CQUniversity research has shown that beach use by Brisbane residents in southeast Queensland is worth $1 billion. This is in addition to the value of domestic and international tourism in the region.

This research by Dr Jill Windle and Professor John Rolfe has estimated that Brisbane households make approximately six million daytrips and three million overnight trips to the beaches in southeast Queensland (Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay) each year.  The annual economic value of these trips was calculated at $1,039 million.

Beach use is worth a billion

The overall value of beaches on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts was similar ($450 million) but overnight trips were a more important component of value on the Gold Coast and daytrips were more important on the Sunshine Coast.  The value of overnight trips in Moreton Bay was estimated at $130 million.

Beach recreation in other parts of the Queensland coast is also important, with Brisbane households making approximately 300,000 overnight trips per year to central and northern coastal areas.

This estimate of recreational value is an important component of the economic value of beaches that is not captured in standard tourism estimates based on financial accounts of commercial operators. For example, the activity of local residents, who use the beaches most frequently, is generally not recorded in the records of commercial operators, but has significant economic value.

This research was supported by a University Merit Grant and has been submitted for publication in an international journal.

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Dr Jill Windle and Prof John Rolfe