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Kirra paddle out prompts meeting in February, Fanning joins fight

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 February, 2009 : - - A big thank you for all those who took part in the Australia Day Paddle Out at Kirra. It was fantastic to see the Pros and the many surfing families numbering over 1500 paddlers heading off Kirra Beach and creating history with map of Australia on Australia Day, a surfing feat never achieved before! Mark Occy Occhilupo who lives behind Kirra Hill had his first paddle in the clear blue ocean with 5 year old son Jay. 

There is no doubt that the unprecedented surfing show of strength and the community concern of the loss of Kirra Point has highlighted a distinct message to the powers that be and the reaction has drawn a quick response with discussions set in place with QLD and NSW State Governments Ministers ready to deal with the problem..

The Tweed Sand bypass is jointly shared by the NSW and QLD governments and Tweed and Gold Coast City Councils, an agreement was reached by the then Labor State Governments 10 years ago to sign a joint arrangement whereby work began on the construction in 2001. In the last 6 years, 10 million cubic meters of sand has been pumped off the major outlet at Lovers Rock, Point Danger yet only 1/8 has shifted north while the remainder is packed down hard at Kirra and Coolangatta. 

Both the NSW and QLD State Labor Governments are facing the polls this year and the political heat is on. The surfing community representing a decent slice of the electoral pie will be able to push their vote in no uncertain terms. There is a sticker that says, “I surf and I vote!” So make sure you register to vote and help convince the State Governments that we want Kirra back.

The sand pumping created the Superbank but took out Kirra Point. Pumping sand can be a wonderful thing re South Straddie and Snapper but too much sand has deadly consequences. What we want is to have both these iconic breaks (Snapper and Kirra) for the future and that comes back to fine tuning the Tweed Sand-by Pass operation which apart from destroying Kirra has also badly eroded Fingal.

A proper review and assessment of the sand problem is long overdue and the 25 year State Government contract needs to renegotiate so in the end we can have it all if the engineering is right and the sand spread proportionately rather than backlogging it at Coolangatta and Kirra. It’s time that the State Governments put some money back into the surfing amenity like other mainstream sports e.g. Footy, Cricket, Tennis, Basketball, Swimming and Track events.

Surfing is a poor cousin when compared to the State and Federal assistance that other sports receive, yet here on the Coast there are at least 60,000 people who surf and at least 3.5 million Australians who surf. In terms of votes, Surfing has never had a bigger clout and after the Australia Day Paddle Out, the message is loud and clear in the corridors of power. It’s time that the State Governments pulled their collective heads out of the sand and work together to restore the greatness of Kirra.

There are so many people to thank for participating and volunteering their efforts on the Australia Day Paddle Out at Kirra and it wouldn’t  have been possible without the following groups and individuals; Kirra Surfriders club, Kirra Surf Club and SLSA, Surfrider Foundation, Paddle Out Committee, Kyle Slabb and Fingal family, Birdy’s Band “Quiet Excitement,” National Surfrider GM Julia Chunn, John Robin (on site screening), Griffith Uni’s Deborah Duncan, Ted Brambleby and Kerrie Trees (Reef photos/story), Ben Cropp (reef story), Bill Morrison (Shark electronic device) Glen Carroll (Lipton Ice Tea), Waco Fridges, Petes sausages, KSC barby, Damien (French pancakes) GCCC Library and Bin service, SITA (recycling) and the many volunteers too many to name, Steve Hunt Media, the independent Media unit of Mico Wilcomes, Peter Wilson, Simon Williams, Steve Shearer, Craig Halstead, Brad Nielson, Marty Tullemans, Matt Gye, Jay Phillips, ASL, and Lachlan McKinnon.

Tony Phillips of GC Surf was the spotter on the Hill and Cheyne Horan, Kirra Surf Club Captain Gavin and Chris Butler played a huge part in galvanizing the troops in the water. Well done to the Speakers, Mick Fanning, Wayne Deane, Neal Lazarow, Bob Moffatt, John Standing, Stuart Ball, Sheldon Steeles and the great MP.

Thank you to State politicians and local Councilors who added their insight and what to do including Jann Stuckey, Michael Riordan, Christine Robbins, Katie Milne and Rabbit Bartholomew who received an AM (Australia Day award) on the day. No wonder the media exposure was cast across the Globe with regional/State and National coverage and the many surfing web sites ensured International coverage.

Thanks to Baliwaves.com for posting our campaign first and viewers can watch a video clip of the Paddle Out Day with archival footage thanks to Alby Falzon’s “Morning of the Earth” of MP (71) and www.chrisbystrom.com of Rabbit (83) plus last vision of Kirra 2002 can be seen on surfline.com and youtube.com. It will be a positive Australian Day to remember and pave the way for restoring Kirra and keeping our Coastal and surfing environment in check.

The KirraPoint.org group which is now a sub committee of the GC/Tweed Surfrider Foundation is armed to the teeth and will take this campaign forward with recommendations and solutions. On behalf of the organizers, I would like to thank everyone for coming down to Kirra and making it work. Karma was definitely on our side - Well done!

www.kirrapoint.org

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Andrew McKinnon

Culture - Surfersvillage