Man-Made Island off Australia’s Gold Coast, Created by $35M Project, Set to Vanish by Christmas
Gold Coast, Australia – A temporary island that recently emerged off the coast of Australia’s Gold Coast, captivating social media and sparking surfer interest, is predicted to disappear by Christmas, according to coastal management officials. The sand accumulation, formed by a $35 million sand dredging project, has drawn attention for its potential to create a unique A-Frame wave.
The island materialized following Tropical Cyclone Alfred earlier this year, when an offshore barge pumped one million cubic meters of sand to replenish the coastline. International Coastal Management engineer Aaron Salyer described the formation as “pretty awesome… who wouldn’t want an island out the front of their beach?” in an interview with ABC.
However, Salyer also cautioned that the island is not permanent. “It’ll start to dissipate over the Christmas season and eventually wash its way in,” he stated.
since videos of the island began circulating, the public has been drawn to the new landmass, accessible only during low tide. Gold Coast chief lifeguard Will Ashley has urged caution, warning of hazardous currents. “There’s a lot of water that moves around that island that’s been created there so we are asking people to stay away,” Ashley said. “If you’re going to swim at the beach, we recommend coming to the flags, having a safe swim with the lifeguards or lifesavers.We don’t encourage anyone to enter the water at night, or in that area at all, to try and get out to the sandbank.”
the fleeting existence of the island represents a unique, if temporary, example of human intervention shaping the natural coastline. Surfers hoping to experience the novelty wave are advised to do so with extreme caution, as time to access the sandbank is rapidly diminishing.
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