Tallebudgera Creek reopened after a major sewage spill into the waterways

An urgent investigation into a sewage spill at a popular swimming spot is examining a number of possible causes, as locals and visitors are given the all clear to return. Read the latest.

A popular Gold Coast swimming spot has reopened after a shock sewage spill, with council yet to confirm the cause of a cracked pipe responsible.

Tallebudgera Creek was closed between Schuster Park and Tallebudgera Creek Beach near the Neptune Royal Surf Life Saving Club after a sewage spill was alerted on Monday morning.

Warnings were issued to swimmers about entering the water by Gold Coast Council and Surf Life Saving Queensland, but that did not deter hundreds of people from flocking to the southern hotspot to cool down.

The Gold Coast City council website said the creek would re-open at 9am on Wednesday, with water quality testing underway to determine if potential threats still remain for swimmers.

However, a council spokesperson told the Bulletin late on Tuesday that water sampling results had been returned and swimmers have been given the all clear.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said council had to learn from the situation.

Mayor Tom Tate said “We’ve got to learn from it and make sure that a sewage spillage doesn’t reoccur” following a cracked pipe leaking wastewater into a popular swimming spot on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“(We need to) make sure that a sewage spillage doesn’t reoccur, it caught us by surprise and a report is being investigated right now to see why it has happened, and we’ll make sure the remedy is there that it’s a permanent remedy,” he said

Mr Tate said a “cracked pipe” was the cause of the spill and investigations are ongoing to see “who cracked it”.

“First we look at where the pipe was cracked and if it’s because it’s too far up and exposed, or maybe it should be concrete encased so there are solutions to prevent it happening again,” he said.

The leak had been traced back to a burst pipe from the Elanora wastewater treatment plant in Palm Beach, with untreated waste spilling from it into local bushland and waterways.

When asked if the spill was caused by M1 works under the Pacific Motorway bridge nearby, Mr Tate said he would not go into specifics but admitted the location of the spill was close to the plant.

Jordie Harris, a Gold Coast local first alerted community members by posting a video investigating the run-off as it flooded into the creek.

People still swimming in Tallebudgera Creek despite beach closure signs and warnings from lifesavers. The creek was closed following a sewerage spill upstream. Picture Glenn Hampson

A business owner neighbouring Tallebudgera Creek near Martin Sheil Park said she could smell an “odour” coming from the water in the last few weeks.

Grant Hoskins had taken to social media after he and a squad of swimmers at 5.30am took to the creek on Monday, and were not advised of the sewage spill beforehand.

Mr Hoskins said in a post to social media he had written to the council.

“[It is] not acceptable that public were not notified in a reasonable time,” he said.

An isolated incident in January saw the Gold Coast Council warn locals and visitors to not swim in Palm Beach lake when a small amount of sewage entered a stormwater drain.

A Queensland Conservation Council spokeswoman said “it’s disheartening to see the impact of poor sewage treatment management in an important estuary neighbouring a National Park”.

“Untreated sewage can cause environmental degradation and human ill-health, and the effects will be felt in the environment for some time,” she said.

‘Smell is putrid’: When swimming spot will reopen after sewage leak

Hundreds of people have continued to swim in one of the Gold Coast’s most popular swimming spots after a major sewage spill in the middle of a heatwave.

Tallebudgera Creek closed between Schuster Park and Tallebudgera Creek Beach near the Neptune Royal Surf Life Saving Club after the spill on Monday morning.

It’s understood the leak began on Sunday.

Yet hundreds of swimmers eager to escape the stifling summer heat were out in force on Monday, continuing to swim in the creek despite the closure, with teenagers spotted jumping off the bridge into the water.

The Gold Coast City Council updated the alert on their website and said the creek would reopen at 9am on Wednesday.

However Council have recently communicated with the Bulletin that the reopening of the creek is uncertain at this stage.

On Monday, area councillor Daphne McDonald said a burst sewer main was the cause of the run-off.

“Gold Coast Water have been on-site (on Sunday) and carried out a surface clean-up and addressed the burst main,” she said.

“I understand that it is a 960 sewer main which had been diverted for the M1 works.

“Officers will be on site again to carry out further investigation and understand the necessary work.”

But Gold Coasters who encountered the spill, coming from council’s own treatment plant, described the smell as “disgusting”.

Jordie Harris recorded a video investigating the run-off as it flooded into the creek.

“This is coming straight out from the treatment plant and the smell here is putrid,” he said.

“There’s a pipe coming out here but look at all of this, the smell is disgusting.

“What is happening?”

Paddleboarding is popular at Tallebudgera Creek. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Brisbane resident Tiffany Winn droved to the Gold Coast for the day to enjoy the sun with friends but decided against swimming in the creek.

“(It’s) family friendly, good for kids,” she said.

“(I am) a little bit (concerned about the sewerage leak and I am), keen to hear back from council, because I would like to know the results.

Ellie Taylor, 18, said she wasn’t aware of the spill until she arrived at the creek but decided to go for a short swim anyway.

“I think it’s not great, I am here, and I didn’t have a clue (until) I got here,” she said.

Anna Baird is visiting the Gold Coast from the Blue Mountains and spent Monday afternoon at the creek with her two daughters.

“I probably wouldn’t swim in it if it has pollution,” she said.

“I wouldn’t want the girls swimming in there.”

Council’s environment team said the move was precautionary and will keep the area closed until testing shows the busy waterway is safe.

“The safety of our staff, residents and visitors is our number one priority and clean-up is well underway,” the council said in a statement.

“Residents and visitors are asked to obey all signage and avoid using the waterway/catchment for recreational purposes until further notice.

“We apologise for any inconvenience and thank all customers/residents/visitors for their patience and assistance.”

Tallebudgera Creek is one of the Gold Coast’s best-loved waterways and has been heavily used in recent days during the heatwave.