Tropical Cyclone Oma: Gold Coast restaurants and council workers ready for erosion and swells

Businesses and council workers are taking no chances in preparing the city for battering waves from Tropical Cyclone Oma. One of the city’s most popular bars says it’s ready for anything after its former tenants were destroyed by storm.

BUSINESSES and council workers are taking no chances in preparing the city for battering waves from Tropical Cyclone Oma.

Waves of up to five metres are expected to hit the Coast from tonight, with beaches already experiencing heavy erosion.

Oma last night sat off the west coast of New Caledonia, tracking slowly towards Australia.

It is not yet known whether it will cross the coast or where, with meteorologists closely monitoring the storm.

Erosion was already being reported on Gold Coast beaches yesterday.

Oma could prove to be a big test for the $11 million revamp of the Burleigh Pavilion.

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The pavilion general manager John Forest, who also has oversight of Rick Shores restaurant underneath, said high tide levels were being monitored ahead of Cyclone Oma’s expected wild weather and heavy swell later this week.

Burleigh Pavilion general manager John Forest posing with the removable bi-fold doors Photograph: Jason O'Brien

He said conditions this morning would give a better indication of what might be coming.

“We’re expecting more swell and we’ll start making some decisions,” Mr Forest said.

But he said he was feeling relaxed about the popular venue’s structure coping with high winds and waves crashing on the rocks below.

The restructure had included fitting Rick Shores with four large sets of removable bi-fold doors specifically for such a storm event.

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The Pavilion was heavily damaged in 2013 Pics Adam Head

“When we get enough warning and preparation with weather events we can react without too much damage,’’ he said.

“Rick Shores, being operated on that lower floor, is the most concern. But from (today) we will make an assessment as to what the high tide is doing.

“At the Pavilion we will be removing all items that aren’t bolted down. If there are any high winds we’ll be making sure there will be no objects that can become missiles and fly off the building and damage the building structure as well.’’

Timothy Davies 12 from Labrador enjoys playing on the erosion caused by the huge swells at the Spit on the Gold Coast. Pics Adam Head

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Last year, as May Hotels began reconstruction of the pavilion, spokesman Justin Tynan told the Bulletin restoration and future proofing were such that “if there is a storm coming we can pop all those windows out and let the sea in, then it’s an easy clean-up before we reopen”.

Council workers yesterday removed fencing and a shower from the southern end of Kirra, which has already been affected by surging tides. Fencing was also removed at Currumbin.

Erosion has also been reported at The Spit and Burleigh Heads.

Weatherzone metrologist Craig McIntosh said the surf would grow more wild by the weekend.

“Oma is now a category 3 tropical cyclone but it is not in Australian waters yet and there is the possibility it will do this late on Wednesday or Thursday,” he said.

“It will generate large and dangerous surf along with king tides and storm surges so there is likely to be extensive coastal erosion and some flooding in low-lying areas.

“By the weekend the surf will be massive.”

Originally published as Tropical Cyclone Oma: Gold Coast restaurants and council workers ready for erosion and swells