Gold Coast Oceanway

As of 2014 the Gold Coast City Council no longer has an Oceanway Policy

The Gold Coast Oceanway was a policy on hard infrastructure foreshoreway along dunes Gold Coast, Queensland. The Gold Coast Oceanway is a shared use pedestrian and cyclist pathway on the Gold Coast, connecting the Point Danger lighthouse on the New South Wales and Queensland border to the Gold Coast Seaway. The network includes 36 kilometres (22 mi) of poor, medium and high quality pathways.

This came after severe erosion from Cyclone Oswald washed away and damaged millions in beachfront infrastructure and oceanway paths.

Social issues associated with oceanway investment include equity, disability and crime prevention (CPTED). As cities grow, the value of coastal property increases and fewer people can afford to live near the beach. As cities grow even larger the carparks along the beach start to overflow and roads leading to coastal areas become increasingly congested.

One growth model is just to keep expanding the size of carparks whenever they get full, leading to concern about 'paving paradise' as expressed in the song "Big Yellow Taxi".

Another growth model is that beach experiences become increasingly enjoyed by only richer people as the average person cannot afford to overcome the congestion and property value barriers of visiting the beaches as a regular part of their lifestyle. Often local resident groups oppose investment that attracts additional people to visit 'their' beach (known as fortress coast attitudes). Due to local opposition, it is often necessary for a brave politician to champion the cause before a commitment is made to invest into higher capacity foreshore areas. An example is Jim Soorley who championed the cause of the Riverwalk for Brisbane.

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Wikipedia