THOUSANDS of tonnnes of sand continue to be stripped from Stockton Beach each week due to an unrelenting series of east coast lows.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The 22-kilometre beach has been unable to recover following last winter’s battering, which resulted in the most dramatic change to its profile since the 1974 Sygna storm.
It also forced the closure of the camping ground, which remains off limits.
‘‘It’s just been one east coast low after the next and as a consequence the beach hasn’t had a chance to recover,’’ National Parks and Wildlife Service acting area manager Tony DeMamiel said.
‘‘Every time there has been a little bit of sand build-up on the frontal dune we’ve had another east coast low that brings a one-metre swell and a 2.1-metre king tide and the whole thing gets annihilated.’’
The beach will take another hit this weekend with the combined impact of a 2.1- metre high tide – the largest this year – and a 3.5-metre swell.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service has rostered on extra staff to warn beach users of the potential threats to their safety.
‘‘People need to be smart about when they come, ’’ Mr DeMamiel said.
‘‘They need to do their homework and have a look at the swell and have a look at the tides and plan their trip.’
Although 4WD access to the beach has been restricted since last winter, Mr DeMamiel warned this weekend’s conditions would be particularly hazardous.
‘‘The high tides are coming right up to the frontal dunes at present,’’ he said.
‘‘The last thing we want is for people to detour around and over the frontal dune and traverse along the beachfront because they will find themselves 10kilometres from either end and in a situation they can’t get out of.’’
