Byron Bay’s most popular beach has an ocean outfall. All of the urban detritus from the Carlyle, Massinger and Kingsley Streets basin flows into a drain from Cowper Street. The drain was only installed about 1970. It opens directly into the ocean just east of Main Beach and drifts towards the flags. We offer our children and visitors urban waste to swim in.
Often the drain ponds on the beach forming a dirty lagoon. Unassuming parents let their children swim in this brown lagoon. Many years ago I complained to Council about this and received, in part, this response: ‘AMS staff have been assessing water quality at this location for some weeks. A further test received by me today indicated that the ANZECC water quality standards were exceeded and therefore the impounded water was considered to be a public safety issue’.
In other words the water quality was deemed unsafe. For many years Council had installed a ‘No Swimming’ sign at the drain exit. Another admission of poor water quality.
In 1970 this drain that leads to the beach from Cowper Street was installed when the sand mining departed. It was installed illegally. Byron Shire Council would refuse any request to install such an ocean outfall now.
It is time that this drain is closed off for good. Let the water follow the natural course it did for many years before. It will require a little extra creative engineering.
Byron Shire Council has started working with consultants to design upgrades to Byron Bay’s drainage system as part of the Byron Bay Drainage Upgrade Project.
If you wish to eliminate this polluted ocean outfall on Main Beach write to Council now.
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