Burleigh Heads Foreshore Revitalisation Project

Sitting on Burleigh Hill and enjoying the views is unique to the Burleigh experience. The hill is a place for picnics, recreation, socialising and relaxation and offers one of the Gold Coast’s most iconic vantage points and plays an important role in the character of the area.

We are proposing a range of improvements that aim to enhance Burleigh Hill while preserving the qualities that make it special. The focus is on creating more green open space and improving safety and accessibility.

Planned improvements include:

• Relocating the carparks at the top of Burleigh Hill to Goodwin Terrace and Rudd Park to create more open space for community use (no reduction of parking in the precinct).
• Installing a roundabout at the top of the hill to improve traffic flow in the area.
• Improving pedestrian connections with dedicated footpaths.
• Upgrading the picnic shelter in the existing location.
• Retaining the surf monument.
• Improving safety by installing CCTV and more lighting.
• Providing varied shaded seating options.

A more open, natural space

Together, these improvements aim to place greater emphasis on community and visitors using and enjoying the space. By creating more open green areas, the proposal seeks to reinforce the natural character of Burleigh Hill and support its use as a welcoming place to relax, gather and enjoy the views.

Indicative before and after view of Burleigh Hill

Concept plan and artist impressions provide a vision for the future embellishment of Burleigh Heads Foreshore Parklands. All proposals are subject to change and will be finalised as part of detailed design, technical investigations, community consultation, planning and environmental approvals, and funding considerations by City of Gold Coast Council.

Concept map

FAQs

Why are you relocating the car park on top of Burleigh Hill?

Relocating the carpark will give people more open, green space to enjoy the view from Burleigh Hill. There will be no reduction of parking in the area. The carparks will be relocated to new angled parking along Goodwin Terrace and off-street parking in Rudd Park.

We asked the community about this plan in during the Burleigh Heads Place Making Plan consultation in 2021. Following this feedback, the design was updated to deliver additional on street parking spaces at the top of Burleigh Hill for drop off and viewing of the surf.

Will you be able to check the surf from your car?

Two short-term parking areas will be provided to accommodate surf checks and the roundabout will have views to the surf.

Will the surf monument be affected?

No. The surf monument will be retained in its current location and remain an important feature of Burleigh Hill.

John Laws Park and the Burleigh Pavilion Plaza are busy and popular areas within the Burleigh Heads precinct. High visitor numbers, particularly during peak periods, can result in overcrowding, safety concerns and increased pressure on shared public spaces and facilities.

We are proposing a range of improvements across the precinct to make the area safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for everyone. The focus is on creating more space for pedestrians, improving movement throughout the area and strengthening connections between the Pavilion, the beach and surrounding parks.

Planned improvements include:

• Relocating carparks in front of the Pavilion to Goodwin Terrace and Rudd Park to create an open and accessible plaza area, with no reduction of parking in the precinct.
• Installing new seating, tables, shade structures and vegetation throughout the plaza area.
• Widening and slightly realigning the Oceanway to improve pedestrian safety and flow.
• Refurbishing the deck and lookout at John Laws Park.
• Installing new shelters, barbeques and picnic facilities in John Laws Park.
• Improving safety by installing CCTV and more lighting.

Indicative before and after of the Burleigh Pavilion Plaza

Concept plan and artist impressions provide a vision for the future embellishment of Burleigh Heads Foreshore Parklands. All proposals are subject to change and will be finalised as part of detailed design, technical investigations, community consultation, planning and environmental approvals, and funding considerations by City of Gold Coast Council.

Concept map

FAQs

Why are you relocating the car park in front of the Burleigh Pavilion?

Relocation of the carparks in front of the Pavilion will provide a wider and safer connection between Burleigh Beach and Burleigh Hill for pedestrians along this popular and busy Oceanway path. There will be no reduction of parking in the area. The carparks will be relocated to new angled parking along Goodwin Terrace and off-street car parking in Rudd Park.

How will the new plaza space be used?

The proposed plaza is intended to be a flexible public space with seating, shade, landscaping and room for people to meet, relax and enjoy the coastal setting. It will support everyday use and help manage large crowds during busy times.

Will the existing public toilets be upgraded as part of the project?

The existing public toilets located in John Laws Park next to the Pavilion will be retained and not upgraded. The existing public toilets in Justins Park will be upgraded to improve accessibility and increase capacity.

A key driver for improvements along this section of the Burleigh Heads foreshore is the renewal of the buried seawall. This essential work will help protect the foreshore from erosion, safeguard nearby infrastructure and preserve the natural character of the coastline.

Seawall renewal

The proposed foreshore improvements are closely linked to the renewal of the underground seawall between Justins and Mowbray Park. You can find more information about the seawall renewal, including why the work is needed and how it will be delivered, on the Burleigh Heads seawall renewal page.

Planned improvements include:

• Widening and realigning the Oceanway to improve pedestrian flow, safety and accessibility.
• Introducing a new pedestrian promenade with terraced seating, showers, gardens and seating under the Norfolk Pines.
• Providing accessible stair and ramped beach access
• Retaining the Norfolk Pines along the Mowbray Park and Justin’s Park foreshore to preserve shade and natural character.
• Installing new shelters, barbeques and picnic facilities in Justins Park.
• Improving safety by installing CCTV and more lighting.
• Providing a new play space in Justins Park.
• Upgrading existing public toilets to improve accessibility and capacity.

Indicative before and after view of the pedestrian promenade

Concept plan and artist impressions provide a vision for the future embellishment of Burleigh Heads Foreshore Parklands. All proposals are subject to change and will be finalised as part of detailed design, technical investigations, community consultation, planning and environmental approvals, and funding considerations by City of Gold Coast Council.

Concept maps

FAQs

Why are these improvements proposed for this section of the foreshore?

This section of the Burleigh foreshore is heavily used by pedestrians, cyclists and beachgoers. The proposed improvements aim to improve safety, accessibility and user experience, while maintaining the natural coastal character of the area.

What is the new pedestrian promenade?

The proposed pedestrian promenade provides additional space for people to circulate and gather under the Norfolk Pines, with improved amenity including shaded seating, showers and garden areas. The design complements the coastal environment and supports ongoing recreational use of the foreshore.

Will there be improved beach access?

Yes. New and upgraded stairs and ramps are proposed to make it easier for people of all abilities to access the beach.

How will these upgrades affect the Norfolk Pines along the foreshore?

The Norfolk Pines along Justins and Mowbray Park foreshore are heritage listed and will be retained. The project has been carefully designed to protect the iconic Norfolk Island Pines. Tree protection zones will be strictly observed during construction. Specialist arborists will monitor works to avoid any damage to root systems or canopy health.

Rudd Park is a quieter, more under-utilised area compared to other spaces within the Burleigh Heads foreshore precinct. This project looks at how the park could be better utilised to provide more recreational opportunities for the community, while supporting improved access and movement throughout the area.

Two options were explored through the recent (Feb-March 2026) consultation to help shape the future of Rudd Park. The details below outline the communities preferred option.

A playground with bike and scooter track

The updates focus on revitalising Rudd Park as a family-friendly recreational space.

Proposed improvements include:

• a new playground
• a children’s bike and scooter track
• improved picnic & BBQ facilities
• retaining the outdoor gym in its current location
• improved pedestrian connections across the park.

The existing playground in John Laws Park (located across the road on the foreshore) would be removed and replaced with open green space.

A new car park will be located in Rudd Park with relocated spaces from Burleigh Hill and in front of The Pavilion. There would be no reduction of parking within the precinct.

Concept plan and artist impressions provide a vision for the future embellishment of Burleigh Heads Foreshore Parklands. All proposals are subject to change and will be finalised as part of detailed design, technical investigations, community consultation, planning and environmental approvals, and funding considerations by City of Gold Coast Council.

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Rudd Park project?

The project aims to better utilise Rudd Park by creating new recreational opportunities for the community, while improving access, movement and connectivity within the Burleigh Heads foreshore precinct. Rudd Park is currently an underutilised area compared to surrounding spaces, and this project explores how it can better meet community needs.

Two options (A - playground) and (B - swimming lagoon) were presented to the community and through community consultation feedback it was clear that Option A was the preferred option, amongst the community attracting 42% supportive, 24% neutral and 34% not supportive in comparison to Option B garnering 38% support, 7% neutral and 55% not supportive. Given the low neutral response to Option B, the option was more polarising, with the community having more certain opinions.

Will parking be impacted?

A new car park will be incorporated in Rudd Park with relocated spaces from Burleigh Hill and in front of The Pavilion. There will be no reduction of parking within the precinct.

Will the outdoor gym be retained?

Yes. The outdoor gym will be retained in its current location.

The Burleigh Heads foreshore is one of Gold Coast’s most iconic destinations, valued for its world-famous surf break, natural parklands and iconic coastal character.

A buried seawall between Justins Park and Mowbray Park has been protecting the Burleigh Heads foreshore for 40 years. A recent investigation of this seawall has showed that a full reconstruction of the wall is required to ensure the foreshore remains protected in the future.

What is a seawall?

Seawalls are our last line of defence against coastal erosion and storm impacts. On the Gold Coast, they are mostly made up of large boulders buried under the sand. During normal coastal conditions at Burleigh Heads, the seawall is buried under the dunes and vegetation, and protects the foreshore and parklands against severe storm and erosion events.

The seawall at Burleigh Heads

The existing seawall was constructed in the 1980’s, and an upgrade is now critical to ensure the foreshore remains safe, resilient, and vibrant for years to come. Without action, we risk serious damage to the dunes and foreshore that could lead to more extensive beach restoration works, a disruption of access to the foreshore and impacts to natural beauty of the area.

To meet these challenges, rebuilding this seawall is critical to ensure that it continues to act as a last line of defence for this much-loved foreshore.

Watch the video to see how we're protecting one of the Gold Coast's favourite foreshores:

Protecting nature and surf amenity

The new seawall has been carefully designed around the protected and iconic Norfolk Pines on the Burleigh Heads foreshore. A tree protection zone has been established, and specialist arborists will monitor the seawall works.

We have also ensured that the seawall won’t impact Burleigh’s globally recognised surf break. The seawall design avoids structures that could reflect wave energy or alter wave patterns, meaning we are maintaining the excellent surf amenity at Burleigh.

Images

Upgraded seawall alignment

FAQs

Why do we need to rebuild the existing seawall?

While healthy, wide beaches are a substantial part of our coastal management strategy, seawalls are critical to ensuring our foreshores are protected from severe erosion events and storm surge.

Recent investigations confirmed the seawall within the Justins and Mowbray Parks areas must be rebuilt to ensure it can continue to act as a last line of defence for the Burleigh foreshore.

What will the new seawall look like?

Most of the new seawall will be buried beneath the beach and dune system, using engineered rock and geotextile layers designed to prevent erosion from storm waves. Once completed, much of it will be covered with sand.

Where will the seawall be located?

The seawall will stretch from the viewing platform at Justins Park down to Rick Shores restaurant in front of Mowbray Park. It will align with the rear of the beach close to the foreshore, in the same general area as the existing buried structure.

Due to constraints and ensuring protection of the existing Norfolk Pines, the new seawall is required to be built just in front of the existing wall.

Why are we digging up and replacing the seawall if the beach is healthy?

Seawalls are the last line of defence in a severe storm event – we don’t want to wait for a severe storm to potentially destroy the iconic Burleigh Heads foreshore. We’re acting now so the foreshore is resilient to these events in the future.

What would happen if the seawall wasn't upgraded?

If left unchanged, the ageing structure may not withstand future severe storms or the effects of a rise in sea levels. This risks:

• damage to paths, lighting, and underground services
• loss of dunes and beach width
• unsafe beach access
• high repair costs after erosion events.

Upgrading the seawall now ensures continued protection for the foreshore and infrastructure.

Why can't we just rely on the dunes?

During extreme weather events, dunes can erode rapidly, putting nearby infrastructure at risk. The seawall acts as a final line of defence, especially in events similar to ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie (2017) and Tropical Cyclone Alfred (2025), where substantial erosion occurred along sections of the Gold Coast.

How long will rebuilding the seawall take?

Work on the new seawall is scheduled to start in 2028-29. Construction will occur in stages over several months, depending on weather and site conditions. Public safety and beach access will be maintained with temporary detours and fencing.

Will the seawall upgrade affect the protected Norfolk Pines along the foreshore?

The project has been carefully designed to protect the iconic Norfolk Island Pines. Tree protection zones will be strictly observed during construction. Specialist arborists will monitor works to avoid any damage to root systems or canopy health.

Will the seawall affect the surf break or marine life?

No. The design has been assessed by coastal engineers and will not affect the world-class surf conditions or marine life at Burleigh.

Will the beach be closed?

During construction of the new seawall, it may be required to close some access points or parts of the beach in the interest of public safety. Any such closures would be temporary and clearly signed. We have no plans to close the whole beach at any stage of construction.