The boundary rule: your land, your pipes
The split is simpler than most people expect. Everything that collects and carries rainwater within your property is yours to maintain: gutters, downpipes, the underground stormwater lines they connect to, surface grates, garden pits and the pipe run out to the legal point of discharge, usually the kerb or a council connection. The public side, meaning street gullies, kerb and channel, underground council mains and open drainage channels, belongs to the City of Gold Coast. If water is ponding in your yard or backing out of your downpipes, that is a private drainage problem. If the street gully outside your place is blocked and flooding the road, report it to council and they will attend. The grey area is a council pipe crossing your land inside a drainage easement, which remains council's asset even though it is on your title, so check your property plans before assuming.
Who fixes what
| Situation | Responsible party | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Downpipes overflowing, gutters cascading | Property owner | Clean gutters, then check the underground line if it persists |
| Water ponding in the yard, grates not draining | Property owner | Machine clear and CCTV of the private stormwater line |
| Blocked pipe from house to kerb outlet | Property owner | Licensed drainer to clear and inspect |
| Street gully or kerb inlet blocked | City of Gold Coast | Report it to council |
| Council main in an easement through your block | City of Gold Coast | Report it, do not dig or repair it yourself |
| Neighbour's runoff crossing your land | Civil matter between owners | Get advice, drainage records help |
The warning signs show up before the storm proves the point
Blocked stormwater rarely announces itself in dry weather, which is exactly why it catches people in December. The signs worth acting on: water bubbling back out of a downpipe junction during moderate rain, grates that pond for hours after rain stops, damp patches or moss along paths where a buried line runs, and overflowing gutters when the downpipes themselves are clear. In our experience the first real summer storm turns every marginal stormwater line on the street into an urgent one at the same time, and that week is the hardest of the year to get a drainer to your door. A clear in October is the same price as a clear in December, without the flooded garage while you wait.
What clearing and diagnosing costs on the Gold Coast
As of 2026: machine clearing a blocked stormwater line runs $250 to $400, a CCTV inspection runs $200 to $350, and adding the camera to a clearing job runs $120 to $180. For lines with a history of trouble, a combined CCTV, jetting and report package at $500 to $900 flushes the full run of silt and leaf matter and gives you footage of the pipe condition. Jetting suits stormwater particularly well, because silt and debris need washing out of the line, not just punching through. Simple downpipe and surface grate blockages sit at the lower end of the clearing band.
When clearing is not enough: roots, crushed pipe and undersized lines
Stormwater pipe gets less respect than sewer at construction time, and it shows on camera. We regularly find 90mm lines crushed by vehicle traffic, joints displaced by tree roots, and older rubble pits that dispersed water fine in 1985 but cannot cope with a modern roof area. Where the camera shows structural damage, a spot repair runs $800 to $1,800 and relining runs $400 to $600 or more per metre installed, both quoted from footage. Where the system is genuinely undersized or the pit has failed, we quote the redesign on inspection. Stormwater drainage work in Queensland must comply with AS/NZS 3500.3 and be carried out by appropriately licensed people, and connections at the kerb or to council infrastructure need to meet City of Gold Coast requirements, so this is not a landscaper job.
Storm season preparation that actually works
The Gold Coast pattern is reliable: the storms arrive between November and March, and the best value plumbing money you can spend is in the months before. Clean gutters and downpipe heads yourself, that part is free. Then have the underground lines cleared and inspected if they have ever given trouble, check surface grates sit clear of garden mulch, and confirm water actually reaches the kerb during a hose test. Overland flow paths matter too: do not build garden beds or store materials where water needs to sheet across the block in a big event.
Get the stormwater sorted before the season does it for you. Call Hills Plumbing & Gas on 0472 657 042 for a fixed-price clear and camera inspection, or book through our blocked drains service page. QBCC licence 15243081.
Sources: AS/NZS 3500.3 stormwater drainage; Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld) and QBCC licensing for drainage work; City of Gold Coast stormwater responsibility and reporting guidance. Boundaries and requirements vary by property, check current rules for yours.