Bargara Beach QLD

The world first ‘planning authority approved’ surfing reef enhancement was at Burkitts Reef, Bargara, near Bundaberg.

In early 1997 a band of energetic locals waited until low tide to smash some existing basalt boulders into shape with an industrial-size excavator.
They then moulded a reef of their own making producing an acceptable though smallish wave at high tide.
Source: grantdoyle.wordpress.com/feature-articles/gimme-a-break

See: surfingramps.com.au/bargarasurf.htm

There was a talk on this at 7th surfingramps.com.au/SurfingSymposium
..but the notes are not on the Symposium site.

Review of Reefs

On this article no date appears to tell when it was written, most likely 2011, it gives a good review and summary of work on artificial reefs:
coastalmanagement.com.au/artificial-surfing-reefs

It mentions:

• Narrowneck, Queensland, Australia
• Cables, Western Australia, Australia
• Prattes Reef, El Segundo, California, Los Angeles, USA
• Bargarra, Queensland, Australia
• Mount Manganui, NZ
• Bornemouth, UK
• Kovalam, India

 Somebody had to do it to make the first mistakes, and somebody had to pay for it.

Jeff Mill’s article “Pipe Dreams”
surfermag.com/features/pipe-dreams-artificial-reef
..looks at the various ASR projects we have discussed on this site.
SURFER was able to contact a former ASR employee who wished to remain anonymous, to further describe the issues that faced the company.
Reading the comments was as useful as reading the article.
Failure to build these reefs should have been compared and contrasted with successes.
Let us know if someone does this..

Taree starts the process

Here is a Google search for “Taree Council’s draft Coastal Zone Management Plan”
Searched 12 June 2012.

Search it again and see what progress has been made.

1. [PDF] Report – ANZ offices – Greater Taree City Council
   http://www.gtcc.nsw.gov.au/…Planning/GTCC_Emergency_Action_Plan_…
   File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
   Copying this report without the permission of Greater Taree City Council or WorleyParsons is not permitted. …. Taree Coastal Zone Management Plan.
2. 
   Wild weather prompts call for Old Bar protection – ABC News …
   
   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-06/wild-weather…/4054952
   6 days ago – Taree Council’s draft Coastal Zone Management Plan is expected to be on exhibition by the end of the month. Local resident Elaine Pearce …
3.  No compensation under Taree erosion retreat plan – ABC News …
   
   www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-10/taree-erosion-plan/3940892
   10 Apr 2012 – But Greater Taree City Council has not contemplated voluntary acquisition as … It’s still waiting for its draft coastal zone management plan to be …
   
4. Old Bar prepares for double whammy – Local News – News …
   http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/news/local/…bar…/2580596.aspx
   6 days ago – The Weather Bureau yesterday warned people from the south coast through to … was delivered a double blow by Greater Taree City Council. … public exhibition period for council’s draft Coastal Zone Management Plan could …
5. Council seeks fast-track for coast plan – Local News – News …
   http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/…/council…coast-plan/2395290.asp…

   16 Dec 2011 – GREATER Taree City Council will write to the NSW Minister of … with comment to the council’s draft coastal zone management plan. It will also …

More coast lost at Old Bar – Local News – News – General – Manning …

http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/news/local/…coast…/2583581.aspx

4 days ago – … Taree City Council and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage had worked more effectively on the Coastal Zone Management Plan.

Locals only – The Problem

Build 13 artificial reefs a day, and 13,000 people a day will take up surfing. Just watch.
By the year 2025, the average surf session might well consist of 1.7 rides per surfer per session. For modern surfers, crowds simply come with the territory, and the territory is finite.
Trying to stem this tide of surfing’s popularity is fruitless. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks,” says Hamlet. It’s the same with every surfer “claiming” his or her territory. We’ll just have to cope.

From:
fortunadaily.com/way-of-the-waterman/the-sportsmanship-of-surfing
by: Drew Kampion
fortunadaily.com/author/drew-kampion

Locals Only – Surf Grooming

I noticed the white paint on the cliffs at Nth Curl Curl the other week. I remember seeing this sentiment expressed at Avoca Beach. The Curl Curl one is very like the sign at Scarborough Wombarra except that there the word “G A Y” has been added by someone who has a sense of humour.
While I understand what causes people to write these signs, I cannot think of anything worse than only surfing one beach and staying away from all the others.
The problem is over crowding. Instead of everyone poking each others eyes out and making the world blind, the solution is to groom the surf that is there to make more room for more riders.
Councils have no trouble justifying putting a rake through the dry sand. Why doesn’t someone look at ways of moving the sand underwater to make better breaks for the surfers?
Sure the sand will move back, no problem, in the same way that the dry stuff gets racked regularly move the wet stuff to improve the banks each day.
Don’t bother with moving anything in swell over 1.5 metres. Increases in the forces involved increase the problems.
First thing to do is a pretest of the marine ecology, especially at the water’s edge.
Rules should be made about moving the sand, the main one would be to only ever move sand closer to the beach. This should assist with the build-up of sand on the beach, most people would see that as a good thing.
The next thing is to think of a method for moving the sand. Something like suction pipes with the engines for the pumps based on the beach is my current preference.
We don’t know all the answers but the problem is we are not asking the question:
How can we make the waves better for more people, especially the locals?
How can we slowly make surf better?

See also:
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/

Make waves not war

from Surf Magazine article by Bob McTavish (1967)..

..surfing research and development. A group of surfing minds. A headland that receives good swell and favourable winds.

Let’s try the north side of Long Reef, Sydney, a half mile of coast around a rock bottomed pair of coves, the whole place takes any south quarter-wind, cops any swell at all, and has a lousy bottom shape. Really central. Conditions are excellent three to five days a week.

Accurate chart of the bottom, suggestions for wave shapes, models, testing tanks, research on cement and plastic combinations and varieties, methods of anchoring, and go to town.

A pipeline, an Ala Moana, a Malibu left, a Sunset walling into a Laaeakea, a Rincon, a Ti Tree, a right Pipeline, a few more imaginative breaks, some big and power(ful) some small. All varying with tides and swell sizes.

Southerly this morning? Off to the Reef. Wow! Only 200 guys out, only about ten each break.

Slip into wetsuit, grab wax, might just sit on nearby headland for a bit. and raise sensitivity to those waves, maybe get a rough plan figured on how to put together the session. Shape preferences, tide, frame – of mind…. Hit it.

See also:
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/