An island built around water
Canals as drainage
The city's 2003 planning scheme says Hope Island's canal system moves flood water into the Coombabah and Coomera River estuaries. City of Gold Coast says that estuary has been most affected by canal estates, marinas and golf courses on its lower floodplain.
Midges, not sandflies
The council says biting midges are common in coastal and canal estate suburbs. They breed in damp sand between the tide marks, so a canal edge suits them. They don't breed in backyard containers, freshwater ponds or long grass.
Saltwater Park and the creeks
Saltwater Park on Helensvale Road is a wetland reserve beside Saltwater Creek, with 2 large ponds. Parks along the Hope Island North Canal, such as Sickle Park, put you right on the water at dusk.
Fire ants
Tweed Shire Council lists lawns and golf courses among the places to look for fire ants. Report anything suspect to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours, as Queensland law requires, whether it's on your lot or a shared lawn.
Midge or mosquito?
| Biting midge | Mosquito | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeds in | Damp sand between tide marks | Standing water, fresh or salt | |
| Your backyard | Containers don't breed them | Saucers and buckets do | |
| When it bites | Dawn and dusk, on humid calm days | Heaviest in early evening in warmer months | |
| Screens | Needs fine midge proof mesh | Standard insect screens help | |
| Disease | Not known to transmit disease to humans | Can carry Ross River virus | |
| What helps most | Fans, a breeze and covering up | Removing water, then screens |
What a pest business can and can't do about midges
Be realistic. City of Gold Coast fogs streets with an insecticide mist in the early morning when conditions suit, and posts notices under City alerts. A yard treatment won't reach sand along the canal, so ask what a pest business expects it to achieve, in writing, before you spend money. To report a problem, contact the council.
Body corporate, or you?
The 2003 plan describes homes and townhouses inside the Sanctuary Cove and Hope Island resorts. The Queensland Government says a body corporate is generally responsible for pest inspection, prevention and treatment on common property, while the lot owner handles work needed within their lot. A body corporate can also arrange treatments that owners are responsible for, so ask yours before you book.
For a building and pest inspection on Hope Island, get a copy of the scheme's termite records too. A termite inspection is only as good as the access it gets, and shared walls and common areas sit outside your lot. Don't disturb anything you find.
If we had a canal frontage
We'd fit midge mesh on the bedrooms that face the water, put a fan on the deck, and save our spending for the termite inspection. For anything you've seen inside, tap it and your postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
