Profile response and dispersion of beach nourishment: Gold Coast, Australia

Abstract

For over 30 years a primary coastal management concern in south-east Queensland, Australia has been the eroded beaches of the southern Gold Coast. The 380m extension of the Tweed River training walls from 1962-1964 interrupted the littoral supply of sand to the beaches of the southern Gold Coast which experienced sudden and severe erosion. A series of tropical cyclones and severe storms in 1967 initiated an investigation into the erosion problems by the Delft Hydraulics Laboratory. The report outlined the need for Gold Coast beaches to be able to withstand the impacts of a series of storms and erosion volumes similar to those of 1967. Several recommendations for structures and nourishment programs to address the issue have been implemented and the desire for a long-term solution resulted in the establishment of the Tweed River Bypassing Scheme in 2001. Since 2001, 4.6 M m3 of sand has been dredged from the Tweed River and 4.7 M m3 of sand has been bypassed and deposited within the active profile of southern Gold Coast beaches. Beach profiles surveyed between 1966 and 2006 were analysed to elicit the behaviour of the littoral system and the response to groyne construction, nourishment campaigns and finally the bypass operation. Recommendations for future capital works and management strategies derived from this work will be incorporated into the Gold Coast City Council Shoreline Management Plan.