Reef set to get new life
THE fading artificial reef at Narrowneck is about to be replenished as a part of Gold Coast City Council works to protect the coastline.
The council has budgeted to spend $18.5 million over the next 12 months to protect the city’s beaches, starting with the $2 million renewal of the Narrowneck reef.
A part of the renewal will be to rebuild the seawall at Main Beach. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said it would cost about $900,000 to rebuild the 200m of wall along the Main Beach coastline.
“The artificial reef lessens the erosion impacts of large waves,” he said.
“As these waves cross the reef, their intensity becomes less threatening to the beach.”
He said replenishing the reef would help stop erosion by pushing more sand towards the beach.
“It was built 20 years ago and we are dropping big tonnages of sand to refill that reef,” Cr Tate said.
“The sand flows northwards and with the artificial reef it actually sends the sand onto the shore.”
The artificial reef was originally made of large sand bags dropped strategically underwater.
The bags have now split and moved due the effects of weather and wear and tear.
New 400 tonne bags will be placed on top of the old bags to bolster the existing reef.
Works on the reef will begin in August and are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The work will coincide with the start of the building of an artificial reef off Palm Beach.
The multi-million dollar Palm Beach Shoreline project will use a specialised design to create a new surf break as well a prevent erosion in the area. THE Voice Australia coach Delta Goodrem sure knows how to build team spirit.
Gold Coast make-up artist Claire Howell said Goodrem made her and fellow Team Delta finalists Judah Kelly and Tim Conlon feel like part of the family when she invited them over for dinner in Sydney.
“She invited us to her mum’s place for dinner – the three of us and a couple of people from last year, Alfie (Arcuri) and Kim (Sheehy),” Howell said.
“I’m a vegetarian so her mum made me all these different vegan and vegetarian things and a minestrone soup. It was so sweet.
“It literally ended up with us all around the grand piano singing along with Delta on keys,” Howell said.
Howell said Goodrem also bought the trio “a little gift” each for live show day.
Howell will sing for a place in this year’s top 10 when The Voice Australia’s publicly-voted live shows continue tomorrow at 7pm.
Fans can vote for Howell via The Voice App, Apple Music or iTunes.