WATCH: Clean-up begins after heartbreaking damage to beach
A BEAUTIFUL Byron Bay beach has suffered major damage for the second time in a year, as a result of king tides and rough surf.
Community News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Community News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CLARKES Beach in Byron Bay still looks like a battlefield a week after king tides and rough surf took a big bite out of the dunes.
Large swathes of coffee rock, stones and clay have been exposed on a section of the beach stretching from the Captain Cook Lookout steps to the wide beach access track just west of the Beach Cafe.
Surfers and swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water there due to the hazardous conditions.
Workers have moved in at Reflections Holiday Park which was hardest hit with management forced to move cabins away from the fast eroding dunes last week.
Reflections Holiday Parks CEO Steve Edmonds said Cyclone Oma, which ripped through the region earlier this year, was the catalyst for this further destruction and destabilisation of the dunes.
"Our top priority is always guest safety, so this past week has been about assessing the extent of the erosion, cordoning off unsafe areas and demolishing the current guest lounge which was in imminent danger of collapsing down the dune face," Mr Edmonds said.
"We have been working closely with relevant authorities including ArborSafe, Marine Parks, Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), Byron Shire Council and the Arakwal Corporation of Byron Bay."
On Monday next week work will commence on temporary sandbagging at base of the dunes to provide time to work on a rehabilitation and planting program across the dunes
Park staff are still monitoring monitoring five cabins along the dune face with planning in place for relocation should future erosion events occur.
Local musician and surfer Ash Grunwald was caught out by the conditions, arriving at The Pass for a short break while his New Brighton home was rented out, only to find the beach gone.
"This is an absolute adventure for us, it reminds you how dynamic these coastal regions can be," he said.
‘Refreshing’: Byron council more diverse than ever
For the first time, there are more women on Byron Shire Council than men, with mayor Sarah Ndiaye saying the gender diversity would have positive impacts on decision making in the community.
Students tackle cost of living, global warming in ‘wicked’ challenge
Year 6 students from two northern NSW public schools are jetting off to Sydney for the challenge of a lifetime – which if solved, could fix a slew of worldwide problems.