Hundreds of thousands of tourists have flocked to the Gold Coast ahead of the Easter long weekend with the promise of perfect weather and a large swell. It's welcome news for the city after being battered by cyclone Alfred.
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00:00Soaking up the sun at Surfer's Paradise.
00:05I like seeing it full. It's like good to see how many people are coming out after everything's been back.
00:11Some beaches still being enjoyed from a distance, like this one at Narroneck,
00:16which remains closed due to severe scarping from tropical cyclone Alfred.
00:21I just hope that it gets back to normal soon so everyone can come back and enjoy the beach.
00:25That didn't turn you off from coming here?
00:27No, no, not at all. I always want to come back regardless.
00:30If it's on the grass, if it's on the sand.
00:32The Gold Coast Council had been working to repair them by Easter with the help of a dredging barge.
00:38The Mayor had pledged to buy a beer for everyone if 80% of the beaches weren't ready for the long weekend.
00:45The beach is all opened and all I can say is come on and enjoy what we have on the Gold Coast.
00:54The beaches aren't all open, are they? 100%?
00:57Oh, okay, 95%. You got me, you got me.
01:01While most have reopened, sandpumping works have been paused due to the large swells.
01:07It's got to come very close to where the sand is, which is near the waves.
01:12And if the swell's too high, it's a safety issue.
01:15But that hasn't stopped tourists from visiting.
01:18More than 200,000 people are expected to visit the Gold Coast over the next week and a half, with more than 20,000 due on Good Friday alone.
01:28Tourism operators hoping to recoup their losses say it's great news.
01:33Cyclone Alfred had a big hit at Karamban Wildlife Sanctuary. Unfortunately, we were shut for nine days straight.
01:38A hazardous surf warning is in place for the Gold Coast and parts of the South East until Friday night.
01:44For the first time, police will be patrolling tourist hotspots on e-bikes to ensure holidaymakers are safe.
01:51It gives our officers the ability to intercept tourists and locals who are using e-devices and make sure that they're adhering to the road rules.