Swimmers return to Tallebudgera Creek after a major sewage spill

Swimmers using a popular Gold Coast waterway have recalled their shock at being told to leave due to a sewage spill. See what else has been pulled out of Talle Creek.

A disastrous sewage leak shutting one of the Gold Coast’s most popular swimming spots has not stopped an ex-ironman hosting his community led swim this week.

Former ironman Phil Clayton hosts open-beach swimming programs for Gold Coasters at Tallebudgera Creek which was shut after a sewage spill alert on Monday morning.

The city council reopened it by Tuesday night and Mr Clayton hosted his weekly swim there on Thursday as work continues to find the “root” cause of the spill.

The normally buzzing creek was temporarily closed between Schuster Park and Tallebudgera Creek Beach near the Neptune Royal Surf Life Saving Club.

Mr Clayton’s swim squad, which also runs in Burleigh, meets at Tallebudgera Creek every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning for guided swim sessions, entering from the Neptune club.

Former ironman Phil Clayton, with his community ocean swimming group at Tallebudgera Creek. Lisa Clayton, Phil Clayton, Kate Dale and Steve Brady have an early morning swim at Tallebudgera Creek.Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“We have been running for four years, PC & Co, is a community-based swimming group that allows anyone with any ability to come down to Tallebudgera and learn how to swim,” Mr Clayton said.

“On Monday we were actually kicked out, the council lifeguard came over and told us halfway through our session there was a spill. It was a bit strange because the tide was actually going in.”

Mr Clayton called it very “unfortunate something like that has to happen to a creek like Tallebudgera”.

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.

A Gold Coast cityspokesperson said “initial investigations indicate corrosion may be a factor”.

“The City is continuing to identify any other potential causes for the failure through root cause analysis,” she said.

Gold Coaster Rebecca Plant, who swims the creek three times a week and was in Mr Clayton’s squad on Thursday, was also in the water on Monday, when approached bylifeguards and told the creek was closed.

“I believe there may not have been enough transparency and communication between the users and the people who found the leak,” Ms Plant said, adding the group were “active in that creek a number of times a week”.

She had noticed over the last week a “smell” coming from the creek at low tide, she said.

“There has been a significant smell this week, there has been an off scent coming from that area.”

The reopening came after water quality testing and swimmers were given the all clear.

But community members from Hooked on Tallebudgera Creek are concerned with what is happening on the creek floor.

Hooked on Tallebudgera Creek recover debris from Tallebudgera Creek. Photo: Supplied

The community led clean up-crew run by diver Sally Gregory, removes dangerous fishing hooks, lines and other debris.

This year, a group of divers had fished out over 40,000 metres of fishing line from the creek, eight bikes or scooters and other rubbish on the streambed.

Diver from Hooked on Tallebudgera Creek recovers fishing waste items from the Tallebudgera creek floor. Photo: Supplied

The crew recovered 11,451 fishing waste items – such as discarded hooks, sinkers and fishing rods.