Large surf pounding the Gold Coast has taken its toll on the coastline. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Lyn and Bernie Hole stranded on the rocks when they ran out of beach at Mermaid Beach. Picture: Glenn Hampson

HUGE swells are washing away trees, fences and exposing foundations and protective rock walls at some of the Gold Coast's most popular beaches.

Swells reaching more than 4m have eroded the Gold Coast's coastline and forced the closure of many beaches, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Beaches are closed today from Elkhorn Avenue north of Surfers Paradise to the Sheraton - including Main Beach, Breaker Street and Narrowneck - and south of Surfers Paradise at Clifford Street, Broadbeach (Margaret Avenue) and Nobbys Beach.

The closed beaches are not expected to open at all today. Meanwhile, walking between Miami and Broadbeach and between Surfers and Main Beach is also not recommended this morning on the incoming tide due to erosion in some areas.

Surfers Paradise beach will remain open today, as well as Northcliffe, Kurrawa, Mermaid Beach and the beaches from Miami south.

A GCCC spokesman said beaches at Nobby Beach, Broadbeach (at Margaret Avenue) and Narrowneck were closed from 6am yesterday to ensure public safety, especially as children frequent the areas.

"We want to ensure community safety so there will be maintenance reprofiling to restore the beaches," he said.

"The message is, these scarps are not cubby houses for young kids and for them to stay away."

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Monster swells threaten popular Aussie beaches