North Coast beaches weekly star ratings

Find out the star rating for your beach this week and how we decide how many stars to give.

How to read star ratings

Rating

Enterococci category
(colony forming units per 100ml)

Description

* * * *

<41

Good

* * *

41–200

Fair

* *

201–500

Poor

*

>500

Bad


Byron Shire Council monitors 7 swimming sites. Water samples are collected weekly from December to April.

Sample day is 26 April 2023.
Rainfall in the 24 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am):  2.4 mm (Byron Bay)
Rainfall in the 72 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am):  7.2 mm (Byron Bay)

Swimming site Site type Rating Stars

South Golden Beach

Ocean beach

 4 ****

New Brighton Beach

Ocean beach

 4 ****

Torakina Beach

Estuarine

4

 ****

Simpsons Creek

Estuarine

3

 ***

Main Beach (Byron Bay)

Ocean beach

4

 ****

Clarkes Beach

Ocean beach

 4 ****

Tallow Beach (Suffolk Park)

Ocean beach

4

 ****

Ballina Shire Council monitor 14 swimming sites. Water samples are collected weekly from November to February.

Sample day is 27 February 2023.
Rainfall in the 24 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am):  0 mm (Ballina)
Rainfall in the 72 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am): 5.8 mm (Ballina)

Swimming Site Site type Rating Stars
Lake Ainsworth West Lagoon/Lake 3 ***
Lake Ainsworth South Lagoon/Lake 4 ****
Lake Ainsworth East Lagoon/Lake 3 ***
Lake Ainsworth North Lagoon/Lake 4 ****
Seven Mile Beach Ocean beach 4 ****
Shelly Beach Ocean beach 4 ****
Lighthouse Beach Ocean beach 4 ****
Shaws Bay East  Estuarine  4 ****
Shaws Bay North Estuarine 4 ****
Shaws Bay West Estuarine 4 ****
Shaws Bay East Arm Estuarine 4 ****
Shaws Bay East Beach Estuarine 4 ****
The Serpentine Estuarine 4 ****
Missingham Beach Estuarine  4 ****

Richmond Valley Council monitor 5 swimming sites. Water samples are collected weekly from October to March at the three ocean beaches and Elm St Bridge North. Evans River is sampled weekly throughout the year.

If you're unsure about the safety of swimming at your local beach or swimming spot, speak to the lifeguards on duty or give Richmond Valley Council a call.  

*Sample day is 30 May 2023 
Rainfall in the 24 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am): 0 mm (Evans Head) 
Rainfall in the 72 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am): 0 mm (Evans Head)

Sample day is 28 March 2023 
Rainfall in the 24 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am): 0.2 mm (Evans Head) 
Rainfall in the 72 hrs prior to sampling (to 9:00 am): 7.8 mm (Evans Head)

 Swimming site Site type  Rating  Stars 
Airforce Beach Ocean beach 4 ****
Main Beach Ocean beach 4 ****
Shark Bay Ocean beach 4 ****

*Evans River

 Estuarine 4 ****
Elms St Bridge North Estuarine  4 ****