Drone footage of Bulcock Beach reveals the full extent of the Bribie Island breakthrough

The extent of change to Caloundra beaches is being realised as lifeguards and the coastguard reveal safety challenges of the Bribie Island breakthrough. SEE THE VIEW FROM THE AIR

Bulcock Beach and Happy Valley are almost unrecognisable to tourists returning to the area, with sand build up now making it possible to walk across to Bribie Island.

The large build-up of sand in the area follows the Bribie Island breakthrough in January 2022, with Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth and a king tide generating waves that smashed through the landmass to create two separate islands.

The breakthrough created a fast changing environment in the Pumicestone Passage, forming a new crossing into the ocean dubbed the Bribie Bar and resulting in sand closing up the Caloundra Bar.

It means that it is now possible to walk from Caloundra to Bribie Island North.

It has also created navigational challenges for boaties and increased safety risks for swimmers.

The Caloundra Bar has silted up and turned into a sandbank. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Bribie Island breakthrough. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Kings Beach resident Vicki Langley said the change was remarkable.

“In recent months, we have been able to just walk from Happy Valley right across to Bribie,” she said.

“I don‘t think we could have walked that 12 months ago because of the tides coming in and now even when it’s a high tide you can still walk across.”

Kings Beach locals John and Vicki Langley at Happy Valley. Picture: Iwan Jones

She added that the volume of sand has been the largest change in the area.

“The sand that has accumulated at Happy Valley has been the main visual change,” she said.

“There’s still patches of water that come from the Pumicestone Passage through this way, but then it just stops.”

Aerial view over the northern end of Bribie Island showing Golden Beach (right), Bulcock Beach (background) and the channels and waterways of Pumicestone Passage which lead out to the Pacific Ocean, ca 2005.

A king tide and huge swells combined to break through part of Bribie Island in January,2022.

Caloundra resident Zane Jones captured aerial images of the Bribie Island breakthrough in January, 2022.

While providing a new opening to the ocean, the breakthrough has created new challenges for those on the water.

Initially, the new crossing was narrow and deep, but as time passed, it has widened over 900m and become more shallow, down to 1.4m at low-tide, as more sand was pushed through.

Caloundra Coast Guard deputy commander Jerry Jurczak said he observes regular changes out on the water in the Pumicestone Passage.

“The breakthrough is progressing south every week, it is also changing the inside of the passage and moving sandbanks around weekly,” Mr Jurczak said.

“There’s more tree line eroding and ending up in the passage, so everytime we are on the water there, we’re looking out for trees everywhere.”

Caloundra Coast Guard deputy commander Jerry Jurczak. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Jurczak urged boat users to be safe on the water, with a number of vessels overturning while attempting to cross the new bar.

“As the bar gets shallow, it gets rougher, causing more problems for smaller vessels,” he said.

“Last week, we had to go out and pick up an overturned vessel, that’s a regular occurrence now.

“If people head out on the water, they should check the weather conditions, log in with the coast guard, wear a life jacket, and exercise caution if they decide to cross the bar.”

Lifeguards have also created a temporary outpost at Happy Valley due to the changes in the area, and are advising people not to enter the rough water on the ocean side.

The outpost at the unpatrolled beach was set up after a teenage girl was pulled from the water in April earlier this year.

Kings Beach lifeguard Corey Jones said it has progressively become more busy over the past year.

“Now the new bar at Bribie Island has opened up, we’ve got a lot more activity of people at Happy Valley,” Mr Jones said.

“Unfortunately, we had a drowning down there about a year ago or so, leading to Surf Lifesaving and the council putting two lifeguards down there in the holiday season, on weekends and during the summer.

“Those two guys are down there to try and purely educate the public and let them know that it’s not a bathing reserve.”

Kings Beach lifeguard Corey Jones. Picture: Patrick Woods.

While Mr Jones appreciates the curiosity the public may have for changes at Happy Valley, he advised visitors to the area to “do the right thing”.

“We’ve got yellow signs down there that outline that swimming is not advised,” he added.

“We encourage people to come to the right location and swim between the red and yellow flags at nearby Kings Beach or Bulcock Beach.”

Originally published as Drone footage of Bulcock Beach reveals the full extent of the Bribie Island breakthrough