A recent report into the state of beaches in NSW shows the Shoalhaven has some of the cleanest and most suitable beaches for swimming.
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All but one of the Shoalhaven's beaches were graded as "very good".
The grade means the location has generally excellent water quality, very few potential sources of faecal contamination and the water is considered suitable for swimming almost all year round.
The only beach which fell into the good category was Racecourse Beach in Ulladulla. The other beaches in the Shoalhaven assessed were Shoalhaven Heads Beach, Tilbury Cove, Warrain Beach, Collingwood Beach, Cudmirrah Beach, Mollymook Beach, Rennies Beach, Bawley Point Beach and Merry Beach.
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Beach water quality in the Shoalhaven has been consistently high since 2015, 100 per cent of Shoalhaven's beaches have been graded as good or very good.
Across the whole of the South Coast only one beach did not fall under very good or good. Surf Beach in the Eurobodalla just south of Batemans Bay was downgraded to poor because of elevated enterococci levels. With the report recommending "to avoid swimming during and for at least one day following rainfall".
Across the whole of NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean said 2019 had been one of the cleanest years since monitoring began in 1989.
"Clean beaches are great news for the community and encourage more people to get out and about as we head into the start of the swimming season," Mr Kean said.
"This year, 86 per cent of the state's swimming sites are rated 'very good' or 'good' which is a significant achievement and great news as we head into beach season.
"Estuarine swimming sites have never been this clean, with a record breaking 82 per cent listed as 'very good' or 'good'.
"This is in addition to the 98 per cent of ocean beaches shown to be clean and safe, as were four of the five ocean baths."
Recently Shoalhaven City Council has been active in promoting the quality of Shoalhaven's beaches.
One way has been through the 100 beaches challenge, which encourages visitors to visit all of the Shoalhaven's beaches not just Hyams Beach.
For the promotion it has also divided beaches into categories like best for families, best for surfing, Instagram spots, whites sand and camping by the beach.