/7 'watch keeping' from an elevated section of the dredge. In order to maintain the awareness and familiarity of the various species to be expected in the waters around the work area, pictures of the species and pictures of the various species behaviours have been posted in the mess on-board the dredge.
Why is the project being undertaken in whale season?
The reason this project is being undertaken from June to October is that wave conditions are milder during this period than during summer and autumn. This means that the dredge can work safely, subject to fewer weather delays.
Will the sand wash away in the next storm?
Sand naturally moves from the shallow areas of the beach into deeper water during storm events. This sand is not lost, and slowly moves back to the top of the beach under calmer conditions. The sand nourishment will provide additional sand that will move in the same way under this natural process. This sand will increase our buffer against future storm events.
Why not let 'Mother Nature' take control?
The historical pattern of development in the City has resulted in buildings and infrastructure being located within the area of the coastline that naturally experiences coastal erosion. If 'Mother Nature' was to do its thing, erosion of the beach would not only threaten out coastal development, but also mean that we simply wouldn't have a wide, usable beach. Ongoing coastal protection works are required to be undertaken (such as beach nourishment), to ensure there is a sandy beach the very icon of the Gold Coast into the future.
Is this project value for money?
Most taxpayers who live on the Gold Coast value their beaches. Our beaches are at the core of our lifestyle and economy and the City attracts 12 million tourists each year.
By ensuring our beaches are protected from future storm events by nourishing them with sand, ensures that our city stays in the condition it is known for. Investing in our biggest asset, our beaches, is an investment into our city's future.
Why does the sand being projected from the dredge (rainbowed) look dark in colour?
The sand being rainbowed may look dark in colour, but it is clean , wet sand that has been underwater for hundreds if not thousands of years. Once it is exposed to sunlight and weather, the colour naturally changes to what we currently see on our beaches.
The City has undertaken extensive sediment testing for the offshore areas which will provide sand for nourishment. This information shows that the sand is clean and suitable for use on the beach.
What evidence is there that this project will work?
The Gold Coast beaches have endured a number of significant storm events in recorded history which have often resulted in serious coastal erosion. Analysis of 40 years of historical monitoring data has concluded that this vulnerability to erosion and storm damage will not be mitigated through natural sand movement alone.
Beach nourishment projects have been undertaken on the Gold Coast since the 1960s. They are designed to mimic natural coastal processes and allow sand to shift continuously in response to changing waves and water levels.
Does this project have anything to do with the proposed cruise ship terminal?
This beach nourishment project has no affiliation with the proposed Cruise Ship Terminal. Sand Nourishment will not take place north of Narrowneck.
How will the project affect the benthic environment?
During the project planning stage, approval stage and now during the execution stage it is established that the Palm Beach Reef and the Mermaid Reef support a diverse benthic environment and are of highest ecological value along the project area. Approvals were granted for borrowing sand and placing sand only in areas located at a safe distance from these reefs. During the execution stage the City is monitoring water quality at the sensitive receptors (including of turbidity, suspended sediment, pH, etc.), particularly when dredging occurs up-current of the reefs to assess the project compliance with the water quality objectives outlined in the permits. This is in line with the project's Environmental Management Plan (EMP). You may have noticed the Environmental specialist survey vessel working alongside the dredge vessel undertaking monitoring. Environmental monitoring shows that the project is meeting the environmental conditions outlined in the environmental approval.
How will the sand placement affect the natural reef at Mermaid Beach?
Sand nourishment will only be placed in and around the surf zone. This will ensure that sand moves along the coast with natural processes and does not move onto the natural reef system at Mermaid Beach. The total quantity of sand has been designed to work with the natural sand transport system at Mermaid Beach and not overfill the nearshore, which could result in excessive sand movement toward natural reef systems. The City will be undertaking ongoing monitoring to ensure that sand placement remains in the natural sand transport system.
Will sand placement affect water quality and marine life on the natural reef at Mermaid Beach?
The City has worked with Federal and State approval agencies to develop stringent environmental controls for the works. The Environmental Management Plan for the works includes ongoing water quality and sediment testing, as well as analysis to ensure that the works do not negatively impact water quality and marine life. Changes in water clarity during the works will be temporary in nature, and be significantly less than natural changes seen during rainfall events and periods of large swell.
Will the sand be toxic to marine life?
The City has undertaken extensive sediment testing for the offshore areas which will provide sand for nourishment. This information shows that the sand is clean and suitable for use on our beaches. The sediment testing also formed part of State agency approval requirements and results have been used to develop the Environmental Management Plan for the works.
External links
Rohde Nielsen Dredging Pty Ltd
Brochures, fact sheets & reports
Gold Coast beach nourishment project - video transcript
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