Gold Coast Seaway facts for kids
The Gold Coast Seaway is a very important waterway in Queensland, Australia. It's also known as the Southport Seaway. This channel connects the Pacific Ocean to the Gold Coast Broadwater and the southern part of Moreton Bay. It's one of Australia's biggest projects to manage the coast. You can find it at the northern end of the Southport Spit, right where the Nerang River flows into the Pacific Ocean.
This special channel was built between 1984 and 1986. Its main purpose was to make it safe for boats to travel in and out of the Broadwater. Before it was built, this area was called the Southport Bar. The mouth of the Nerang River used to be further south, near Broadbeach. Over time, sand naturally moves north along the coast. This movement made the Southport Bar very unstable and dangerous for small boats. The southern rock wall of the Gold Coast Seaway is also the start of the Gold Coast Oceanway, a popular walking and cycling path.
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Building the Seaway: How It Works
To make the entrance stable, two large rock walls were built. These walls help keep the channel in place. The walls were angled slightly north of east. This helps to reduce big ocean waves from coming into the channel. The southern wall was also made longer for more protection.
Engineers also realized that the western side of the Broadwater would need more protection from waves. So, they built Wave Break Island using sand and material dug from the channel. This island acts like a shield, protecting the Broadwater from strong waves.
The main channel of the Seaway is about 250 metres wide. It's usually about 11 metres deep, but in some spots, it can be as deep as 20 metres.
Moving Sand: The Sand Bypass System
The Gold Coast Seaway has a very special system called the sand bypass system. It's the first of its kind in the world! This system moves all the sand that naturally arrives at the Seaway entrance. It pumps the sand across the entrance and into the Moreton Bay Marine Park.
This system can move a lot of sand, up to 500 cubic metres every hour. That's like moving 50 truckloads of sand in an hour! The goal is to keep the channel clear for boats. There are also plans to see if some of this sand can be sent back to places like Surfers Paradise to help keep the beaches wide and sandy. The system works by pumping sand through a long jetty and releasing it where it's needed.
Future Plans: A Tunnel Idea
There's been a suggestion to build a tunnel under the Seaway. This tunnel would connect the mainland to South Stradbroke Island. The idea is to make South Stradbroke Island a top spot for eco-tourists, which means people who visit natural places without harming them. One of the reasons for the tunnel is to make sure no dingoes (wild dogs) can cross over to the island.
Fun Activities: Diving and Surfing
The Gold Coast Seaway is a very popular place for many activities. It's a great spot for diving, where you can explore underwater. It's also a favourite place for fishing. Many surfers and bodyboarders paddle across the Seaway from the mainland to South Stradbroke Island to catch waves. Popular surfing spots include the area near the sand pumping jetty on the mainland and the sand pumping outlets on South Stradbroke Island.
