Varsity Lakes facts that matter
One in three homes is a townhouse
At the 2021 Census, 33.1% of the suburb's occupied homes were townhouses, terraces or semis, against 11.7% statewide. 42.6% were houses and 24.1% flats.
Lots of renters
43.3% of homes were rented, against 33.1% across Queensland.
Lake Orr
The City's Lake Orr Parklands and boat ramp, at 337 Christine Avenue, sit beside Lake Orr. The suburb also has the Varsity Lakes Wetlands Reserve, a restored wetland.
Lakes take the runoff
The City says its lakes and canals hold and treat stormwater from roads, gardens and roofs, often untreated.
Stormwater near the lake
City of Gold Coast's advice for lake and canal frontages is plain: don't send stormwater into the water. Direct it to the roadside drainage, and get the City's approval before any discharge into a lake or canal. Owners are responsible for runoff from their own roofs, paving and pools.
Away from the water, private stormwater must still go to a lawful point of discharge, such as the kerb and channel or an inter-allotment drain. Where that isn't feasible, a rubble pit designed and built by a qualified professional may be used.
Townhouse complexes
In a complex, drains from several homes may join before they reach the City's sewer. The City's part runs from its main to the property's connection point, and anything upstream is private. Ask the body corporate manager whose pipe is blocked before booking. If you rent, report it to your agent first.
Questions to ask the plumber
- Is the blockage in my line, a shared line or the City's sewer?
- If it's the City's, will you report it today and claim from the City?
- Does this job need registering with the QBCC as notifiable work?
- Where will the new stormwater pipe discharge?
Other Gold Coast pages
See Gold Coast blocked drains, our stormwater page, or pipe relining for cracked drains under paving.
What we would do
If you're on Lake Orr and water pools against the house after rain, the answer is drainage to the street, not a pipe to the lake, unless the City approves otherwise. Ask a stormwater specialist to show you where each downpipe ends up before they quote. In a townhouse, get the body corporate's sign-off before any trench crosses common property.