Beaches

 The Bellingen Shire coastline stretches for approximately 10 kilometres and has the following patrolled beaches:
  • North Beach at Mylestom (summer patrols) 
  • Hungry Head Beach at Urunga (summer patrols)

Beach Patrols

Professional Lifeguards are available during Summer school holidays as follows:

Paid Beach Patrols:
Times: 9.00am - 5.00pm during School Holidays

Outside of these dates: Volunteer Surf Lifesaving Club Lifeguards:
9.00am to 1.00pm - Sunday & Public Holidays

Surf Life Saving Clubs

Bellinger Valley-North Beach SLSC

PO Mylestom, Mylestom NSW 2454
Ph: 6655 4449
Email: bvnbslsc@bigpond.com


Urunga SLSC

PO Box 12, Urunga NSW 2455
Ph: 6655 6869

Web: http://www.urungaslsc.com.au/
Email: bellownew@westnet.com.au


 

Urunga-inlet.jpg

Beach Watch Program

Council has partnered with the NSW Government's Beach Watch Program, to monitor and report recreational water quality at local swimming sites.  Water samples are collected and tested for bacteria, showing signs of faecal pollution, and whether it is safe for swimming.  The swimming sites have been determined due to the likelihood of contamination and the consequence of contamination due to the amount of use.  The current program sites include:

  1. Never Never River - Arthur Keoghs Reserve
  2. Bellinger River - Lavenders Bridge
  3. Bellinger River - Mylestom tidal pool
  4. North Beach - near Surf Club
  5. Hungry Head Beach - near Surf Club
  6. Dalhousie Creek - near Surf Club

To see how your local stacks up, check out the weekly star ratings via the link below.  The more stars, the better.

More Information
Health Advice for Swimming

Recreational water can sometimes be unsuitable for swimming, especially after rainfall when stormwater, wastewater and agricultural runoff can overflow.  Click here for more information on when it may be unsafe to swim.

SharkSmart

The NSW Government has developed an evidence-based shark mitigation program, with a host of successfully trialled technologies rolled out along the NSW coastline. This includes the use of drones at Urunga and a tagged shark listening station in Mylestom.

More Information

Use of Vehicles on Beaches

Beach Protection

The beaches and frontal dunes are the front line defences of the land against the sea. Storms take away many tonnes of sand from the dunes and beaches to form underwater barriers which reduces the eroding action of the waves. Once the sea has returned to normal the under water barriers are again deposited on the beaches and the sand dunes reformed for the next cyclic action.

Any interference with the dunes on even a small scale, such as wheel tracks, foot tracks etc., destroys the stability of that dune, depleting the available sand, and the sea quickly erodes the unstable areas.

The beach access points and restricted areas are shown on the following maps:

Beach Access Map - Mylestom (North(PDF, 3MB))

Beach Access Map - Mylestom (South(PDF, 2MB))

Beach Access Map - Urunga(PDF, 3MB)

Beach Access Map - Valla(PDF, 3MB)

Recommendations

  • All vehicles must use approved access points. Vehicles will only be permitted on those sections shown on the maps.
  • The use of vehicles on any portion of the frontal dunes is totally prohibited by Crown Lands.
  • All vehicles should use low tide level where firm sand will be found when ever possible.
  • All vehicles using beaches must be registered with the Roads and Maritime Services.
  • Speed limit is a maximum of 35km/h.

Policing

Policing of these regulations will be carried out by Council Rangers on a regular basis.  To report breaches please contact Council's Ranger Services on 02 6655 7300 or via email council@bellingen.nsw.gov.au