Sand Bypass System

About The Sand Bypass System

If you’ve ever visited The Spit, Gold Coast, chances are you’ve seen the iconic Sand Bypass System jetty.

This engineering feat stretches an impressive 494 metres out to sea and is a working structure that intercepts the natural northward drift of sand from the south, to assist with maintaining the navigation channel for the Gold Coast Seaway and the stabilisation of the mouth of the Nerang River.

It plays a critical part in keeping the entrance to the Gold Coast Seaway safe and navigable.

The Gold Coast’s tourism, recreational and marine industries depend on the safe access to the Seaway and the waterways enabled by the Sand Bypass System.

Sand from the Sand Bypass System is deposited onto South Stradbroke Island, continuing its drift northward

Sand is also pumped to the Gold Coast’s beaches via the City of Gold Coast Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass System that runs from The Spit to Surfers Paradise.

The SBS Jetty is a working platform and for safety reasons is not open to the public during construction projects, when operating, undergoing maintenance or during severe weather events.

Completed in 1986, the Gold Coast Sand Bypass System was the first of its kind in the world.

Sand Bypass System Brochure Get Directions

The system consists of a steel framed jetty, constructed 500 metres out to sea and 250 metres south of the southern training wall. Ten jet pumps, suspended from the jetty at 30 metre intervals from the seaward end, are submerged to 11 metres below mean sea level.

Water to operate the Sand Bypass System is taken from Marine Stadium via twin low-pressure, high-volume turbine pumps to the control building where a high-pressure centrifugal pump boosts the water pressure required for activation of the jet pumps. Sand on the seabed in the vicinity of the operating pumps is forced into the system in a water/sand mix and returned to the shore through the gravity fed flume where it is discharged into a conical shaped concrete hopper where excess water is decanted back to the ocean. The concentrated sand slurry is pumped by a variable speed centrifugal pump through the Gold Coast Seaway pipeline, to discharge onto the southern ocean-side beach of South Stradbroke Island.

The system may be operated with a varying number of selected jet pumps to give optimum performance, using computer controllers and monitoring, which ensures maximum economy and efficiency of the operations.

To capture lower cost electricity (off-peak), operations are generally planned for nights and weekends. However, on occasions operational factors and weather conditions require sand to be pumped during the day.

A pilot solar farm was installed in June 2019 to assist in meeting the systems day-time energy needs. Read more about our solar power here.

The Southport Bar was incredibly dangerous until 1986 when the Gold Coast Seaway was opened. Predominant south-easterly winds, the significant northern drift of sand and wave climate combined to move an estimated 500,000 cubic metres of sand along the south-east Queensland coast each year. Over time the Nerang River mouth moved northward by up to 60 metres each year, causing land erosion and changing sandbanks at the bar and adjoining Broadwater. The Sand Bypass System is an integral part of the design of the Gold Coast Seaway as it was recognised that the breakwaters would not be effective for long without a solution to the littoral drift problem.

For more information on the construction of the Gold Coast Seaway click on History of the Seaway.

The Sand Bypass System currently delivers approximately 500,000 cubic metres of sand from The Spit to our beaches every year, ensuring the seaway entry remains accessible while aiding in the nourishment of our northern beaches.

The Gold Coast Seaway facilitates safe transit between the Broadwater and the ocean for recreational and commercial vessels. An improvement in water quality due to increased tidal exchange has enhanced biodiversity in the Broadwater. The construction of the Sand Bypass System and construction of Wave Break Island combined with dredging ensures stabilisation of the entrance to the Broadwater without detriment to surrounding beaches.

Want more info? Check out our Sand Bypass System Brouchure.

Any damaged or missing aids to navigation such as beacons, buoys, markers or signs, should be reported as soon as possible on
07 5539 7350

For community engagement, communications or media enquiries please contact mail@gcwa.qld.gov.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

The Gold Coast Waterways Authority acknowledges and pays respect to the traditional custodians, the Yugambeh peoples of South East Queensland, including the Kombumerri, Mununjali, Wangerriburra, Bullongin and other clans, and their Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise their unique and ongoing spiritual and cultural connection with the land and waters of the Gold Coast area.

South Stradbroke IslandWave Break Island