1989: Sydney's filthy beaches

I was five years old in 1989, but too young to understand the talk about Sydney's dirty beaches at the time. Older readers might remember the weekly beach reports telling you if it was clean to swim or not. I have a number of clippings that talk about the issue.

During 1989, beach pollution had become a major issue with swimmers complaining of various infections that resulted from swimming in the water.

Source: Mealey, E & Craig, O. 1989. "Beachside doctors tell of surf victims". The Sun Herald, March 12: 6-7.

Surfers were also prepared to boycott events at Sydney beaches and even lifesavers were unwilling to rescue swimmers.

Source: Feneley, R. 1989. "Surfies boycott Sydney's oceans of filth". The Daily Telegraph, January 7, page unknown. 

At the time the deep water ocean outfalls were under construction at the Sewage treatment plants at North Head, Bondi & Malabar. Instead of sewage being directly discharged into the sea from the cliff tops, the sewage would be pumped through pipes that extended to four kilometres off the coast. The sewage would be diluted and dispersed further out to sea.

These works had been commissioned by the Water Board in 1984 in response to the rising occurrence of pollution at Sydney beaches. The clifftop pipes meant that the effluent easily washed onto city beaches, making it unsafe for swimming. Currents sent it drifting up and down the coast resulting in pollution at other beaches.

Below is an advertisement educating the public on the ocean outfalls.

Source.: Water Board. 1989. "We are committed to ending pollution of Sydney's beaches (Advertisement)". The Daily Telegraph, January 16, 12. 

A Waterboard Study during that year found that only one beach was safe for swimming. It was Elouera at Cronulla. South Curl Curl Beach was the most polluted.

 

Source: Olsen, S. 1989. "Pollution report lists just one clean beach". The Daily Telegraph, November 24, 3.

The outfalls at Malabar was completed in September 1990, North Head in December 1990 and Bondi in September 1991.

Since then, water quality at Sydney beaches has improved dramatically as the sewage is less likely to be swept onto the beaches.

It was interesting this past week to have a look at the Beachwatch reports online and noting that the coastal beaches were generally safe for swimming with the exception of Boat Harbour due to the possibility of contamination.

However though when it rains, you are generally advised to avoid swimming for a day at coastal beaches (two days elsewhere) due to stormwater run-off.

I have other clippings, and hopefully in the future can comment further and add to what is here.

1986: Shark Attack warning in Botany Bay

The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader decided to dedicate a front page during the summer of 1986 to warn people of the dangers of swimming in Botany Bay. As a youngster of the (late) 1980s, I recall those simple signs reminding people of the possible dangers. Rockdale Mayor, Ron Rathbone believed that calm waters, plenty of food (fish) along with the dredging of the bay for the development of Port Botany and Sydney Airport had increased the risk of shark attack.

At the beach, were normally told to swim between the flags. Rockdale Council wanted swimmers swimming in between the nets (netted bathing pools) as a means of keeping people safe in the water.

   

Source: Poulus, J. 1986. "Swimmers risk death: Mayors' warning on shark attack threat." The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, January 16: 1. 

Even in the 1970s, the council was concerned. It even produced signage to alert swimmers in four languages (English, Italian, German and Macedonian). The calmer waters have always been popular with those from immigrant backgrounds, even to this day. In 1986, Rockdale Council believed that 80 % of swimmers at Lady Robinsons Beach were of immigrant background. 

Source: Anonymous. 1972. "Shark Warning In Four Languages." The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, September 20:11.

For the record, the last fatal shark attack in the Georges River/Botany Bay catchment was in 1946 at Oatley Bay in Oatley when Valma Tegel (14) died after having her left leg ripped off by a shark in water's just one metre deep. The last shark attack in the bay itself was in February 1940 when John William Eke sustained injuries to his arms at North Brighton (Kyeemagh). There have been no fatal deaths from a shark attack in the bay itself.

The risk of shark attack is still there but doesn't seem to be as of much concern as now. These days you are more likely to drown in Botany Bay due to the structure of the beach itself. A five-year boy drowned at Dolls Point in late 2013. The water depth increased sharply not too far offshore and people may not be able to see it. Currents in the bay have also played their part as well.

Updated November 2018 - Clearer image added.

1997: Sydney's Syrang

Sydney's North and South Head both form a wonderful natural gateway to Sydney Harbour, but Malcolm Goldfinch in early 1997 proposed a large boomerang be built at Pigs Reef off Middle Head to act as Sydney's equivalent of New York's Statute of Liberty. Good idea or bad idea?

 

Source: Skelsey, M. 1997. "Boomerang of Liberty a non-flier." The Daily Telegraph, January 6: 8.

I for one feel that there was no need for a structure to welcome people to the harbour. Let nature be the gateway. What do you think?