Arabic version: أفالون تتصدر تصنيفات جودة مياه شواطئ سيدني

According to ABC News, Avalon Beach has been named Sydney’s cleanest beach for 2026 as NSW water quality results showed a slight overall improvement. Ninety-seven per cent of monitored ocean beaches were rated “good” or “very good” in the State of the Beaches report, up from 95 per cent in 2025.

Other regional leaders included Birdie Beach, Frazer Beach and Forresters Beach on the Central Coast; One Mile Beach in the Hunter; Warrain Beach in the Shoalhaven; and Wollongong City Beach and Shellharbour Beach in the Illawarra. Across all swimming locations assessed, 79 per cent received “good” or “very good” ratings, compared with 76 per cent last year.

Coogee Beach again received a “poor” grade, its fifth consecutive result at that level, and has not recorded a “good” rating since 2021. Dr Meredith Campey, manager of the NSW government’s Beachwatch program, said the beach was more susceptible to stormwater impacts. She said it was usually suitable for swimming in dry conditions, but rain sent stormwater through a large drain at the northern end of the beach.

Beachwatch graded 229 ocean, estuarine, lake, lagoon and freshwater sites from “very good” to “very poor”. Assessments included sanitary inspections for the likelihood of faecal contamination and regular testing for enterococci bacteria. Narrabeen Lagoon, Rose Bay Beach, Frenchmans Bay and Yarra Bay were among 40 sites rated “poor”, while Foreshores Beach, Gymea Bay Baths and Minnehaha Falls received “very poor” grades.

Dr Campey said average to below-average rainfall across many parts of NSW during the 2026 reporting period had helped water quality, because rainfall drives stormwater runoff and can trigger wastewater-system discharges. Mona Vale and Dee Why improved to “very good”, while Shelly Beach at Manly and Murray Rose (Redleaf) Pool moved from “poor” to “good”. Maroubra Beach fell from “very good” to “good”, and Surf Beach at Kiama was rated “poor”.