THE Minister for the Environment has released the NSW State of the Beaches 2022-2023 report, with all tested beaches within the Port Stephens LGA rated Very Good.

Four swimming sites were monitored in the Port Stephens local government area.

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All locations were monitored by Hunter Water Corporation as a requirement of Environment Protection Licences.
Samples were collected every sixth day throughout the year.

Zenith Beach, Box Beach, Fingal Beach and One Mile Beach were found to have excellent water quality and were suitable for swimming almost all of the time.

In 2022-2023, Fingal Beach improved its rating from Good to Very Good, due to improved microbial water quality.

Statewide, 96 percent of monitored beaches had excellent water quality.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said, “As we head into swim season it is great news that 96 percent of our monitored beaches have excellent water quality.

“Rainfall is the main reason water quality changes, and we had a lot of it in 2022.

“As a result, many inland and freshwater swimming sites did not perform as well as our ocean beaches.

“While 96 percent of beaches have excellent water quality, the Beachwatch website has real-time information for swimmers who want to check conditions after rainfall.”

The confirmation of excellent water quality at almost all of the state’s beaches, up from 94 percent in 2021-2022, is a welcome result given the wet weather and flooding experienced over the reporting period.

Many coastal areas experienced their wettest July on record, and more heavy rain and flooding through winter and in spring.

In the Hunter, South Stockton Beach was also upgraded to Very Good.

Despite record rainfall, NSW swimming spots overall also performed well in the report.

73 percent of monitored sites received good or very good water quality results.

That was a slight decline on 2021-2022, as a result of wet weather.

Estuarine swimming sites are more susceptible to the effects of excessing rainfall and stormwater events, with just over half graded as good or very good.

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

In 2022, Beachwatch expanded state-wide to include inland waterways and freshwater swimming sites in the monitoring program.

Sites include ocean beaches and baths, estuarine areas, lakes, lagoons and freshwater swimming spots.

Swimmers can check beach grades on the Beachwatch website at beachwatch.nsw.gov.au.

The NSW State of the beaches 2022-2023 report can be viewed at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications-search/state-of-the-beaches-2022-23