Gold Coast council acts over beach erosion

Gold Coast City Council is planning to spend up to $20 million to save beachfront homes from erosion.

Massive storms and huge king tides are responsible for erosion, which has already started to sweep away some backyards of a few multimillion dollar residences, and the council is scrambling to save the rest of the properties along the Palm Beach strip.

The publication says that the council is planning to introduce artificial reefs and other measures to prevent the problems that these waterfronts are currently facing. According to the Bulletin, there is the very real threat of legal action by land holders if nothing is done to fix erosion-related issues.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate told the Gold Coast Bulletin that the council is compelled to act on the embattled real estate.

"If we believe there is potential loss of property and safety, then we're duty-bound to move ahead and find a solution," he said

It comes as the Courier Mail reports that the Queensland state government has spent nearly $3 billion in the last 12 years trying to get first home buyers into the market.

The former grant of $7,000 for an existing property has been replaced by a $15,000 grant for buyers of new properties up to $750,000 in value.