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Coastal and Estuary Management

Byron Shire Estuaries

An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries, located at the boundary of marine and freshwater ecosystems, form a transition zone between river environments and ocean environments and are subject to both marine influences, such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water; and riverine influences, such as flows of fresh water and sediment. The inflow of both seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients to the water column and bottom sediments, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.

There are two estuarine systems in the Byron Shire:

Belongil estuary Source: Ben Fitzgibbon

Belongil Estuary

The Belongil Estuary is a small intermittently closed and open lake lagoon (ICOLL) which meets the sea to the north-west of Byron Bay Township and extends about 3km inland from the coast in a south-easterly and westerly direction.  The main pressures impacting on Belongil Estuary are centred on poor water quality from:

  • Stormwater run-off from urban precincts
  • Stormwater run-off from rural precincts
  • Acid Sulphate soils runoff during adverse seasonal weather conditions
  • Potential point sources of pollution from land use operations

Other impacts to this ecosystem include the proliferation of exotic species such as Bitou Bush and foxes, and impacts associated with human use such as unleashed dogs, dune trampling, and general human catchment usage impacts.

The estuary and surrounding Belongil catchment is occupied by many vulnerable and/or endangered flora and fauna species and floral communities which are essential for the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem health.  

In order to sustainably manage the Belongil Estuary and its associated ecosystems into the future, Byron Shire Council completed the Belongil Estuary Management Study and Plan in 2001.

Brunswick estuary Source: Ben Fitzgibbon

Brunswick estuary

The Brunswick Estuary, situated north of Byron Bay, next to the township of Brunswick Heads, comprises of three principal parts:

  • The main arm, which is the intercourse of Brunswick River and Kings Creek, flowing directly into the sea at Brunswick Heads
  • The north arm, known as Marshalls Creek
  • The south arm, know as Simpsons Creek, which runs parallel to the coast, immediately landward of the beach

The Brunswick Estuary has an open entrance with training walls and twin breakwaters and is bordered by developed areas, cleared private rural lands and vegetated Nature Reserves.

The main pressures affecting the Brunswick Estuary are:

  • Poor ecological health and water quality due to-
    1. Stormwater runoff
    2. Sedimentation
    3. Waste water discharge
    4. Impacts of agriculture and forestry (land clearing and associated impacts)
    5. Impacts associated with dredging and waterway structures
  • Riverbank Erosion
  • Loss of Riparian vegetation
  • Depleted fish stocks
  • High levels of human use

The Brunswick Estuary has a unique ecological value as it supports a high biological diversity including several floral and faunal species identified as threatened or endangered. The estuary and surrounding catchments also supports several significant and important vegetation community assemblages such as wetlands, littoral rainforest, Coastal Saltmarsh an many more.

The Brunswick Estuary (to its tidal limits) falls under the Cape Byron Marine Park, and is, therefore, formally recognised as being significant in a local and regional sense, with regard to conservation values.

In order to sustainably manage the Brunswick Estuary and its associated ecosystems into the future, Byron Shire Council completed the Brunswick Estuary Management Study and Plan in 2008.

Byron Shire Coastline

The Byron Shire coastal zone is considered to be among the most picturesque and valued coastal areas in Australia.  The coastal zone is renowned for its biological diversity and natural beauty and supports the highest number of threatened species of conservation significance in New South Wales.  It is both a world-renowned tourist destination and an integral part of Byron Shire's urban landscape.

Byron Shire Coastline Source: Peter Gibney

As with any other coastline in the world, the Byron Shire coastline is subject to the natural process of ongoing coastal recession and accretion. The unique feature of Byron Bay's coastline is that, due to situational and geomorphologic factors, these natural processes are occurring at a significant rate.

The coastline is also subject to the damaging effects of short-term storm events.  Storms in the form of East Coast Low's (most common in April/May) and Tropical Depressions (December to April) are a typical feature of the Byron Shire climate. Tropical Cyclones (December to April) also impact the Shire from time to time.  The effects of these storm events may be dramatic, as storm derived waves pound the coastline with enormous force, at times resulting in significant coastal erosion and damage.

Coastal Erosion Source: Troy Harris

Another important consideration for managing the Byron Shire Coastline is the predicted impacts associated with climate change and forecast sea level rise. The best projections of sea level rise along the NSW coast, relative to 1990 sea levels, are 40cm by 2050 and 90cm by 2010. (The NSW Sea Level Rise Policy Statement, Department of Environment and Climate Change, 2009)