Illawarra Region Beaches
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Illawarra Region Beaches Illawarra Beaches The Beachwatch Program 131 Illawarra Region Beaches B5 Austinmer Beach B5 Thirroul Beach B5 Bulli Beach B5 Woonona Beach B5 Bellambi Beach B5 Corrimal Beach B5 North Wollongong Beach B5 Wollongong City Beach WOLLONGONG LGA B5 Coniston Beach B5 Fishermans Beach B5 Port Kembla Beach LAKE ILLAWARRA B5 Lake Illawarra Entrance B5 Warilla Beach Illawarra Beaches B5 Shellharbour Beach SHELLHARBOUR LGA TASMAN SEA B5 Boyd’s Jones Beach B5 Bombo Beach B5 Surf Beach, Kiama KIAMA LGA y 05 Kilometres B5 Werri Beach 132 State of the Beaches 2004–2005 Illawarra Region Beaches Summary Corrimal Beach, Fishermans Beach and Port Kembla Beach. Nine of the 15 beaches monitored for both Enterococci data were not collected at faecal coliforms and enterococci recorded Austinmer or Thirroul beaches; see page 18 100% compliance with Beachwatch criteria for details. for both faecal coliforms and enterococci during the 2004–2005 summer season. Shellharbour Council beaches Increases in faecal coliform compliance of Faecal coliform compliance more than 10 percentage points from 2003– 2004 levels were recorded at two beaches All three Shellharbour Council beaches (Fishermans Beach and at Boyds Jones complied with Beachwatch criteria for faecal Beach), while enterococci compliance coliforms 100% of the time (Figure 16). decreased by more than 10 percentage Enterococci compliance points at Lake Illawarra Entrance and Shellharbour Beach complied with Warilla Beach. Beachwatch criteria for enterococci 100% of Illawarra’s cleanest beaches the time. The Illawarra’s cleanest beaches were Bulli, Lake Illawarra Entrance recorded a 40- Woonona, North Wollongong, Wollongong percentage-point decrease in compliance for City, Coniston, Shellharbour, Boyd Jones, enterococci and Warilla Beach recorded a Bombo and Werri Beach. 13-percentage-point decrease during summer 2004–2005. Austinmer, Thirroul and Surf Beach, Kiama also recorded 100% compliance with Kiama Council beaches recreational water quality criteria, but only Faecal coliform compliance faecal coliforms are measured at these beaches (see page 18 for details). For the seventh consecutive summer season, the Kiama Council beaches were among the Wollongong City Council beaches cleanest in the Beachwatch Program, with all Faecal coliform compliance four monitored beaches recording 100% compliance with faecal coliform criteria Ten of the eleven Wollongong City Council (Figure 16). beaches recorded 100% compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria for faecal Enterococci compliance coliforms (Figure 16). This is similar to the All three beaches monitored for enterococci previous summer season. recorded 100% compliance with Beachwatch Faecal coliform compliance at Fishermans criteria for enterococci. Beach increased by 13 percentage points Enterococci data are not collected at Surf (from 84% compliance in summer 2003–2004 Beach, Kiama; see page 18 for details. Illawarra Beaches to 97% compliance in summer 2004–2005). Plans for improvement Enterococci compliance Sydney Water operates 5 coastal sewage Five of the nine Wollongong City Council treatment plants in the Illawarra, located at beaches monitored for enterococci complied Bellambi, Wollongong, Port Kembla, 100% with Beachwatch criteria for this Shellharbour and Bombo. The Gerringong- indicator during summer 2004–2005. Gerroa STP is operated by Vivendi Water Compliance at the remaining four sites under a 20-year design, build and operate exceeded 90% of the time. contract. Four beaches recorded a slight decrease of Under the Illawarra Wastewater Strategy, 3 percentage points in enterococci dry weather flows from the Bellambi and compliance from the previous summer Port Kembla STPs will be diverted to an season. These beaches were Bellambi Beach, upgraded and amplified Wollongong STP. The Beachwatch Program 133 A new 1-kilometre ocean outfall will also be Steel to use treated effluent at the steelworks constructed at Wollongong STP to replace near Wollongong STP. the existing short ocean outfall. Bellambi The above works commenced in May 2002, and Port Kembla STPs will be converted to with most of the work to be completed by specialised storm flow plants that will store the end of 2005. and treat wastewater during extended rainfall events. Other components of the Illawarra Wastewater Strategy include the A new water recycling plant is also being amplification of the Shellharbour STP to constructed at Wollongong STP. It will meet the demands of population growth produce at least 20 million litres of almost- within the Albion Park and Shellharbour drinkable treated effluent each day. An areas. agreement has been reached with BlueScope Illawarra Beaches 134 State of the Beaches 2004–2005 Figure 16: Compliance of Illawarra Beachwatch Sites Summer 2004–2005* Faecal Coliforms Enterococci Wollongong Council Austinmer Beach 100 Thirroul Beach 100 Bulli Beach 100 100 Woonona Beach 100 100 Bellambi Beach 100 97 Corrimal Beach 100 94 North Wollongong Beach 100 100 Wollongong City Beach 100 100 Coniston Beach 100 100 Fishermans Beach 97 97 Port Kembla Beach 100 97 Shellharbour Council Lake Illawarra Entrance 100 48 Warilla Beach 100 87 Shellharbour Beach 100 100 Kiama Council Illawarra Beaches Boyd's Jones Beach 100 100 Bombo Beach 100 100 Surf Beach, Kiama 100 Werri Beach 100 100 0 25 50 75 100 25 50 75 100 200 % Compliance * Enterococci levels are not measured at Austinmer Beach, Thirroul Beach or Surf Beach, Kiama. (See page 18 for details.) The Beachwatch Program 135 Illawarra Region Beaches Wollongong City Council Illawarra Beaches The Beachwatch Program 137 Wollongong City Council – North Beaches: Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona and Bellambi B5 3 4g e Austinmer Beach THIRROUL s 4 B5 e Thirroul Beach Lawrence Hargrave Dr g3 sg3 TASMAN SEA BULLI 4 g3 8É e B5 Bulli Beach y Princes Hwy 00.51 Illawarra Beaches Kilometres LEGEND 4 e B5 5 WOONONA Woonona Beach B Sampling Site 4 e Surfclub Major road 8É g3 Small stormwater drain g3 Medium stormwater drain g3 Large stormwater drain s Open stormwater drain Creek 4 Bellambi Beach e B5 8É Designed structure sewage overflow 8É Undirected sewage overflow Bellambi STP Outfall ® ® @ Sewage treatment plant Bellambi@ Park / reserve STP Other land 138 State of the Beaches 2004–2005 Wollongong City Council – South Beaches: Corrimal, North Wollongong, Wollongong City, Coniston, Fishermans and Port Kembla 4 e B5 8É Corrimal Beach Princes Hwy MT OUSLEY TASMAN SEA 4 B5e North Wollongong Beach g33 g3 g3 g33 4 B5e Wollongong City Beach Corrimal St CONISTON B5 Coniston Beach y Wollongong@® STP Wollongong STP Outfall 012 Kilometres LEGEND INNER B5 Sampling Site HARB. 4 e Surfclub Five Islands Rd Major road OUTER g3 Small stormwater drain HARBOUR Illawarra Beaches g3 Medium stormwater drain g3 Large stormwater drain s PORT Open stormwater drain KEMBLA Creek 8É Designed structure sewage overflow Fishermans B5 8É Undirected sewage overflow Beach 8É 4 e @® Sewage treatment plant B5g3 @® STP Outfall LAKE Port Port Kembla Park / reserve Kembla ILLAWARRA 8É STP Beach Other land The Beachwatch Program 139 Wollongong City Council Location beaches ranked equal second or third (Table 12). Wollongong City Council covers an area of Rankings were not determined for Thirroul 714 square kilometres and has a population and Austinmer beaches, as enterococci of 182 000 people. levels are not measured at these sites. The Wollongong City Council beaches Council actions to improve water quality occupy a 40-kilometre stretch of coastline from Stanwell Park in the north to the Actions specific to individual swimming entrance of Lake Illawarra in the south. locations are included on the beach pages. Land uses within the Wollongong ocean Improvements in water quality are also beach catchments include residential, rural, expected as a result of a stormwater commercial, recreational, industrial and management plan and grant funding, as bushland. well as individual programs. Sydney Water monitors eleven beaches Wollongong Coastal Catchment Stormwater within the Wollongong City Council area. Management Plan Enterococci levels are not monitored at The stormwater management plan for the Austinmer or Thirroul beaches. (See page 18 Wollongong Coastal Catchment offers for details.) structural and non-structural strategies to be Compliance with guidelines implemented across the Council area. Council is currently adopting the strategies The Wollongong beaches had a high level of outlined in the plan. compliance with the swimming guidelines Grant funding (Table 12). During summer 2004–2005, all but one beach complied 100% of the time Estuary Management Program: Council with the guidelines for faecal coliforms. The received a NSW Government grant to exception was Fishermans Beach, which establish an Estuary Management Program complied 97% of the time with the faecal for Fairy Lagoon, Towradgi Creek and coliform criteria. Enterococci compliance Hewitts/Tramway Creek. The first stage of Illawarra Beaches was 100% at 5 beaches and exceeded 90% at the program was to conduct an Estuary the remaining four beaches. Processes Study that reviewed information relating to tidal movements, sediment The range of bacterial levels measured at transport, water quality and biodiversity for Illawarra beaches during summer 2004–2005 the four waterways. The estuary is shown in Figure 17, with Wollongong management process will provide valuable beaches highlighted in grey. Levels of faecal background information for the coliforms and enterococci were