Lifeguard tower 36 at Surfers Paradise falls after wild weather smashes Gold Coast

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says the recent wet weather has delayed beach recovery, a promise which he said would be fulfilled by the Easter holidays and if not, he would shout everyone a beer.

Gold Coasters, get your stubbies ready.

Mayor Tom Tate has confirmed recent wet and wild weather has delayed works to return beaches to their former glory. A promise which he said would be fulfilled by the Easter holidays and if not, he would shout everyone a beer.

“I gave a guarantee that 80 per cent of our beaches would be open for Easter … that’s a solid guarantee,” Mr Tate said in March

“And if it’s not, you come here, say ‘look Tom, you’re wrong,’ I’ll shout you beer no matter which pub you’re in.”

Now three weeks later, when asked if this was still the case, he said the recovery plan “will take a bit more time”. Schools break up for Easter on Friday.

In Mr Tate’s defence, the Gold Coast was expected to cop more than 60mm of rain across Wednesday and Thursday thanks to ex-Tropical Cyclone Dianne, which crossed the coast of Western Australia a few days ago.

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Meteorology also issued a hazardous surf warning for Gold Coast waters.

“The wet weather has impacted our ability to get heavy equipment on the beach, but otherwise it’s all systems go,” Mr Tate said.

“Most beaches are now reopened but full recovery will take a bit more time.”

A Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) spokesperson said council had to re-close all northern Gold Coast beaches over the weekend so more repair work could take place.

“Work is continuing on the northern beaches, including moving 20,000 cubic metres of sand from the sand stockpile on The Spit, sand profiling and scarp knockdown,” they said.

Gold Coast beaches have been battered and suffered severe erosion from the constant bad weather. Giant sand cliffs face beachgoers at The Spit. Picture Glenn Hampson

“That is about 20,000 trucks of sand.

“The sand the City has placed since Cyclone Alfred has provided protection for our assets against the latest swell event.”

The spokesperson said it was estimated the beaches lost around 6.4 million tonnes due to ex-TC Alfred.

“That is about 320,000 semi-trailer loads of sand,” they said.

A sand pumping barge, which has been parked at the Southport Yacht Club, was expected to start work this month.

“This will be weather conditions dependant and will not happen in periods of high swell,” the GCCC spokesperson said.

Beaches including Main Beach, Narrowneck and The Spit remain closed almost a month after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred carved up the coastline.

On Tuesday night, a lifeguard tower “succumbed to mother nature” and fell into the surf at Surfers Paradise.

After weeks of teetering on the edge of the eroded beach, lifeguard tower 36 finally gave way.

Gold Coast resident Sharon Spence shared a startling image of the tower lapped by waves.

“It withstood a cyclone and years of massive tides but finally overnight tower 36 gave way,” she said.

“Hopefully they can save it before the tide totally destroys it.”

After weeks of teetering on the edge of the eroded beach in Surfers Paradise, lifeguard tower 36 finally gave way on Tuesday night. Gold Coast City Council workmen use heavy machinery to save the tower from the surf. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Gold Coast resident Sharon Spence shared the startling image of the tower as waves lapped up to it. Photo: Sharon Spence.

Ms Spence said she was taken back but not surprised to see the tower had “succumbed to Mother Nature”.

“After the cyclone the sand was washed away to the structural poles but it still stood,” she said.

“The Gold Coast City Council put back some sand since the cyclone.

“But it was all gone overnight and obviously the foundation was affected with the rough weather last week and big surf.”

A GCCC spokesperson said they had engineers on site in the morning assessing the damage.

“There is no impact to lifeguard services as the area was closed to swimming due to the conditions along that section of beach,” they said.

During the brunt of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, lifeguard tower 42 at The Spit near Philip Park also fell down a steep eroded beach.

Several other towers, including lifeguard tower 40 at Main Beach, were teetering on the edge of the sand cliff.

Lifeguard Tower 42 at Phillip Park falls in during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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Originally published as Lifeguard tower 36 at Surfers Paradise falls after wild weather smashes Gold Coast