Local beaches shine but room to improve

THIS year’s State of the Beaches Report has given excellent grades to the quality of Northern NSW beaches for 2023/24.

Water quality assessment showed that 100 per cent of monitored ocean beaches in Ballina and Richmond Valley shires achieved a good or very good grading. Seven Mile Beach, Shelly Beach, Lighthouse Beach and Shark Bay were the best-rated beaches in the region.

Overall, 53 per cent of the 19 monitored swim sites in the North Coast region performed well, with gradings of good or very good. Three of the Ballina’s seven estuarine swim spots were classed as good.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said the whole area, including the beachside suburbs, was a part of the region’s beach culture.

“While we don’t have beaches in the Lismore electorate, they are still our beaches that we swim in and have grown up with,” Ms Saffin said.

“It’s good to see some of them receive top ratings.”

Rainfall drives pollution in swim sites, with water quality impacted by stormwater runoff and sewage overflows. The North Coast experienced above-average rainfall in the spring of 2023 due to heavy rain in October and November.

Shaws Bay North, East and West and Missingham Beach received poor grades, with Shaws Bay East downgraded from good in 2022/23. Only Lake Ainsworth South was graded as good in 2023/24, with Lake Ainsworth North, East and West all graded as poor.

Two estuarine swim sites in Richmond Valley – Evans River and Elm Street Bridge North – were also graded as poor.

State of the Beaches grades are compiled from water samples collected at NSW swim sites monitored under the Beachwatch Partnership programs.

Daily pollution forecasts for beaches across NSW can be found at beachwatch.nsw.gov.au