Gold Coast strategy focuses on sustainable management of waterways

The Gold Coast Waterways Strategy 2021-2030 has been released. With the communities’ vision of A Waterways City, the strategy focuses on access, connections and destinations through innovative planning and management.

The Strategy will ensure the ongoing, sustainable management of this important natural asset through integrated planning and ongoing engagement with key stakeholders and the wider community.

It builds on the Queensland Government’s $130 million investment in the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) since 2015 to upgrade and maintain the waterways, as well as create jobs at a time when they need them most – during Queensland’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

The Strategy focuses on three themes for city’s waterways: Access, Connections and Destinations.

These three areas aim to ensure the Gold Coast continues to embrace these waterways as it transitions to a waterways city.

This Strategy also builds on the Gold Coast Waterways Strategy 2014-2023 which established GCWA’s responsibilities to sustainably manage the waterways and improve their quality into the future.

The Strategy takes those foundations to the next level by establishing world-class principles for management of the waterways and GCWA’s land-based reserves as required by the Gold Coast Waterways Act 2012.

Also, it creates a blueprint for the future management of the waterways.

It reflects the community’s vision for the waterways, and acknowledges their cultural, social, economic and environmental values.

According to GCWA, these values make the waterways special and set the Gold Coast apart from every other community in Australia.

The Gold Coast Waterways Management Program provides an investment plan for a four-year period. The program is the primary delivery plan for the Strategy.

In line with requirements under the GCWA Act, the Program includes:

• The policies and financial measures for implementing the waterways management Strategy;

• The performance targets to be achieved;

• Details of the projects to improve and maintain navigational access to Gold Coast waters and to develop and improve public marine facilities;

• Details of measures to be taken to implement and monitor compliance with waterway management regulation made under the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 to the extent the regulation applies to Gold Coast waters.

“Our climate is changing, which has future consequences for our marine ecosystems and the industries and communities that use them,” said GCWA.

The Gold Coast is expected to experience higher sea levels in the future, as well as increased frequency and intensity of storm events, higher sea surface temperatures and rainfall changes.

According to GCWA, there is an opportunity for the waterways to become an asset capable of reducing these risks for the broader community, through adaptive infrastructure solutions including green infrastructure that seeks to increase the area of natural buffers.

Examples such as wetlands or utilising dredge materials to build resilience to rising seas or to create new habitat may be considered.

The use of green infrastructure is growing both internationally and across Australia as a cost effective and appropriate way to enhance resilience and address other urban challenges like water quality and amenity.

“Management of the waterways must seek to maintain the natural values that our waterways provide. At the same time, they must also support the environmental, social and economic needs of our waterways users,” said GCWA.

GCWA said that they will continue to work with the community and their partner agencies to deliver on this Strategy, realise their vision for the waterways, and ensure ongoing enjoyment by locals and visitors alike.