Arabic version: غولد كوست تؤيد تجربة ركوب الأمواج ليلاً في سنابر روكس

According to ABC News, Gold Coast Council has backed the concept of a night surfing trial during the 2027 World Surf League Championship Tour at Snapper Rocks, despite concerns about shark encounters after dark. The proposed May specialty event would be limited to elite competitors and would not be open to the public.

The concept involves temporary floodlighting so competition could continue after sunset. Council is exploring whether night surfing could eventually become a permanent option to help address congestion at heavily used surf breaks. A council report last year said the number of surf-craft riders on the Gold Coast rose from 1.1 million in 2015 to 3.2 million.

Councillor Donna Gates was the only councillor to vote against the motion, raising questions about liability if a shark attacked a surfer. Infrastructure Gold Coast director Michael Kahler said the council had endorsed only the concept, not the event or installation of lighting, and that legal, environmental and technical work would still be required before a later project approval.

Bond University associate professor of environmental science Daryl McPhee warned artificial lighting could attract fish, squid and seabirds that are prey for tiger sharks, which he said are traditionally nocturnal. He said the proposal could heighten the risk of shark bites and questioned whether competitors should be exposed to that risk.

The trial remains subject to formal approval, with the WSL yet to receive a council permit to stage it at Snapper Rocks. Mayor Tom Tate said he would not surf at night but believed the event could benefit the city, while WSL president Andrew Stark said it could reinforce the Gold Coast’s standing as a world-class surfing destination.