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The 2025 State of the Beaches Report was released on Wednesday, showing which swimming spots had very good water quality and the spots that were very poor. About 95 per cent of ocean beaches had a good or very good water quality rating, while lakes, lagoons and rivers ranked the worst. Faecal contamination that produces microbial pathogens was the main health risk in recreational waters, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. “All recreational waters contain some level of microbes that can cause illness. Simply allowing people to use the water creates a known risk of contamination from human activity,” the website states. Beachwatch only tests for entercocci bacteria which is found in faeces and rarely present in unpolluted water, with results reported in units per 100mm. There were 21 beaches across Sydney that had a very good water quality rating. The cleanest beaches in the metro area were Whale Beach, Avalon Beach, Greenhills Beach, Palm Beach, The Basin, Wanda Beach, Shelly Beach, Elvina Bay, Bungan Beach and Bilgola Beach. Only two beaches had a very poor rating in the Sydney region, and another 19 ranked poor. The dirtiest beaches were Foreshores Beach, Gymea Bay Baths, Bilarong Reserve, Carass Point Baths, Dolls Point Baths, Kyeemagh Baths, Frenchmans Bay, Bayview Baths, Yarra Bay and Narrabean Lagoon. Climate Change and Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said Beachwatch was the best source of information when it came to deciding if your local beach, swimming hole or stream was safe to swim in. “While this report shows us a really positive snapshot of our state’s water spots, as a swimmer myself, I know first-hand how important it is that people continue to check the Beachwatch website for live updates on water pollution,” she said. “This year we have seen a great result, and we will be continuing to work hand-in-hand with councils to ensure the program continues to serve the community.”
