The Gold Coast’s coastline remains in recovery mode more than a year after Tropical Cyclone Alfred caused widespread erosion, with authorities warning full restoration could take up to three years.
The March 2025 cyclone stripped an estimated four million cubic metres of sand from beaches, equivalent to around 320,000 semi-trailer loads, leaving steep scarps, damaged access points and disrupted coastal infrastructure across all 28 beaches.
Council crews have been working continuously on clean-up operations, removing debris, restoring beach access, and stabilising dunes through fencing, re-shaping and ongoing monitoring. Water quality testing and safety inspections are also continuing as part of the recovery effort.
A major focus has been large-scale sand management, including dredging and sand “backpassing” systems that have already returned more than 1.5 million cubic metres of sand to the shoreline. Authorities say these works significantly reduce natural recovery time, helping rebuild beaches in under a year compared to up to four years without intervention.
Temporary protections, including geobags and rock bag seawalls at Currumbin Beach, remain in place, while upgraded access paths are replacing damaged stairways in high-use areas such as Surfers Paradise.
Sand is being trucked in to help stabilise the Oceanway at Main Beach. Because of ongoing safety concerns, the Hollindale Park Oceanway has been removed.
Officials say ongoing storms and high tides continue to slow progress, but mechanical sand movement and coastal engineering will remain central to protecting the iconic coastline and surrounding infrastructure.
For more information visit: www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Services/Projects-works/