Lake Hugh Muntz in Mermaid Waters: Why it stinks, and what’s being done about it

A once beloved Gold Coast lake stands condemned – a toxic swill closed for the sake of public health and safety. Here’s what’s caused the problem, and why council are finding it so hard to fix.

A sign at Lake Hugh Muntz in Mermaid Waters.

This stinks.

What was once a beloved freshwater suburban lake where children played, athletes trained and residents flocked, has transformed into a brackish, toxic site closed for the sake of public health and safety.

Also, it actually really smells bad.

The decline of Lake Hugh Muntz in Mermaid Waters is not a new story, for more than a decade its fortunes have ebbed and flowed like the very canal tides that have contributed to its problems.

Currently, the lake has been closed since January after yet another intense bloom of blue-green algae. There are signs at the water’s edge warning residents not to enter or fish in the waters, with the algae known to cause skin irritation, respiratory effects and gastroenteritis symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, fever and headaches. Toxins can also have an effect on the liver and the nervous system.

Lake Hugh Muntz in Mermaid Waters.

Yep, it stinks.

Worst of all, there is no easy fix.

Division 12 councillor Nick Marshall inherited this problem and said it was one of the main reasons he ran for council. For more than 20 years he’s been coaching kids at the lake and he’s seen first-hand its deterioration.

But all the positivity in the world can’t solve a complex problem.

First, the good news.

That stink? That means the algae is actively dying, most likely due to our recent cold snap. So while it might not be fun for the noses of lakefront residents, it is at least a sign that the blue-green bloom is going bust.

Then there’s some relatively good news. The best treatment available, a product known as Phoslock, has just been secured by the City of Gold Coast after the supplier was unable to deliver an expected treatment last August.

But the council has been advised not to use it until the worst - or the best - of the cold weather is over.

“It is really frustrating,” said Cr Marshall.

“Three weeks ago we finally received the treatment, but we’ve been advised to wait while the cold weather kills the algae.

“Phoslock does not kill the blooms, it just caps it and drags it to the bottom, where the nutrients starve and it can’t grow anymore. So the more that dies first, the better.

“But that’s why it’s such an uphill battle, there is no easy way to rid the lake of the algae. There is also no easy way to stop it from blooming again. But we’re doing all we can.”

Division 12 councillor Nick Marshall. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

From my understanding, since the lake’s creation the water table has slowly risen due to development, creating a dead area with no oxygen at the bottom of the lake.

This unhealthy factor of the ecosystem is then further complicated by the lake’s connection to the canal system. Where once it was a freshwater body, it has now mingled with the saltwater and become brackish, making it ripe for algae blooms and meaning any treatment must consider the connected canal system.

Cr Marshall said Griffith University had conducted a study of the lake, with all recommendations implemented, and that trials were occurring on new, promising products.

He said he welcomed any tips from residents, although because Lake Hugh Muntz was such a unique environment, it meant suggestions which should make scientific sense were often not practical.

Unfortunately, what also stinks about this issue has been the attitude of some of the public.

While some residents have been working together towards solutions, others were working towards anti-council conspiracies.

For example: council won’t provide funding for a real solution because they want to fill in the lake; or that council could fix it if they wanted with a quick drain and clean.

“Money is absolutely not the issue. We have all the funding we need - unfortunately, a miracle product doesn’t exist,” said Cr Marshall.

“We also can’t drain it because it’s connected to the canals, this is not the Evandale Lake, it’s extremely deep.

“There is no one in the city who does not want to fix Lake Hugh Muntz, it was and will be a wonderful community asset.

“I get that people think I’m doing nothing, but I’m doing so much behind the scenes, I hope we can work together because we all want the same thing.

“I understand people’s annoyance but I do believe we are closer to it being open again than not.”

That’s the problem we face these days when there is no quick fix. If we can’t find a solution, we sure as heck can find someone to blame.

The truth is sometimes bad things happen not because of the action or inaction of one person or one body, but because of the planned and unplanned actions and inactions of thousands of people, places and even things. It’s not a conspiracy, it’s just life.

And sometimes, it just stinks.