Conservationists are claiming a coup after convincing Gold Coast Council to save a freshwater lake from being turned into a carpark.

Key points: Community groups have been protesting for five years to save Black Swan Lake

Community groups have been protesting for five years to save Black Swan Lake Gold Coast Council had previously given approval for the lake to be filled in to provide car parking for the Gold Coast Turf Club

Gold Coast Council had previously given approval for the lake to be filled in to provide car parking for the Gold Coast Turf Club Council has now decided to save the remaining 20 per cent of the lake, with only Mayor Tom Tate voting against the decision

The council has made a remarkable backflip, voting to preserve the remaining 20 per cent of Black Swan Lake at Bundall which had previously been approved to be infilled for development.

It comes after five years of grassroots campaigning.

"This is an inspiring result. It shows there is hope around the country," said Jess Abrahams from the Australian Conservation Foundation.

"When communities do band together and fight for their local patch they do win."

Gold Coast Council has decided to conserve the remainder of Black Swan Lake. ( ABC Gold Coast: Jennifer Huxley )

'A surprise win'

At Tuesday's full Gold Coast Council meeting, a super majority of councillors voted to retain the remaining undeveloped section of the lake.

Only Mayor Tom Tate voted against the recommendation.

In a city known as a developer's paradise, campaigners were shocked by the flood of support.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was the only councillor to vote against the Black Swan Lake decision. ( ABC Gold Coast: Jennifer Huxley )

"Lobbying was going into the last minute," said Sally Spain from Wildlife Queensland.

"We were hoping and praying to get the last eight votes and swing it, but to have a super majority to protect it that was an outcome we did not expect.

"Too much time has been given by too many to defend what already belongs to the public."

Political motivations?

Conservationists have been campaigning to save the remained of Black Swan Lake for five years. ( ABC Gold Coast: Jennifer Huxley )

Councillor Bob La Castra put forward the recommendation to save the remaining part of the lake and said he was always opposed to infilling it.

"It would have been a much better win if that body of water was there in total. But we can't change what has already been done," he said.

"We can't undo that, so for me it was 'let's try to get that 20 per cent'."

It has been five years since plans to fill in the man-made waterway were made public, with council voting for the area to be developed to allow the Gold Coast Turf Club to build an overflow carpark in November 2016.

It is a decision the Mayor still supports.

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"My view is I want finality," Cr Tate said.

"We had a development approval for it to be fully filled-in and that's the end of it.

"We made a good, sound decision back then."

Other councillors have rejected suggestions their change in heart was prompted by approaching elections in March.

"I think they [the ccouncillors] were genuinely listening and the argument I put forward was the Turf Club has actually got everything it needs," Cr La Castra said.

"So there's no issue with saving this 20 per cent. I don't think they were thinking of their re-elections at all."