Snapper Rocks is already one of the most crowded waves on Earth. Now, imagine the Gold Coast’s famed, perfectly-groomed, sand-bottomed righthand pointbreak with floodlights blazing—and surfers battling for waves well after sunset.
It could happen as soon as next year.
Gold Coast councilors are considering a $100,000 trial of temporary lighting during the World Surf League’s 2027 Championship Tour stop. The council’s transport and infrastructure committee endorsed the experiment on Monday, November 2, but a final vote is still pending. Hit play below for more on the proposal.
Supporters envision spectacular nighttime surfing and potentially longer hours in the water. Critics see something else: a brightly lit buffet for sharks.
“It certainly does heighten the risk of shark bites, particularly from tiger sharks, which are traditionally nocturnal,” said Bond University environmental scientist Daryl McPhee.
His main concern? The lights could attract fish and squid, which subsequently attract hungry predators.
It’s a particularly uncomfortable prospect at Snapper, where dozens of sharks were filmed feeding on baitfish in the shallows last October.
But is the old warning about sharks feeding after dark actually true?
Related: Sharks Swarm Snapper Rocks in Feeding Frenzy (Video)
Well, sometimes.
A 2023 study tracking 233 bull sharks off New South Wales found juveniles appeared near beaches most frequently between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. Another study in Sydney Harbor found bull sharks moved into shallower water at night.
Researchers have also directly documented grey reef sharks hunting after dark in French Polynesia.
However, shark behavior varies by species and location. Those findings don’t establish that floodlights would necessarily increase shark attacks at Snapper.
Still, Queensland’s own SharkSmart advice is unambiguous: “Avoid surfing from dusk to dawn.”
And sharks aren’t the only concern. A Griffith University marine ecologist has warned coastal lights could disorient nesting turtles and hatchlings.
For now, this is a proposed, temporary demonstration—not a permanent night-surfing free-for-all.
Could it revolutionize one of the world’s most crowded lineups? Maybe.
But with predators potentially lurking beneath the floodlights, would you paddle out?
Related: Woman Tries to Pet Great White Shark. It Doesn’t Go Well. (Video)
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