BIG Groyne Kirra is back on the radar and open to discussion on which option could best serve up the Kirra barrels.

The question is, will replacing the 30 metres removed from the artificial groyne in late 1996 help to bring back those famous Kirra Point Kegs?

Recently, the Queensland Government announced a detailed study from Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing project (TRESP) outlining the sand flow and management of the system and venturing four options for the public to consider: 1 North Kirra outlet; 2 dredging offshore between Coolangatta/Bilinga Tugun; 3 Kingscliff sand rescue; and 4 sand back passing for Leitia Spit and D-Bah.

All those option have a great deal of merit bar the North Kirra outlet, which is not popular and would deprive Snapper Rocks and the SuperBank. The cost of a North Kirra outlet has been priced between $4 million and $7 million.

However, the most noticeable option not considered for Kirra was extending the Big Groyne to its original length.

Initially TRESP had viewed three options for the Kirra Groyne situation in light of sand movement but not necessarily surfing success. The three options were:

Option 1: Do nothing and allow the sand to be pumped as it is, with the hope that either a cyclone will reshape the banks or be content with those one-off days like May 2009 or February 2011, when everything lines up for one day of the year.

Option 2: Remove the groyne and go back to the old days. Deputy Mayor Peter Turner was keen to remove the Big Groyne in 1996, prior to the sand pumping, and managed to take off the 10-15 metres. GCCC engineers told me that it was an incredibly difficult and dangerous job and was stopped well short of completion. Removing Big Groyne is like removing a high rise, its infrastructure is set in concrete.

Option 3: Replace the rocks taken off the front of Big Groyne. This could be done with geotextile bags similar to those used for the artificial reef at Narrow Neck.

During the 1990s GCCC Mayor Gary Baildon proposed to build an artificial headland for Narrow Neck, which was opposed by beach walkers and hence the reef at the neck was built to buffet the erosion.

Building back the Big Groyne at Kirra could work like Baildon's artificial headland, creating an attraction for spectators to enjoy the view, as well as a spot for those to cast a fishing line into the ocean and, with any luck, improving the surf consistency at Kirra Point, with swell refracting off the Big Groyne and curving into the southern bay.

In 2004 I was opposed to replacing the Big Groyne and was keen on removing it all together, but I realise this isn't going to happen. The do nothing option is really no answer, whereas there is no guarantee that replacing the front of Big Groyne can work like the old days.

But what if it can and there seems to be, excuse the pun, a groundswell of opinion to bring back Big Groyne? Joe Novak, of the Kirra Point Inc, is one of the most vocal activists pushing to bring back Big Groyne.

Most surfers view this as the most appealing option to improve quality and consistency of surf at Kirra, though there are those that don't share the populist view.

One of the original Kirra Surfriders, Mal Sutherland, would like to see the removal of Big Groyne and Tony Cannon, of Komune Resort, is worried that a bigger groyne could adversely affect the SuperBank.

Luke Egan said that it depended who you spoke to regarding Kirra but I know the locals are getting restless on this issue.

Queensland State Government Minister of Environment Vicky Darling and Southern Councillor Chris Robbins, of Gold Coast City Council, both support a study on the Big Groyne and this will only happen with support of state and council departments.

Community feedback is open until November 30, so if you care about Kirra's future, here's your chance.

For more information go to derm.qld.gov.au or tweedsandbypass.nsw.gov.au.