| Kirra Gold Coast, Queensland | |
|---|---|
 Kirra Surf Life Saving Club, Circa 1946 | |
  Kirra | |
| Coordinates | 28°10′0.54″S153°31′53.54″E / 28.1668167°S 153.5315389°E |
| Postcode(s) | 4225 |
| LGA(s) | City of Gold Coast |
| State electorate(s) | Currumbin |
| Federal division(s) | McPherson |
Kirra is a beach-side neighbourhood within the suburb of Coolangatta in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. [1]
The small rocky headland Kirra Point separates Kirra Beach to the north and Coolangatta Beach to the south, and is noted as one of the world's premier surf breaks. In the past the surf break was known for producing high quality barrels. Today sand pumping across the Tweed River mouth has filled it in and changed its character.
The name of the neighbourhood comes from Kirra Hill ( 28°10′05″S153°32′00″E / 28.1681°S 153.5333°E ) [2] which is 27 metres (89 ft) above sea level, [3] which first appears on an 1883 survey plan by surveyor Mr Schneider. Although believed to be an Indigenous name, the specific language and meaning is unknown. For example, in the Yuggera language, kaiyar means white cockatoo while in the Kabi language kirran means fire. [1]
Prior to 1840 Kirra is not known by its current name and is rarely visited by white settlers.
From 1840 to 1910 the first white holiday-makers start to visit.
From 1910 to 1920 holiday-makers increase, making Kirra a popular recreational beach area.
In April 1914, on what is now known as Kirra, 18 residential and business sites were advertised to be auctioned by Fred Nash at the Tweed Heads Hall. A map advertising the auction states the sites at Coolangatta faced the Esplanade, now Musgrave Street located near a probable site for a railway siding. [4]
In the 1930s the opening of the South Coast Road increases the popularity of the southern Gold Coast as a holiday destination. Camping was very popular for families because Kirra had a long beach and a low-lying dune system.
In 1938 the Queensland Government sells reclaimed swamp land at Kirra. [5]
From 1960- to early 1974 the Tweed River breakwaters combine with a series of low-pressure weather systems to result in serious sand erosion. This brings the high-water level to just below the coastal road.
In May 1972 the Government of Queensland built a groyne, now called "big groyne", extending Kirra Point, to trap sand on Coolangatta beach to the south. The growing tourist industry there relied on sandy beaches and the Coolangatta stretch had been plagued by erosion problems. Surfers were against the plan, believing it would kill the break, and they held protest meetings. They were right about its effect on the surf, for the following year a deep hole formed off the groyne. But after that first year the sand returned and it broke as well as ever. [6]
A second smaller barrier, called "little groyne" was later built a short distance north on Kirra beach.[ when? ] In 1995 30 metres was taken off Big Groyne to help fight erosion at Greenmount Beach. Both groynes have been almost completely covered by sand from the sand pumping.
In 2001 the Tweed River sand bypass project commenced
By 2003 Little Groyne was completely buried in sand.
In 2006 Griffith University Coastal Management Center launch a project to restore the beach.
There have been environmental effects of the sand pumping on the reef. A popular diving area with sea-life including manta rays and wobbegongs has been buried over since the pumping started. Dive companies have relocated or turned their focus to other smaller reef areas. The sand pumping contract held on the area is in place until 2024, when the contract will be re-evaluated.
The Gold Coast is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately 66 kilometres (41 mi) south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nation's largest non-capital city, and Queensland's second-largest city after Brisbane. The city's Central Business District is located roughly in the centre of the Gold Coast in the suburb of Southport, with the suburb holding more corporate office space than anywhere else in the city. The urban area of the Gold Coast is concentrated along the coast sprawling almost 60 kilometers, joining up with the Greater Brisbane Metropolitan Area to the north and to the state border with New South Wales to the south.
The Tweed River is a river situated in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. From the middle reaches of its course, the state boundary between New South Wales and Queensland is located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north.
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The history of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia began in prehistoric times with archaeological evidence revealing occupation of the district by indigenous Australians for at least 23,000 years. The first early European colonizers began arriving in the late 1700s, settlement soon followed throughout the 19th century, and by 1959 the town was proclaimed a city. Today, the Gold Coast is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia.
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Tugun is a beach-side coastal suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Tugun had a population of 6,588 people.
Mermaid Beach is a coastal suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Mermaid Beach had a population of 7,329.
The Gold Coast Shoreline Management Plan (GCSMP) is an ICZM plan to manage the coastal resources of City of Gold Coast. The EPA encourages the City Council's to produce shoreline management plans for coastlines and tidal waterways within the local authority area.
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A surf break is a permanent obstruction such as a coral reef, rock, shoal, or headland that causes a wave to break, forming a barreling wave or other wave that can be surfed, before it eventually collapses. The topography of the seabed determines the shape of the wave and type of break. Since shoals can change size and location, affecting the break, it takes commitment and skill to find good breaks. Some surf breaks are quite dangerous, since the surfer can collide with a reef or rocks below the water.
Jazzland Dance Hall, also known as Jazzland Dance Palais, was a dance hall located in Coolangatta, Queensland. The venue was built in 1928 and was used as an entertainment venue throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Though no longer used for dances and social events, the building remains at the western end of McLean Street at the intersection with Griffith Street. The former dance hall is listed on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register as a rare surviving purpose built ballroom built in Queensland, Australia during the interwar period and in acknowledgement of its role of the social life of the region. It is also recognised in the Coolangatta Local Area Plan for its heritage and character components. In 2002 the building was considered for the Queensland State Heritage Register but was not listed.
Campbell Hill is a mountain located in Piggabeen, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It is located in the region of the Tweed Shire in the state of New South Wales, in the eastern part of the country, 900 kilometres (560 mi) north of the capital, Canberra, approximately 107 kilometres (66 mi) from Brisbane and 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Surfers Paradise. Campbell Hill is approximately 123 metres (404 ft) above sea level. Piggabeen is situated in the hinterland approximately 5 km behind the Gold Coast Highway and the Gold Coast International and Domestic Airport. Piggabeen and its valley adjoins Currumbin Valley in Queensland.