All of the Hunter’s beaches have passed the annual test of quality.
The NSW State of the Beaches 2022-23 report has been released and shows 96 per cent of monitored beaches have excellent water quality.
South Stockton Beach in Newcastle was upgraded to very good after improvements to water quality there.
All of the region’s 17 beaches rated in the two grades with Little Beach at Swansea Heads the only beach not rated as very good, but was still rated good for water quality.
Despite record rainfall, NSW swimming spots overall have performed well in the report. 73 per cent of monitored sites received good or very good water quality results. It is a slight decline on 2021-2022, as a result of wet weather. Estuarine swimming sites are more susceptible to the effects of excessing rainfall and stormwater events, with just over half graded as good or very good.
“As we head into swim season it is great news that 96 per cent of our monitored beaches have excellent water quality,” said Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe.
“Rainfall is the main reason water quality changes, and we had a lot of it in 2022. As a result, many inland and freshwater swimming sites did not perform as well as our ocean beaches.”