Surfers Paradise open-air urinals: 10 years on from infamous viral moment which embarrassed Gold Coast

It was supposed to be a cheap and easy solution to the problem of public urination in Surfers Paradise, but instead it morphed into the Gold Coast’s most embarrassing week. FIND OUT HOW

Public urination has long been an issue in Surfers Paradise, as intoxicated revellers look for a place to relieve themselves quickly while out and about.

Even today the telltale smell is detectible when walking the streets of the party precinct late at night.

The issue made international headlines 10 years ago next week when council’s novel solution to the issue shocked everyone, including Mayor Tom Tate.

Urinals were installed on Surfers Paradise streets the week before Christmas 2014 and immediately attracted criticism from business owners and tourists for disturbing the area’s amenity.

“This has been an issue for more than 15 years in ebbs and flows and it always picks up in the summer,” area councillor Lex Bell said.

“Many of our nightclub patrons are not familiar with Surfers Paradise and do not know their way around, and even though toilets are nearby, they are unable to find them.

The image which went viral worldwide, causing severe embarrassment for the Gold Coast in 2014.

“Similar trials have worked overseas and it is hoped this will cut down on the public urination, keep the streets clean and be of assistance to the nightclubs.”

The urinals, which were made of plastic and had only a small modesty barrier, also provoked immediate outrage across Australia.

Among those who were furious were Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium general manager Russell Murphy, one of Surfers Paradise’s longest-serving business owners.

“We’re trying to make Surfers a classier destination,” he said.

“Who wants to have a pee while other people can stand around looking at them? I think it will encourage voyeurism.”

Dylan McCartney uses the open-air-urinal on Cavill Ave.

Mr Bell defended the issue, saying the urinals had been installed “in desperation”.

He told media at the time that people urinating in shopfronts had become a significant problem in Surfers Paradise and something had to be done.

“Council has no power to arrest these people – only the police can and they’ve got other things to do,’’ he said.

“I don’t like the urinals at all but they’re less offensive than people urinating in shopfronts.’’

Mr Tate, who was not involved in the decision to hold the $5500 trial, phoned councillors from China to cut short the trial and limit use of the urinals.

Originally open from 8.30pm nightly, they instead were allowed to operate from midnight to dawn and the trial was cut from three months to two weeks.

Temporary fencing and shade cloths were installed on Christmas Eve that year to cover the structures.

Then Bulletin reporter Jack Houghton tested the open-air-urinal in Surfers Paradise. His review was not flattering.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek told the Bulletin at the time that the urinals were an embarrassment and criticised “ratepayers’ money going on an abomination like that”.

“Surely in the 21st century we can come up with better ways of dealing with issues like that,” he said.

Orchid Ave business owner Craig Duffy, of the Hollywood Showgirls strip club, said the whole idea was revolting.

“I’m actually in disbelief. I thought when I first saw it that it was some sort of Photoshop joke. It’s unhygienic and visually unappealing,” he said. “They should get rid of them immediately before Christmas and New Year.

“The more tourists who see that, the more damage will be done to the brand of the Gold Coast.”

Councillors voted in late 2015 to spend more than $150,000 on hi-tech toilets which rose out of the footpath nightly.

They were installed outside the Sin City Nightclub in a move Mr Bell said was “the best result we could have hoped for”.