Funding announcement good news for Kirra
SURFERS are confident that the Kirra groyne will be restored after the Gold Coast City Council's engineering services committee voted to seeking funding from the state government to contribute to the $770,000 project.
Daily News surf writer Andy McKinnon said Thursday's announcement was good news for the Kirra community.
The campaigner to extend the groyne took the opportunity to take another swing at a proposed cruise ship terminal at north Kirra.
"This (extending the Kirra groyne) is not a big thing for the council to fix considering the money they are spending on the study for the cruise ship terminal," Mr McKinnon said.
Mr McKinnon said the restoration of the groyne would not only benefit surfers but also the wider community.
Surfers claim that the 30m reduction of the groyne in 1996 contributed to the destruction of the famous break.
"The surfing community would really welcome the news on this (groyne)," Mr McKinnon said.
"This is a public amenity and it can be an attraction."
Engineering services chairwoman Councillor Daphne McDonald said the council would apply for a grant under the Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.
The grant can contribute 40% of the cost of rebuilding the groyne.
"With State Government support of $311,000, it is proposed that Council's portion of the funding, $466,000 would be provided in the 2013-2014 Budget from the Major Coastal Works funding," Cr McDonald said.
Former world champion surfer Mick Fanning was amongst a group of Kirra surfers who campaigned to reinstate the groyne.
