Beachgoers have been warned to stay clear of dunes at Clarkes Beach because they are in danger of collapsing as a result of coastal erosion.
The Byron Shire Council’s director of infrastructure services Phil Holloway said the area had been subjected to significant coastal erosion in the past week.
‘People sunbaking are urged to not sit close to the erosion escarpment and not allow children to play or dig under the dunes,’ Mr Holloway said.
‘Clarkes Beach is presently starved of sand due to limited sand bypassing off Cape Byron and insignificant southerly swells over the past few years. Plus, we’ve had higher than normal high tides (king tides).’
Mr Holloway said some of the access tracks from the coastal reserve to the beach had also undergone severe erosion, collapsed and had been closed.
‘Council will be undertaking works on the beach accesses in the coming days and asks for beach goers to use alternative access and to please not take down the signage or tape.’
He said people should be aware of the risk that unstable dunes present; avoid lying/sunbathing directly under the escarpment; to not allow children to play directly under or around the dune escarpment; stay off the dunes to allow the dune vegetation to re-establish, use the formal access paths to access the beach.
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