Swellnet Dispatch Historic Surf Management Plan in Queensland

In: Swellnet Dispatch 11 Comments Fri 14th Dec '12

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The Gold Coast surfing community and organisations have this week united to form an historic first step toward a city-wide 'Surf Management Plan' under a newly-formed 'Gold Coast Surfing Council'.

Gold Coast Surf Council was established on Tuesday night at a meeting of more than 30 representatives of the city's boardriders clubs and aligned surfing interests such as Surfing Queensland, Surfrider Foundation, and National Surfing Reserves. Also present at the meeting were Gold Coast City Councillors Chris Robbins and Daphne McDonald.

Gold Coast City Council's own research has valued the impact of surfing to the economy at more than $3billion and is actively promoting the development of the surfing industry and seeking to attract surfing tourists to our city.

Yet, while Gold Coast City Council, industry and the community all benefit greatly from the Gold Coast's surfing assets; crowding, increased vessel traffic, dredging, beach nourishment and development all pose significant risks which if not proactively addressed will degrade these assets.

The risks to surfing are all too familiar, and there are major opportunities to maintain and enhance surfing assets through innovative design of coastal management initiatives as proven in other locations. By working cooperatively with surfing stakeholders to identify surfing assets and enhancement opportunities Council can prepare a surf management plan that will lead other surfing destinations and improve the surfing experience for community, tourists and industry.

Gold Coast City Councillor Greg Betts, yesterday presented a petition to Council on behalf of the Gold Coast Surf Council. The petition calls on Gold Coast City Council to recognise the importance of the Gold Coast's surfing amenity and develop a plan of management in cooperation with surfers. 

The Gold Coast Surf Council plans to gather again on 19 February 2013 to review Gold Coast City Council's response to their petition and establish concrete steps forward to work with the surfing community, the surfing industry, coastal engineers, and Gold Coast City Council in implementing a city wide surf management plan.

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