Keep off the dunes at Clarkes Beach this week

Published on 05 August 2020

Council is asking people to keep off the dunes at Clarkes Beach this week, and for the foreseeable future, as higher than normal tides resulting from Tuesday’s full moon are likely to cause more erosion and make the dunes vulnerable to further collapse.

Council is continuing to monitor the situation and is assessing the risks posed by the steep and unstable dune escarpment on public safety.

“The swell over the weekend and high tides have resulted in further erosion and we’ve lost more large trees from Clarkes Beach, with more undercutting of beach access ways and loss of the dune,” Council’s Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator, Chloe Dowsett said.

“If people continue to access the beach through areas that are closed, it creates further problems and makes the recovery effort harder,” she said.

“The good news is that good beach building coastal processes have commenced this week with smaller swell from the south and decreasing tides,” Ms Dowsett said.

“But the rebuilding process will take time and most beach access ways to Clarkes Beach will remain closed until further notice,” she said.

Council staff will be continuing their clean-up of debris on Clarkes Beach this week and will make safe access ways if and where possible.

To view a drone survey of Clarkes Beach taken on Friday 31 July 2020, see the latest video footage on Council’s website.

For media enquiries contact Chloe Dowsett, Coastal and Biodiversity Officer on 6626 7128.