Estuary
Characteristics
Catchment
Area: 18
km2
Waterway
Area: 0.3
km2
Entrance
Characteristics:
Intermittently
open and
untrained
Location
(Lat-Long):
153°35'E
28°39'S
Location
(from Sydney):
790 km N
Physical
Features
A high littoral
transport
rate of approximately
80,000 m3/yr
passes the
entrance
from south
to north.
The approximate
length of
the creek
is 3 km.
The coastal
town of Byron
Bay adjoins
the catchment
to the south.
Population
and Holiday
Centres
Byron Bay
Special
Attributes
General
Highest catchment
rainfall
of all NSW
estuaries
(1,850 mm/yr).
30% of catchment
is fresh
water swamp
- aquatic
bird habitat.
Estuary largely
covered by
mangrove
and saltmarsh
beds.
Estuary
Vegetation
Type Area
(sq km) Species
(Species
Types)
Mangroves
0.050 av,ae
Saltmarsh
0.054
Commercial
Activities
No commercial
activities
in this
estuary
Management
Issues
Specific
Issues
Poor water
quality
- low dissolved
oxygen,
low pH,
high bacterial
counts
has required
erection
of 'unsafe
for swimming'
signage.
Acid sulfate
soils and
the impacts
on the
estuary
of acid
runoff
from disturbance
and drainage
of these
soils.
Point source
pollution
discharges.
Urban stormwater
from Byron
Bay CBD
and industrial
estate.
Entrance
opening
management.
Further
residential
and industrial
developments
and Byron
Bay road
bypass
and sports
fields
proposals.
Protection
of riparian
vegetation
and aquatic
habitats.
Estuary
Management
Process
Step Progress
Form an
Estuary
Management
Committee
(EMC)
Assemble
Existing
Data
Carry out
Process
Study
Carry out
Estuary
Management
Study
Draft Estuary
Management
Plan
Review
Estuary
Management
Plan
Adopt and
Implement
Estuary
Management
Plan
Monitor
and review
management
process
Notes:
Refer to
the NSW
Government's
draft Estuary
Management
Manual
(1992)
for details
on each
step of
the process.
Belongil
Creek Estuary
Management
Committee
was formed
in 1994,
by Byron
Shire Council,
to develop
and implement
an Estuary
Management
Plan for
Belongil
Creek.
The data
compilation
study was
completed
in December
1996, and
the processes
study was
completed
in 1997.
Until the
Management
Plan is
completed
the EMC
currently
provides
a forum
for discussion
and advice
to Council
on issues
relevant
to the
ongoing
management
of the
Belongil
Creek estuary.
Contact:
Byron Shire
Council
Environmental
Planning
Services
Mr Peter
Helman
ph (02)
6626 7000
fax (02)
6684 3018
Source:
NSW
Department
of Land
and Water
Conservation
www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au
|
