Erosion

Erosion (2020) explored the environmental impacts on Byron Bay’s Main beach. The series sets out to highlight and define, the structural and aesthetic variations that are forming due to the destruction of the complex root systems along the coastline of Clark’s Beach and Main Beach. This structural degradation of the sand dunes evokes a sense of altered space and a disrupted lifestyle for the bird, marine and human life that inhabit this space, and furthermore reminds us visually of predominantly the destructive forces of nature to the vegetation of the shoreline.

This border of the coastline metaphorically suggests the edges of culture, society, lifestyle, and the importance of the environment that holds us within this space. Essentially, the major weather event in December 2020, caused the structural formation of the beach and its transient sands, to shift, with large swells impacting the Main Beach area, tearing down trees and damaging complex root systems that withhold the dunes’ formal structure.

Phil Holloway, Director of Infrastructure Services, has said, “As regular beach-goers will attest to, there has been an incredible loss of sand on one of Australia’s signature beaches and it is really sad to see the incredible impact this has had on vegetation and beach amenity,” (Byron Shire Council, 2021).

This is the key contributing cause to dune erosion, where the loss of sand at Clark’s Beach and Main Beach, has been re-situated around Cape Byron towards the Pass, as opposed to moving north which is considered the normal route of tidal movement. Typical conditions saw the tide move from the South, in a northern direction, in a term called a sand slug, however in recent years, conditions have reversed and sand around Main Beach is not being replenished.

King tides, weather events generating large swells, and strong winds that influence the direction of currents, have contributed to shifting the sand out of the bay, and ultimately causing devastation to dune structure and vegetation. It is predicted that the sands will balance and return to position, and over many years, the beaches may naturally reform, however the erosion will continue, causing dangerous conditions to pathway access and implications of fallen debris.

Holloway states, “History tells us that sand will eventually return but the dunes and vegetation may require assistance to rebuild and re-establish.” Therefore, the Council are preparing a range of measures to assist in restoring the sand dunes which entails beach scraping, sand trapping, restoring fencing and dune vegetation (Byron Shire Council, 2021).

Although coastal erosion is believed to be a natural process along with shoreline recession, what appears to be continuing at the site is an accelerated and persistent erosion rate, and one that will take many years for the displaced sand, to be re-situated from The Pass, back down towards Main Beach and Clark’s Beach.

Overall, the stretch of destruction is managed by a range of agencies including Council, NSW Crown Land and Cape Byron State Conservation Area that is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). This sense of vulnerability at the site, evokes an emotive response with understanding that these trees and surrounding vegetation, with their complex root systems, are slowly being upheaved, destroyed, and their lifeforce being removed from them. It is a small area, with a loud message to remind us of the environmental changes, that will have big impacts on what we know to be true and our way of life heading into the future.

Byron Shire Council. (2021). Erosion Continues at Main Beach. <https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Council/Media-centre/Media-releases/Erosion-continues-at-Main-Beach>

Byron Shire Council. (n.d.). Clarkes Beach Erosion. <https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Services/Environment/Coast-and-waterways/Coastal-Management/Clarkes-Beach-erosion>