Calls for artificial reef to be placed off Mooloolaba Beach, Sunshine Coast
A bold proposal that a group claims could reduce injury-causing waves and offers an alternative to a controversial seawall at a popular Sunshine Coast beach has been revived.
Sunshine Coast
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A bold proposal that could reduce injury-causing dumping waves and offer an alternative solution to a planned controversial concrete seawall at a popular Sunshine Coast beach has been revived.
Beach advocate Rachael Bermingham renewed calls that the Beach Matters Group made last year urging the state government and the Sunshine Coast Council to undertake studies and modelling on an artificial reef off Mooloolaba Beach.
The call to prioritise the group’s request comes after a man in his 60s drowned on Monday, while a woman was seriously injured after being dumped by a wave on Tuesday.
Ms Bermingham said this week’s tragedies had rocked the beach-loving community.
“We’re all devastated by what has happened this week, it shook everybody up in the region,” Ms Bermingham said.
“It’s a massive tragedy; you never want to see anyone feel unsafe, get hurt, or lose their life on your beaches.”
It led to her posting the groups condolences and thoughts to the man and woman’s families and ignited a debate for an artificial reef to be embedded offshore at the world-renowned beach.
“Artificial reefs are not a new concept, there are many around the world working incredibly well, an artificial reef designed well, reduces the wave energy before it gets to shore,” Ms Bermingham said.
“The wave hits the artificial reef first to take the brunt of its power, and ambles over the reef so it’s safer by the time it hits the beach.”
An artificial reef also has the potential to increase sand banks and sand flow onto beaches effectively providing natural sand nourishment on beaches, while increasing beach width.
Ms Bermingham said this means an artificial reef should be considered as an alternative solution to the concrete seawall that forms part of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation project.
“It has the potential to save lives, save hundreds of thousands of dollars on sand nourishment, save our natural coastline, and offer an economic advantage as a new and additional dive site,” she said.
“Due to it being a north-facing beach it could possibly work really well, it’s definitely a very popular solution that people talk about.”
Ms Bermingham added that an artificial reef could be a multi-prong solution for current issues that are impacting the beach and beachgoers.
“Modelling would need to be done on it to determine if it was actually an effective solution, but it’s definitely worth putting effort into if it can help make our beaches safer with less dumpy waves in that region, and also draw sand back onto the beaches,” she said.
“When lives are at stake, other options like artificial reefs should be explored as a matter of the highest priority.”
An artificial reef off Point Cartwright has previously been suggested as part of a solution to dangerous conditions at the Mooloolah River entrance to Mooloolaba Harbour.
Artificial reefs have also been floated as a solution to stop surf rage, with Robbie Sherwell calling for an artificial reef off Maroochydore in 2016 to provide more consistent waves and stop crowding at key areas.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads has been contacted for comment.
Surf Lifesaving Queensland has also been contacted for comment.
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