A large sinkhole has shut down a major intersection near Pacific Fair Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast.

A burst water main on Sunshine Boulevard and Hooker Boulevard at Broadbeach, caused the collapse around 1:00am.

The hole, about six metres wide, has swallowed the pavement and a traffic light.

Gold Coast City Council said the intersection would be closed for up to two days while repairs were made.

It said some nearby homes may also experience a drop in water pressure.

Chris Owen from the council said engineers were now trying to assess why the pipe had failed.

“The materials, or the age, or sometimes activity that happens around that … but when we extract that piece of pipe, we will have the pieces that we can, to do the examination and do that determination,” he said.

“It is a rather large water main, it is about 20 centimetres across.

“We have a lot of other services in amongst the site so we have got electricity, gas and telecommunications so it takes a fairly coordinated effort between the water and waste teams.”

-ABC