Effectively managing coastal beaches in areas exposed to high wave climate variability requires an appraisal of all the stakeholder interests and consideration of the above into a decision making framework. The popularity of the Gold Coast beaches as a national and international tourist destination as well as the increasing residential population ensures that the care of beaches maintains a high priority for the local government. Lessons learned from past management strategies are reviewed and a new methodology for assessment of beach condition is presented here which integrates the primary descriptors of beach health for the Gold Coast region of Australia's East Coast.