Thousands of Dead Fish Wash Ashore on Popular Gold Coast Beach

On October 6th, 2025, Queensland authorities reported an alarming incident on the Gold Coast, where thousands of dead baitfish had washed up on a popular beach. The state's environment department stated that the fish deaths had been observed since last Wednesday, but no obvious source of pollution had been found.

Water quality monitoring conducted in the area revealed high water temperatures and low dissolved oxygen levels, which can be a contributing factor to such mass fish kills. A spokesperson for the department said these environmental conditions were likely the cause of the incident.

Concerned locals have expressed frustration, as they claim warning signs were not in place to alert swimmers to the situation. Kath Down, the president of Save Our Southern Gold Coast, described the scene as "terrible", with "thousands of fish that had obviously been there a long time" scattered throughout the water and along the high tide line.

Down was worried that families with young children were still swimming in the area, given the unknown cause of the fish deaths. A spokesperson for the Gold Coast City Council, however, stated that water quality testing had shown the water was safe for swimming, though they advised the public to avoid the area while the cleanup was underway.

Marine biologist Dr. Leonoardo Guida from the Australian Marine Conservation Society explained that the high water temperatures likely led to increased fish activity, which in turn required more oxygen than the water could provide, ultimately causing the fish to "choke to death."

Guida emphasized the need for a fast transition to net zero emissions to address the growing threat of climate change and its impact on marine ecosystems, including events like this mass fish kill on the Gold Coast.