The camera and speaker system has the ability to send messages and images of distressing situations back to a localised unit.

Text messages are sent to on-call lifeguards who are aware they are to immediately respond to the alarm.

The cameras will be placed along infamous ‘black spots’ where lifesavers are unable to patrol.

Beaches included in the proposed plan include Noosa’s ‘unofficial’ nudist beach at Alexandria Bay,  which has seen three deaths since 2003.

Nude activist Dario Western supports this plan and feels it should not affect nudists wanting to visit the beach.

He says they are already aware that they are on display and are doing nothing to warrant extra attention.

“I don’t really have a problem with it, I have been a nudist for the past 20 years and have been going to Alexandria Bay since 1991.

“For the most part, everyone there is very well behaved.”

Widely known for its nudist culture, Alexandria Bay is a popular destination on the North Coast. Photo source: Rachel Claxton.

Surf Lifesaving Coordinator at the Sunshine Coast Aaron Purchase is positive the cameras will improve their ability to better patrol beaches.

“It’s something that Surf Lifesaving Queensland have had in place for a few years.”

“At the moment the introduction is more about the technology surrounding the equipment and what they can and can’t do.”

He’s confident the community will support the plan as it’s helping to keep beaches safe and enjoyable.

“In general the feedback that we have had has been quite positive, majority of the people understand that our aim  is to have zero preventable deaths and injuries across our beaches.”

Sunshine Coast resident Sharon Wells supports this decision.

“There are still plenty of hours that aren’t patrolled, so I think it is still necessary to have the Surf Lifesavers there for protection during the busier periods but using surveillance as an extra precaution is a great idea.

Gold Coast beaches have already begun a three to six month trial of the cameras and Surf Lifesaving Queensland will introduce them along the Sunshine Coast immediately after.

The current trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the camera’s abilities and is taking place for the most part on beaches at Surfers Paradise.

Gold Coast resident Brock Langley says the cameras are promoting a safer image for Queensland beaches.

“We are known for our beaches and tourists come from all over to spend time on them. This is helping to make everyone on these beaches feel that little bit safer.”

It's hands on art: kids sit on the sandstone stingray sculpture, Swoop, by Daniel Gill at Swell Festival 2010. Photo: Kandy McCouat

Huge crowds were expected this weekend to see a giant sandstone stingray and 54 other sculptures at Queensland’s biggest outdoor art exhibition.

The eighth annual Swell Sculpture Festival features major artworks on Gold Coast’s Currumbin Beach and Premier Anna Bligh says it is “one of the world’s most beautiful coastal galleries”.

Swell committee member and local business owner Richard Plumb says the free 10 day festival is likely to equal last year’s numbers of 200,000 visitors.

“It’s gone up every year and it doesn’t feel as though there are any less people this year,” he says.

Local resident Kandy McCouat says the secret to Swell’s success is the accessibility of the art, both physically and conceptually.

The sculptures are not fenced and can be viewed 24 hours a day, therefore allowing the audience to set the rules about when and how they see them.

“What I love most is the freedom to explore a creative landscape of meaning and connection on lots of levels,” says McCouat.

Having been involved with the event as a former volunteer, sculptor and now visitor since its inception, McCouat says the outdoor art gallery inspires the imagination of the whole community.

“It has the ability as an event to not only attract tourists, not just locals, not just businesses on the street … it has the ability to capture everyone.

“I enjoy touching and being able to interact closely with the sculptures and share the experience with family and loved ones,” she says.

Audience participation

Although the event was smaller in the first years, with around 6,000 visitors and 14 sculptures to view, Swell’s premise has always been to ‘get art out there’.

Local art gallery owner Mr Plumb says indoor art spaces can be intimidating, particularly for parents concerned their children will damage something.

“The best thing for me is the access it gives everyone to the art. [At other times of the year] we sit in the gallery and watch people walk past and they don’t come in,” he says.

Interactive art: artist Emma Anna was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous song lyrics for her Swell Festival 2010 sculpture, imag_ne. Photo: Kandy McCouat

Many of the sculptures at Swell are designed to include the audience, such as imag_ne, by Victorian artist Emma Anna, where the missing ’i’ is a space for someone to sit in.

Sharing in some of the $60,000 on offer to artists is Queenslander Daniel Gill, whose stingray sculpture, Swoop, was purchased by Gold Coast City Council for $20,000.

Local and state government, as well as local businesses, support Swell and organisers say it will soon be cemented in the cultural fabric of the Gold Coast.

“It’s not quite an institution yet but it should stay on the calendar … the sculptures speak for themselves,” says Mr Plumb.

Jeux d’interieur by Janik Bouchette was one of 56 sculptures on display. Photo: Tijana Jaksic

More than 50 sculptures took over the Gold Coast’s Currumbin Beach in south-east Queensland for the eighth annual Swell Sculpture Festival from September 10 to 19.

From life-size to giant creations, the outdoor gallery exhibits the work of local, national and international artists.

Founding Director Natasha Edwards says 2010 has seen the largest display of sculptures yet.

“It spans over a kilometre of beach and parklands at Currumbin Beach,” she said.

“It sets us apart from indoor art galleries by providing an alternative way to explore and view sculpture.”

Gold Coast artist Erica Gray says the festival brings new opportunities for both artists and audiences.

“It brings it out of the gallery and into a public space, giving artists more exposure,” she said.

Artist Erica Gray says her sculpture Flirt reflects her time working in the fashion industry. Photo: Tijana Jaksic

“Your audience is a mix of people that go to galleries but might not go to the beach, and people who go to the beach but not necessarily to galleries.”

Flirty figures ‘tribute’

With her sculpture Flirt, Ms Gray says she aimed to create something “soft” and “feminine” out of hebel block so it would last outdoors.

“They’re basically four female figures,” she said.

“I used contrasting rope to cinch in at the waist and together with the effect of soft pleats highlight the curves of these flirty figures.

“They’re elegant and fun and a tribute to all of us girls.”

Children collaborating

Invited artist Pamela Denise conducted workshops with local children to create a collaborative sculpture for the festival.

“Each student has made a small bee approximately eight centimetres long,” she said.

“There are about 722 bees altogether, running along the fence for the length of the Currumbin Beach.”

Students from Cloncurry State School visited the festival as part of the Bush to Beach Project. Photo: Tijana Jaksic

Bush to Beach

The Bush to Beach project made it possible for children from Cloncurry State School, near Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, to also contribute to the project.

A group of 19 children from Cloncurry came to Currumbin to see the festival, participate in workshops and interact with local children.

Cloncurry State School teacher Tim Colston said it was a fantastic new initiative.

“It’s just a really good opportunity for them to get out and experience something different – something they’d usually never get to do,” he said.

“A lot of the kids had never been to the Gold Coast and never even swam in the surf.”

Other festival highlights include twilight walks, public art forums, artist master classes and the chance to vote for your favourite sculpture.

The Swell Sculpture Festival finished on Sunday, September 19.

Photo Gallery: Festival sculptures

Related Link: Swell Sculpture Festival website

Sea World marine experts trying to free a humpback whale entangled in a shark net on the Gold Coast. (Photo credit: Sea World).

The seven-metre sub-adult humpback whale was migrating south when it became entangled in the shark net; the first so far this season.

Sea World Whale Watch tour host Chelsea Vendy said the introduction of shark nets under the Queensland Shark Control Program is nonsense and devised purely to support tourism growth.

“The nets were put in place simply to make tourists feel safe in the water,” she said.

“Sharks can easily swim around the nets which don’t run the entire length of the beach, nor to the sea floor and all marine animals, not only whales, are getting trapped inside the nets and die.

“They (the nets) are there only as a mind trick for tourists so they can see the buoys and believe in a false sense of security.”

Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin announced in June this year the government had decided to trial acoustic alarms, otherwise known as “pingers” to reduce whale entanglements.

He said the devices are designed to alert marine life to the presence of the nets in order to prevent entanglement however isn’t designed to scare them away from the equipment.

The alarms were fitted to shark nets between Mackay in North Queensland and the Gold Coast in early August to cover the second half of the whale migration season.

However the humpback whale became entangled despite the nets of Surfers Paradise being fitted out with acoustic alarms.

Sea World marine expert Trevor Long said the “pingers” could potentially have the opposite effect of driving the whales towards the nets.

“Whales, like dolphins, are very curious in nature and the noise of the alarms may even be an attraction to them, especially to young inexperienced calves,” he said.

“Female whales seek shelter close to shore to rest their calves during migration which will push them close to the nets regardless of an alarm system.

“The community doesn’t understand the seriousness of the situation…there’s an enormous loss of wildlife for this perception of protection.”

Queensland Shark Control Program manager Tony Ham said bather safety continues to be the highest motivation behind the program.

“No one likes to see whales, dolphins or turtles caught up in the nets or killed,” he said, “the reality is that it is going to happen.”

“I understand the emotion surrounding it…but at the end of the day we have to be quite realistic and ask ourselves: what do we want? People being killed on the beach or whales tangled up occasionally.”

Removesharknets.com is a campaign driven by locals from the Gold Coast, Tweed Coast, Byron Shire and Sydney aiming to educate the public of the major threat shark nets pose to the survival of marine life.

For further information or to have your say; sign the petition at removesharknets.com.

Jessie and Claire are pumped for the upcoming nipper season to begin: Olivia Pollard

Junior Gold Coast nipper numbers are on the rise but it appears their teenage counterparts prefer surfing the internet to riding the waves.

Membership numbers have increased by 33 per cent in the past five years, yet clubs are finding it harder to keep teenagers involved.

Veteran surf lifesaver and the council’s chief lifeguard Warren Young said the junior surf life saving movement had grown rapidly in the past decade.

“Parents wish to introduce their children to the surf and water safety practices as soon as possible,” Mr Young said.

“But the nippers tend to drop out once they reach their teens.”

The North Burleigh surf club has only 14 members in the under 14 category this season compared with 48 members in the under eights.

The club’s office manager, Melanie Landrigan, agreed with Mr Young.

“From around under 13s and under 14s in nippers the numbers are always lower than the younger age groups,” she said.

“By that age they have generally found other hobbies, interests, school and puberty.”

Mr Young said it was harder to retain young people today than when he joined 40 years ago because of other demands on teenagers’ time.

Kiana Muir (left) gets familiar with the waves as she prepares for her first nippers season this summer: Olivia Pollard

“There were no computer games [or] mobile phones… and if you were speaking to somebody they were not distracted by technology,” he said.

Gold Coast mother of four Nadine Delahunty takes her two young sons to Palm Beach nippers every Saturday.  She said nippers is brilliant for the wellbeing of young children. 

“I’m so glad my boys love going…it’s not only a fantastic workout but a means for them to interact with other young kids whilst having fun,” she said.

Seventeen-year-old ex-nipper Nicolas Bedford said he gave it up because he did not have time for it anymore.

“I found that on top of more school work, other sporting commitments and maybe a couple of movie dates, nippers didn’t fit in,” he said.

Southbank was the place to be on Sunday with hundreds flocking there to soak up the sun: Sarah Owens

South-east Queenslanders have endured the first day of what is set to be a scorcher of a week, with temperatures expected to soar into the mid 30 range.

Today in Brisbane it was 32 degrees, while Tuesday is facing a high of 33 degrees.

Gavin Halcombe from the Bureau of Meteorology says the warm conditions are well above the September average of 25 degrees.

“Those hot north westerlies drag the hot air out the north-west part of the state and as a result conditions are well above average,” Mr Halcombe says.

He warned the worst is yet to come.

“The really hot conditions haven’t reached us yet,” he says.

“As the trough system moves eastwards those hotter conditions will initially move into the south-east and southern interior and then over the south-east coast [for Tuesday].”

The hot weather is good news for swimmers, with Brisbane City Council pools now officially open for summer trading and Queensland lifeguards back patrolling the beaches.

At Burleigh Heads, Queensland University of Technology students Megan Kedda, Lauren Roberts and Megan Warfield made the most of the summer-like conditions.

“It takes a lot for me to actually go swimming, but today there was nothing stopping me from getting in,” says 21-year-old Ms Kedda.

Increased fire danger

However the above-average temperatures has also put the south-east on bushfire alert.

“Conditions are going to become very windy around the southern part of Queensland during Tuesday and Wednesday and as a result we will see an increase in fire dangers,” Mr Halcombe says.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Assistant Commissioner Steve Rothwell says fire officers are bracing for the harsh weather.

“Over the next few days we’re going to see some very hot, dry, gusty winds come through so there is potential for bushfires,” Mr Rothwell says.

“We’re watching what the weather patterns will do and if they do escalate like it’s predicted, especially around Tuesday, we’ll most probably put some local fire bans in place.

“Quite clearly we’re in the start of the fire season,” he says.

 

Ducking a wave: Sarah Owens

Lauren Roberts, Megan Kedda and Megan Warfield took advantage of the heat, cooling off at Burleigh Heads: Sarah Owens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A longboarder caves up the waves at Maroochydore

South-east Queensland is witnessing a streak of surfing wins, taking seven out of 11 Australian longboard titles and three Australian Surfmasters’ titles over the weekend.

On an international level, Nambour local, Joel Parkinson, is holding the lead in the men’s tour.

Sunshine Coast surfboard retailer, Liam Toohey, says surfing now attracts not only mainstream sport fans, but the general public alike, with the south-east experiencing an undeniable growth.

“The alternative vibe attached to surfing has been replaced,” he said.

“The Sunshine Coast is thriving – we currently have a lot of good surfers, with Wade Goodall doing very well and Leigh Sedley competing internationally.”

Surfing today

Surfing Queensland’s events coordinator Chad Calderon says he has noticed a change in the sport’s demographic.

A young surfer takes advantage of the breaks at Alexandra Headlands

“If you go down to the beach you would almost immediately notice a wide range of cultures, ages and both men and women enjoying surfing,” he said.

Calderon says south-east Queensland has always produced world-class surfers and waves.

“Queensland has some of the best high-performance coaches and trainers in the world who can nurture young talented juniors and prepare them for the challenges of a professional surfing career,” he said.

Surfing Queensland holds coaching and judging accreditation courses, which they say are constantly being filled with a wide range of people.

“Surfing’s lifestyle attracts a lot of people who are intrigued by the image of surfing,” Calderon said.

Surfing education

Calderon says surf schools are filling up fast and with winter ending just a few days ago, many of these schools are chock-a-block across the Gold Coast.

“General beach crowds are higher for this time of year too,” he said.

Some high schools across the south-east are offering surfing as an option for recreational sport.

Grace Lutheran College teacher Malcolm Carter says a wide variety of students get involved, from those with real expertise to those who enjoy it socially.

“Interestingly, many of our exchange students get involved and love it, and we find about 10 per cent of our senior students choose surfing as an elective,” he said.

“Recreational sport aims to maintain student involvement in activity.”

Carter says surfing is fun, physically demanding and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Retailer Liam Toohey working hard to meet high demands

Business ‘booming’

Retailer Liam Toohey says with surfing’s soaring popularity and overall positive support, business is booming.

“Sales are right up at Beach Beat – many people are buying boards because of the unseasonal hot weather, plus people are getting their tax back and earlier in the year we had Rudd’s stimulus money, which helped a lot too,” he said.

A Sunshine Coast surf school, recommended by Liam Toohey

“For $900 you can buy the whole package, a board, fins, leg rope, and a bag so it’s been busy.”

Surfing Queensland says the future of surfing in the south-east has an extremely positive outlook of growth and will no doubt make further inroads into mainstream media.

Local Coolum Beach surfer Shaun Clelland in training.

Coolum Beach local Shaun Clelland is set to make waves as he gears up for this month’s Queensland Championship Circuit (QCC) on the Sunshine Coast.

Queensland’s best junior surfers will slash it out for a chance at $2, 000 in prize money and a spot at the 2010 ASP Quiksilver Pro trials on the Gold Coast.

“I’m pretty stoked to be a part of the event.” Clelland said.

“To be given the chance to compete at the ASP trials is awesome.”

Sunshine Coast beaches will provide the battleground for the deciding event of the fourth and final stage of Australia’s state-based surfing circuit.

“The Coast has some sick beach breaks and the point breaks in Noosa are epic when the swell is up, so hopefully there’s some swell around next weekend,” Clelland said.

Surfing Queensland CEO Graig Harland said the Sunshine Coast boasts a world-class field of Queensland’s best surfers, with the Sunshine Coast pro set to put local surfers on the map.

“The Sunny Coast Pro continually elevates the benchmark of state-based surfing series and provides local surfers with a stepping stone for future professional endeavours,” Harland said.

Surfing identity and Coolum and Alex Surf owner, Neil Raaschou, continues to support  local ‘young guns’.

“The event is certainly the highlight of Surfing Queensland’s calendar on the Sunshine Coast and supporting local talent is truly exciting,” Raaschou said.

To enter the Sunshine Coast Pro visit www.surfingqueensland.com.