Hyams Beach is a jewel of the South Coast, renowned for its white sands and turquoise waters.
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But yesterday, the popular Jervis Bay tourist destination was looking a little ... different.
Jervis Bay resident Jayde Clark was shocked to find the beach's white sands covered by a thick blanket of red seaweed on Monday afternoon.
"I was extremely shocked, me and my partner had never seen anything like it," she told the South Coast Register.
"The seaweed was still in the water for about 10 to 15 metres out."
Jayde reported the seaweed brought a mild stench with it and said it was covered in "thousands of maggots".
While the mass display of red has taken residents and visitors by surprise, it is hardly unusual for South Coast beaches, with records as far back as 1898 indicating that 'drift algae' were present in Jervis Bay.
Dr Trudy Costa from the University of Wollongong's School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences said while the algae brings an unpleasant smell, it serves an important ecological purpose and poses no threat to humans.
"It most likely washed up as a result of the recent weather and storms - this is called 'wrack,'" said Dr Costa.
"There could be maggots within it as there are many tiny organisms that live in the algae that then die when it is washed up on the shore.
"Wrack can be smelly if it sits there for a while but it is really important ecologically. As it breaks down, it delivers nutrients and food to the organisms that live in the sand underneath - this is their main source of food."
Dr Trudy Costa could not confirm the exact species of the red algae - but it is possibly gracilaria edulis, solieria robusta or a species of chondria.
All of these species have been known to wash ashore in large volumes onto Jervis Bay beaches, especially after large swells.
The Department of Primary Industries added the algae could be acrosorium uncinatum, a species which covered Blenheim Beach in 2009.
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Beaches across the South Coast are looking a little worse for wear as the major storm has caused high tides and exposed beaches to inundation and erosion.
Severe weather has resulted in extreme surf conditions across our coastlines, with some waves measuring in excess of six metres.
Shoalhaven City Council has advised residents that these conditions have impacted beach water quality and to avoid swimming, surfing and beach fishing between Crookhaven Lighthouse in the north, and Bull Hole Lookout in the south at Kinghorne.
Council staff will begin inspecting high-risk beaches this week to determine emergency response actions.
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