Local bushland clean-up groups are growing increasingly concerned about the state of Northern Beaches dunes, as litter and general destruction threatens the stability of the structures.
This sentiment was echoed by the Northern Beaches Council with a motion put forward by Councillor Kristyn Glanville at a recent Council meeting calling for action to address the constant vandalism and never-ending littering in the dunes.
Campaign Manager at Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches, Jude Furniss, says the volunteer clean-up organisation has already picked up over 300kg worth of litter this year to date.
“Particularly over the last 18 months, just the level of disrespect for those dune areas is just ongoing. [The dunes] are not abating, despite how much attention and loving care we give it, which is really disappointing,” she told Manly Observer.
“The youth, which predominantly we feel are the perpetrators of the impact, need more places to hang out, and we want them to be able to do that and enjoy it. But they also need to respect that space, and they are really not doing that. The fact that they can come back and go, ‘Oh, isn’t this nice and clean again’, needs to be addressed.”
The litter makes up mostly bottles and cans, but also bulkier goods such as sofas, chairs, shopping trolleys, BBQs, surfboards, and clothing. In 2025, the program recorded over 650kg worth of waste picked up by volunteers.
Former Harbord Scouts Justin O’Hare, who also runs Curl Curl community and Curl Curl Dogs, has spent the last decade working with the local scouts to clean up the beach and plant native flora in the dunes. The plants help bind it all together and keep its structure. He too has recently voiced his grievances with the way the structures are treated.
The Curl Curl local says it’s not just the youth that are mistreating the dunes, but all sorts of people – retelling shrugged-off warnings from surf rider clubs as well as beachgoers restructuring the areas with a shovel.
Council’s motion put forward further mentions the efforts of Friends of Freshwater and Friends of Curl Curl Lagoon, outlining their ongoing volunteer efforts to ensure the beach is protected for the community and beyond. It was unanimously passed by councillors who will to discuss ways to prevent and respond to dune vandalism.
But why does it matter?
It’s just a sand hill with grassy and succulent vegetation, right? Actually, sand dunes are the first line of defence to surrounding ecosystems and even our own homes. And without them our beaches would quickly lose sand.
“A strong, healthy dune is our best defence against coastal erosion and storm surges,” explains Northern Beaches Council Environment Centres Coordinator Jules Bellamy, “they absorb all the power from big waves and storms and protect the built environment behind them.”
Bellamy says the Northern Beaches simply wouldn’t be the same without these powerhouses protecting it from erosion, flooding and tidal inundation.
“The other important thing about the dunes is they work as a sand bank, so they trap and release sand. The beach is a dynamic system. You can see there’s lots of sand in the waves, and the wind moves the sand around as well. And the dunes hold on to that sand and release it back to the beach over time.”
But dunes largely rely on vegetation to keep their structural integrity.
Some native plants, such as the hairy spinifex, have long and widespread roots that are able to uphold the structural integrity of the dune while sourcing for deeply buried water. They also have specialised adaptations that allow them to withstand the sun and salt that the beach accommodates regularly.
The flora also provides a habitat for many animals, particularly birds.
On a walk down to the beach on any given day, one may see Welcome Swallows acrobatically darting and turning to catch insects in flight. It’s not uncommon to spot a Nankeen Kestrel with the beautiful spotted plumage; they use stealth, sitting quietly looking for movement, probably a skink or lizardy breakfast. A close inspection of the sand may even lead to superb Fairy Wrens – the males’ feathers give us the flashes of blue we see in the dunes, usually hopping along low shrubs or leaf litter looking for insects; hence they need the cover the dune plants provide them.
Without these dunes, Northern Beaches coastline would not only be far more vulnerable to storm and tidal threats, but it would suffer a far more barren aesthetic compared to what we see today.
What Needs To Be Done?
It’s of shared belief that most people are not deliberately damaging the dunes, but rather are unaware that their interactions are having lasting impacts.
Locals scrambling on the hills to check the surf, placing furniture on the crests or digging out the sides to make ramp slides for their kids are most likely unaware this is causing lasting structural damage and undoing the hard work of volunteer groups.
“It’s an education piece that’s going to take generations,” O’Hare says., “The best way is hands-on, putting in some spinifex, like planting some stuff, and then people get to say, “Well, why am I putting this plant in here? and then start to ask questions of themselves.”
However, others believe more enforcement is needed to curb littering and bonfires on the beach, which can spark dune fires.
Furniss says that hard enforcement is necessary, calling on local and state government agencies to step up; but it also needs to be combined with local education, particularly connecting with teens through high schools and youth groups.
As it stands, Council can only fine people up to $110 for entering restricted areas on the dunes. It’s up to police to impose more serious fines for littering, which can be up to $1000.
Council has agreed to consider an awareness campaign, including social media, to raise the profile of dune management. It will reconvene within six months.
If you’d like to make a difference in the meantime, you can join any of the volunteer bushland regenerative organisations listed in this article.
Watch our video on this issue.
