Beach Number:

qld1591f

State/Region:

QLD - Mermaid Waters

Post Code:

4218

General Beach Hazard Rating:

6/10 (Moderately hazardous)

Beach

Kurrawa Beach (1591F) is 1 km further south and has the most extensive beach reserve of all the beach sections. The wide reserve runs for 1.5 km and incorporates the Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club (Fig. 4.148), the newest on the Gold Coast, being founded in 1958, together with a range of public facilities. This beach, with its wide reserve and facilities, has been chosen as a semi-permanent site for the annual Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. It was the site of the infamous 1996 Championships, held in energetic surf produced by a tropical cyclone, that resulted in the first tragedy in the Championships' 81 year history.

Swimming

The eight surf lifesaving clubs and sixteen lifeguard towers attest to the potential hazards along this long beach. Rips are present whenever waves are breaking and deep rip channels may run out from the shoreline. Swim only in patrolled areas and avoid the rip holes and outer trough. Stay close inshore and on the attached portion of the bar.

Surfing

Beach breaks extend the full length of the beach. Conditions are best on the outer bar, with a moderate swell and offshore winds. The Nerang entrance wall can produce some better quality bars and breaks. There are plans for Queensland's first surfing reef on the beach at Narrow Neck.

Fishing

Beach fishing is a very popular pastime along the length of the beach, with conditions best when there are rips across the inner bar. The Nerang jetty and entrance wall are very popular spots to fish the channel or surf.

General

This is undoubtedly Australia's most heavily developed and utilised beach. It offers a huge range of accommodation, attractions and facilities, together with the surf lifesaving clubs and lifeguard towers, as well as 16 km of beautiful beach and surf. However the surf is hazardous, so be careful as to when and where you swim.