A report on the Dune Recovery Project, which aimed to restore the eroded sand dunes and create a more natural dune formation between Clarkes Beach and Main Beach at Byron Bay, shows that the first stage/phase of the project was a great success.
In November 2022 heavy equipment was on the beach for a week, scraping sand from the tidal zone to rebuild the dunes, a process that mimicked and sped up the natural process for dune restoration.
Chloe Dowsett, Council’s Coast and Biodiversity Coordinator, said if left to nature that process may have taken many years or even decades, and already there is evidence that the project has been very successful.
“We can already see the sand dunes starting to regenerate with signs of plant growth and germination and the next nine months will focus on more plantings, monitoring and maintenance work,” Ms Dowsett said.
The dunes will be tested over time as to whether they can withstand future impacts of storm events, as these beaches experience fluctuating sand supply around the Cape.
