Far North Coast region

Information for individual beaches in the Far North Coast region (10816bwar10ch4farnorthcoast.pdf, 4391 kb) is available for download

Councils

The Far North Coast region of New South Wales extends from the Queensland Border to Wooli in the south. Four local councils in this region participate in the Beachwatch Partnership Program (Figure 6):

• Byron Shire Council
• Ballina Shire Council
• Richmond Valley Council
• Clarence Valley Council.

The programs

Monitoring in the Far North Coast region is conducted under the Beachwatch Partnership Program. In 2009-2010, a total of 30 swimming locations were sampled (Table 10). Each council fully funded its sample collection and laboratory analysis, with quality assurance and reporting support provided by DECCW.

Bryon Shire Council joined the Beachwatch Partnership Program in 2009-2010 and monitored 10 swimming locations on a weekly basis from November to June. Enterococci samples were collected between the flags at patrolled beaches and in the middle of the beach at unpatrolled beaches.

Ballina Shire Council has been a part of the Beachwatch Partnership Program since its inception in 2002 (as the Beachwatch Pilot Partnership Program). Enterococci samples were collected on a weekly basis during the four busiest months of the summer swimming season: November, December, January and February. Six sites were sampled during 2009–2010.

Richmond Valley Council joined the Beachwatch Partnership Program in 2006. Four swimming locations are monitored for enterococci on a weekly basis throughout the year.

Clarence Valley Council has also been part of the Beachwatch Partnership Program since its inception in 2002. Between 2002 and 2004, monitoring was conducted by the former Maclean and Pristine Waters councils. Enterococci samples were collected at 10 swimming locations on a weekly basis between November and March, the busiest months of the swimming season.

To ensure that the data collected and reported under the Beachwatch Partnership Program are accurate and reliable, quality assurance of sampling, microbial analysis and reporting is undertaken. The findings of the quality assurance program are described in the Quality Assurance section of this report.

Table 10: Monitoring of Far North Coast swimming sites

Organisation	Sampling frequency	Number of sites
		Ocean beaches	Ocean baths	Estuarine	Lagoon/lake	Freshwater river	Total
Byron Shire Council	Weekly (November to June)	8	-	2	-	-	10
Ballina Shire Council	Weekly (November to February)	3	-	2	1	-	6
Richmond Valley Council	Weekly (year-round)	3	-	1	-	-	4
Clarence Valley Council	Weekly (November to March)	-	-	3	1	6	10

 

Figure 6: Councils and sampling locations in the Far North Coast region

2009-2010 results

Of the 30 sites monitored on the Far North Coast, 23 were classified as Very Good or Good (Table 11).

Ocean beaches

Ten of the 14 oceans beaches in the region were classified as Very Good:

• The Strand, Belongil Beach, Wategos Beach, Tallow Beach (Byron Bay), and Tallow Beach (Suffolk Park) in the Byron Shire Council area
• Seven Mile Beach and Lighthouse Beach in the Ballina Shire Council area
• Airforce Beach, Main Beach and Shark Bay in Richmond Valley Council area.

These sites have consistently good microbial water quality and very few potential sources of faecal contamination.

Four ocean beaches were rated as Good: South Beach (Brunswick Heads), Main Beach (Byron Bay), Clarkes Beach and Shelly Beach (Ballina Shire). Microbial water quality at these sites is suitable for swimming for most of the time, but may be susceptible to pollution from a number of potential sources of microbial contamination.

Estuarine

Five of the eight estuarine swimming sites were classified as Good: Shaws Bay East, Evans River, Iluka Bay, Wooli Estuary North and Wooli Estuary South. Microbial water quality at these sites is suitable for swimming for most of the time, but may be susceptible to pollution from several potential sources of faecal contamination.

Torakina Beach in the Byron Shire and The Serpentine in Ballina Shire were graded as Fair. Microbial water quality at these locations is occasionally susceptible to contamination from a number of potential sources, with elevated levels of enterococci measured after rainfall.

Simpsons Creek in the Byron Shire was classified as Very Poor. Elevated levels of enterococci were often recorded in the creek during dry weather conditions, and because of the unpredictable nature of the contamination it is recommended that swimming be avoided. The site is susceptible to microbial contamination from a number of sources, including discharge from Brunswick Heads Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), discharge from the Brunswick River, stormwater runoff and possible boat discharges. It is expected that water quality will improve when the Brunswick Heads STP is decommissioned in November 2010.

Lagoons

Kolora Lake in the Clarence Valley Council area was graded as Poor. Microbial water quality is generally suitable for swimming during dry weather conditions, with elevated enterococci levels often recorded following 5 mm of rainfall. It is recommended that swimming at this location be avoided during and for up to three days following rainfall or if there are signs of stormwater such as discoloured water or odour or floating debris.

Freshwater rivers

Six swimming locations were monitored along the Clarence River. Three of these sites (Maclean Jetty, Lawrence Jetty and Ulmarra Jetty) were graded as Good, indicating that microbial water quality is suitable for swimming for most of the time, but may be susceptible to pollution from a number of potential sources of faecal contamination.

The remaining three sites were graded as Poor or Very Poor: Prince Street, Corcoran Park and Grafton Sailing Club. Elevated levels of enterococci were recorded at these sites during both dry and wet weather conditions, and it is recommended that swimming be avoided at these locations. The cause of the poor water quality in this section of the river has been investigated by DECCW and Clarence Valley Council. Recent upgrades to sewage treatment systems in the area may result in an improvement in water quality.

Table 11: Beach Suitability Grades in the Far North Coast region - 2009-2010

	Site	Site type	Sanitary Inspection Category	Microbial Assessment Category	Beach Suitability Grade
Byron Shire Council	The Strand	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Torakina Beach	Estuarine	High	Category B	Fair
	Simpsons Creek	Estuarine	High	Category D	Very Poor
	South Beach (Brunswick Heads)	Ocean beach	Moderate	Category A	Good
	Belongil Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Main Beach (Byron Bay)	Ocean beach	Low	Category B	Good
	Clarkes Beach	Ocean beach	Moderate	Category A	Good
	Wategos Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Tallow Beach (Byron Bay)	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Tallow Beach (Suffolk Park)	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
Ballina Shire Council	Seven Mile Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Lake Ainsworth West	Lagoon/lake	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Shelly Beach	Ocean beach	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Shaws Bay East	Estuarine	Moderate	Category B	Good
	The Serpentine	Estuarine	High	Category B	Fair
	Lighthouse Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
Richmond Valley Council	Airforce Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Main Beach	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Shark Bay	Ocean beach	Low	Category A	Very Good
	Evans River	Estuarine	Moderate	Category B	Good
Clarence Valley Council	Illuka Bay	Estuarine	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Kolora Lake	Lagoon/lake	Moderate	Category C	Poor
	Maclean Jetty	Freshwater river	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Lawrence Jetty	Freshwater river	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Ulmarra Jetty	Freshwater river	Moderate	Category B	Good
	Corcoran Park	Freshwater river	High	Category D	Very Poor
	Prince Street	Freshwater river	Moderate	Category C	Poor
	Grafton Sailing Club	Freshwater river	High	Category D	Very Poor
	Wooli Estuary North	Estuarine	Moderate	Category A	Good
	Wooli Estuary South	Estuarine	Moderate	Category B	Good