Last January we brought you a story on the new sand dredging system which has been installed at the Tweed River mouth at the start of Australia's Gold Coast.
The system was installed by the Gold Coast council and the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation in conjunction with the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency and primarily aims to remove the build up of sand at the river's entrance to make it safer for the commercial boats entering the Tweed.
By pumping the sand North of the groyne, it also allows the more natural flow of sand that existed 100 years ago - before the construction of the groyne.
The upshot for surfers is that the sand banks are getting better and better.

Over the last 10 months, the consistency of longer waves has been growing at Snapper, with a combination of the right Northerly swell which can connect the break to Greenmount Hill, and even sometimes into Coolangatta Beach itself.
I've surfed it on about 4 such occasions this year, although usually Greenmount is the extent of your ride. (that's a good 400 metres).
WQS surfer Troy Brooks spoke of aching legs when he commented to me recently that he had surfed it almost to the Kirra Groyne early this autumn.
Well last week, it finally joined up with the famous, and extremely hollow Kirra break.

In a solid 4 to 6 foot swell, "a young local (Damon Harvey) caught a wave all the way through to Kirra - and the legend has begun." said ASP President, and lifetime Coolangatta local Rabbit Bartholomew.
"That's about a four minute ride!" he continued.

The news footage of this day has captured images of a consistent wave with the classic barrel take-off at Snapper Rocks, the working wall across to Greenmount, where the barrels start to form again, and surfers duck in and out before priming their leg muscles for another long wall section across Coolangatta Bay - before the final speed run at Kirra's pipe – a testament record to the capability and versatility of this wave, made up of 4 classic individual surf spots.
As we said before, it takes a combination of the right North, North/Easterly swell and the right amount of sand being pumped through, - and to date the results have really been due to luck.
The really interesting thing will be whether the ASP can get together with the authorities to work out how to turn on the wave at the breaks when required (eg: for Gold Coast surf comps etc), - it is possible!

Oh, and before you all race up to get your bit of action at the Snapper take off point, you should be aware that these breaks are home to many of the world’s hottest young surfers, including Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning and Dean Morrison (aka – “the Coolangatta Kidz”) – and they aren’t about to just give it away.
To surf Snapper, you have to be an accomplished surfer, and able to take the risks of the take-off, as well as use it wisely. Otherwise, just get out of the way!
Stay tuned to Surfa.com.au for our upcoming article Crackin’ Snapper - complete with up close and sandy take-offs and gutsy near rock misses!

Pics: Above Left:- The Intermittent Sand Pumping dredge at Kirra Groyne.
Below:- Joel Parkinson - at home winning the Quiksilver Pro - Australia at Snapper Rocks earlier this year.