COLOURFUL kayaks once rested on the shores of Coochiemudlo Beach.
That was before Redland City Council announced the removal of the kayak racks and small vessel storage from the island’s main beach last May.
The decision sparked heated debate among the island’s 850 residents, with many expressing frustrations over the lack of consultation.
For years, the beach had hosted small vessels, kayaks, and paddleboards, with racks installed by the Council in 2018 to accommodate the increasing number of residents engaging in water-based recreation.
However, in a notice to residents, Council officers claimed that the vessels were contributing to foreshore erosion and negatively impacting the area’s native vegetation.
But residents such as Janet Gownes, who took the above picture in 2023, argued that the kayaks were placed carefully on the beach and causing no harm.
“Kayaks aren’t banned, but storing them on the foreshore is,” she said.
“This means that people who live in the middle of the island must lug their kayaks or load them onto a vehicle and drive down.
“A lot of people are still unhappy about the Council moving them two years on.”
A Redland City Council spokesperson said the racks were designed for flat-ended watercraft such as dinghies and were not appropriate for safe storage of long watercraft such as kayaks and outriggers.
“Unfortunately, the presence of the racks encouraged the belief that all vessels could be left on the area rather than taken home,” they said.
“In early 2023, Council noted more than 40 watercraft were permanently stored in multiple sites occupying more than 60 metres of the foreshore.
“Council undertook a thorough investigation of alternative solutions but determined the most appropriate action was to remove the racks.”
