The Gold Coast branch is one of Australia’s oldest branches with more than 25 years’ experience in local coastal management issues covering the geographic area between South Stradbroke Island to the north and the Tweed River to the south. This coastline boasts internationally recognised, world class point breaks: Burleigh Heads, Currumbin Alley, Kirra Point and Greenmount – Snapper Rocks. From our early days in 1993, the State of our Surf Report (SOS) was a key project which saw the creation of an environmental database of Australian Beaches. In 1994 we submitted a report that led to South Stradbroke Island being included in Marine Park status.
In 1996, six ‘Nuclear free pacific’ rallies & protests were held on the Gold Coast. 1999 saw the launch of the ‘Hold onto your butt’ campaign with the support from David ‘Rasta’ Rastovich and Michael ‘Munga’ Barry. Jumping forward in recent times, Surfrider Gold Coast branch proposed that their world class breaks be recognised on the national level. In 2012 our iconic surfing breaks were formally recognised as a National Surfing Reserve. This 16km stretch of the Gold Coast is now recognised as a World Surfing Reserve, through the Save the Waves coalition thanks to continuous lobbying by some determined locals and Surfrider volunteers in 2018. Our iconic beaches and surfing breaks are recognised by the local government through ‘The Surf Management Plan’ after Surfrider’s petitioning for a plan to maintain our iconic surfing amenity and beach users. Our committee meets regularly to discuss local issues, plan events and engage with the local community to help protect our waves, ocean and beaches.
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GOLDCOAST SURF MANAGEMENT PLAN
Surfrider Gold Coast initiated the precursor to Gold Coast World Surf Reserve as the Gold Coast Point Breaks National Surfing Reserve (GCPBNSR) which was dedicated in 2012. Chris, one of the branches long standing volunteers is now the only active Local Stewardship Committee member as Secretary/Treasurer and contact person for the GCPBNSR book sales. The Gold Coast World Suring Reserve Local Stewardship Committee is the advisory body for the City of Gold Coast’s Ocean Beaches Strategy. During consultation it was identified that the surfing amenity required support and planning. As such, The Surf Management Plan was developed and after Surfrider’s petitioning, in 2012 the Gold Coast City Council included the Surf Management Plan into the Ocean Beaches Strategy. Surfrider maintain pressure on the council’s commitment to the plan and ensure it is revised every 5 years. We believe it is essential that the State Government liaise with the City of Gold Coast Council and the GCWSR Local Stewardship Committee plus any other stakeholders including Surfrider Foundation Gold Coast Branch before making any decisions which will affect or impact the GCWSR and the surfing amenity.
SEAWEEK STOKE WITH PALM BEACH SURF CLUB AND THE ANNUAL THONG CHUCK CHAMPIONSHIP
In September we celebrate Seaweek, Australia’s annual celebration of the sea. We hold the event at Palm Beach Surf Club, Australia’s first Ocean Friendly Surf Club. With their support we are able to engage with the community, raise awareness and show our appreciation for the ocean. Glowing Green Australia donate their time by hosting ocean themed education sessions and craft activities. The young and old battle it out in the annual infamous Thong Chuck Championships. Our fundraising efforts from this event help us to run the Gold Coast branch and maintain our core campaigns: Ocean Friendly, Endangered Waves and Rise Above Plastics.
BEACH CLEANS
Since it’s humble beginnings Surfrider Foundation has maintained its campaigning efforts to eliminate plastic from our ocean. Whilst beach clean ups are not the solution to the cause of the problem, we believe engaging with the community, is actively necessary to promote our conservation, activism, research and educational endeavours We want participants to walk away more knowledgeable and inspired to protect our ocean, waves and beaches. We host corporate, school and community clean up events and utilise the Australian Marine Debris Database to record data and analyse our beach clean up efforts.
Our beach clean-up events inspire our passionate volunteers. The events connect people to the land through a meaningful sense of empowerment. Providing education to these volunteers facilitates our efforts to Rise Above Plastics. Yet despite our epic efforts at removing debris from our coastline we know that the solution is to target plastic pollution at the source, which we encourage through the national Ocean Friendly campaign.
ACTIVISM
Activism is in our blood (Conservation, Activism, Research and Education) along with part saltwater. Surfrider Foundation was born after a protest rally in 1990 where 5,000 surfers demonstrated against the proposed sewerage (this is the correct word meaning infrastructure) outfall at South Straddie under the banner of Groups Against Sewage Pollution. We act against anything detrimental to our surfing amenity. We always have, and nothing will change that, even though some in power make it hard for us. In recent times we’ve activated against the proposed cruise ship terminals, oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight and local dune destruction from intentional tree killings.