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A month ago, much of the Gold Coast's beaches were stripped bare, with towering cliffs and more than six million cubic metres of sand washed away by Cyclone Alfred.
Now, with Easter crowds pouring in, the city's mayor has said "80% of the coast is open" following a round-the-clock dredging effort.
Mayor Tom Tate described the $20 million push as a "race against time", with heavy machinery pumping sand back onto key beaches like Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Main Beach over the past two weeks.
“We have started our dredging, as you can see,” Tate told 9News. “80% of the Gold Coast is now open.”
Tate had come under pressure last month from worried business owners, with some confronting him directly about the lack of clarity and urgency as Easter approached.
That same day, Tate made a bold promise: "The beach will be open and it will be great."
While the mayor says he's made good on that commitment, he conceded the job wasn't done yet. Some areas still remain closed and the full dredging operation is expected to continue through winter.
The arc of sand being sprayed onto the beach was dubbed the 'Gold Coast rainbow'. (Source: Nine)
Tate celebrated the progress so far and even joked the arc of sand being sprayed onto the shorelines resembled a "Gold Coast rainbow".
But he also pointed the finger at the federal government and claimed it hadn't contributed its fair share to the recovery effort.
"It's like one of those uncles that comes to the Christmas party that says ‘I love you, I've cuddled you,’ but there's no present,” Tate said.
"You can't rely on that uncle… so Uncle Albo, please sign the cheque."
The federal government rejected claims of inaction and said it had responded to every formal request received.
The damage had already forced some major events to relocate.
Australian DJ Fisher confirmed his upcoming Out To Lunch festival would now be moved inland due to safety concerns.
“We had to move it to Broadwater Parklands up in Southport there,” Fisher said.
Despite the change of venue and the ongoing restoration tourism officials said the message to visitors remains clear: The Gold Coast is open for business.
