Bega Valley Council
Ocean beaches: Camel Rock, Horseshoe Bay, Beares, Tathra, Short Point, Merimbula Main, Pambula, Aslings, Cocora. Lagoons/estuaries: Wallaga Lake Bridge, Mogareeka Boat Ramp, Mogareeka Lions Park, Spencer Park, Mitchies Jetty, Bar Beach, Pambula River Mouth, Cuttagee Inlet, Back Lake. Tidal pools: Bruce Steer Pool, Big Blue Pool. For details see 08472Bega.pdf, 398 KB.
Local government area description
Bega Valley Shire is situated on the South Coast of New South Wales. It is the largest coastal council in the State, covering an area of 6279 square kilometres. The council stretches from Wallaga–Lake Bermagui to the north to the Victorian border to the south.
Almost two-thirds of the Shire is either National Park or State Forest, with a further 20 per cent used for agriculture. The major industries in the region are agriculture, tourism, fishing and forestry.
The population of the Bega Valley exceeds 31 000. The main towns are Bega, Merimbula, Eden, Pambula and Bermagui, with numerous small villages (Bega Valley Shire Council 2004).
Program outline
Twenty swimming sites were monitored by Bega Valley Council: nine ocean beaches, nine lagoon or estuarine sites and two pools. For details see 08472Bega.pdf, 398 KB.
Faecal coliform samples were collected from all locations between early December 2007 and end of January 2008. Compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines was assessed for January 2008.
All sites were previously monitored during summer 2004–2005, 2005–2006 and summer 2006–2007 (DEC 2006a and 2006b, DECC 2007).
Bega Valley Council issued joint media releases with DECC to provide the community with information on water quality at swimming sites.
Rainfall data
Rainfall data presented in the timeseries plots were obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology’s gauges at Narooma, Bega and Eden (Timbillica). Rainfall for each site is from the closest rain gauge.
Ocean beaches
A high level of compliance was recorded at all nine ocean beaches. Camel Rock, Horseshoe Bay, Beares, Tathra, Short, Merimbula, Pambula, Aslings and Cocora beaches all passed the NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines in January 2008, the only month in which compliance was assessed (Figure 13). For details see 08472Bega.pdf, 398 KB.
Low background levels of faecal coliforms were measured at all sites throughout the monitoring period.
Low bacterial levels were also measured during the 2004–2005, 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 summer swimming seasons (DEC 2006a and 2006b, DECC 2007).
Lagoons and estuaries
All nine lagoon and estuarine swimming locations (Wallaga Lake Bridge, Mogareeka Boat Ramp, Mogareeka Lions Club, Spencer Park, Mitchies Jetty, Bar Beach, Pambula River Mouth, Cuttagee Inlet and Back Lake) complied with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines during January 2008 (Figure 13). For details see 08472Bega.pdf, 398 KB.
Levels of faecal coliforms were generally low at all locations, providing no evidence of sewage contamination during dry weather conditions.
Similar results were obtained during the 2004–2005, 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 summer swimming seasons (DEC 2006a and 2006b, DECC 2007).
Tidal pools
Bruce Steer Pool and Big Blue Pool complied with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines in January 2008 (Figure 13). Low levels of bacteria were measured in the pools, providing no evidence of sewage contamination. For details see 08472Bega.pdf, 398 KB.
Similar results were obtained during the 2004–2005, 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 summer swimming seasons (DEC 2006a and 2006b, DECC 2007).
Figure 13: Summary of compliance with NHMRC (1990) microbiological guidelines for swimming at Bega Valley Shire Council swimming sites during January 2008 
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
