Threats: Coastal developments, Polluted Water, Visual Amenity
Threats: Coastal developments, Polluted Water, Visual Amenity
North Narrabeen is a famous break threatened by an oversized man-made dune that is locking up the sand and ruining the sand banks that make for Narra’s famous barrelling left and the Alley channel rights. The dune also restricts the lagoon from flushing during dry periods, closing the estuary entrance for extended periods and reducing lagoon and surf water quality.
Locals know this to be true, and are working hard to convince Council of the same, as they know the surf was better before the dune was constructed to protect against storm surge in the lagoon. Surfrider has been calling for a management regime for the dune by relocating sand to South Narrabeen where it is needed. A nearby sewage outfall adds to the lagoon outflow into the surf zone.
Contact: Brendan Donohoe 0422 900 501
Local Identity: Terry Fitzgerald
UPDATE: 5 September 2013
Following recent East Coast low pressure weather systems and heavy swells, the erosion of the dune at North Narrabeen (creating a sand ‘cliff’) has been deemed severe enough to warrant emergency works to be undertaken by Warringah Council. The Council will be reshaping the sand ‘cliff’ back to the angle of repose (34 degrees) to reduce danger to beach users. This will improve sightlines of the break from the carpark area – as advocated by Surfrider Foundation and agreed to by Council in recent negotiations.
The heavy swells over recent months and resultant erosion (dragging sand back into the break) reinforce Surfrider’s case that the break needs more sand to work properly. Wave improvement has been obvious since the erosion events returned sand to the offshore banks. Council works currently underway to reduce the sand cliff will result in more sand being returned to the break with an expected improvement in wave quality.
Surfrider continues to liaise closely with Council, North Narrabeen Boardriders and NNSLSC on this issue.