Residents complain of mangroves, mud and muck

Residents of Hardys Bay and Pretty Beach and surrounding areas have complained about their once-sandy creeks and foreshore being overgrown with mangroves, mud and muck.

They have sent a petition, with 191 signatures, to Gosford Council.

Their concerns include the loss of the sandy shoreline that once surrounded the majority of Hardys Bay, which the residents said now "provided ideal conditions for mangrove proliferation".

The petition also complained of the loss of the deep tidal creek, Mudflat Creek, due to sedimentation.

The loss of depth in the area of Joe Childs' historic wharf had also caused concerns.

The sandstone blocks that were once a metre above the sand were now about to be covered by mud and mangroves, the residents claimed.

The loss of depth at the outlet of the Hardys Bay RSL creek was "completely buried in mud, road base gravel and muck".

Finally, the petition drew attention to the loss of the Pretty Beach public baths due to sedimentation.

The petitioners requested that council carry out numerous sediment core sample tests at both Hardys Bay and Pretty Beach, which would allow the resulting information to provide accurate data about the amount of sediment that has built up over time.

Council agenda P.92, December 14