Noosa Main Beach Algae Mitigation Project

International Coastal Management

Since 2002, Noosa Main Beach has experienced large volumes of a filamentous algae, Hinksia sordida. This is visually unappealing and can produce undesirable odours. Due to the nature of development along Hastings Street and the popularity of the beach itself for tourists, this is detrimental to the local economy.

Noosa Shire Council commissioned Griffith Centre for Coastal Management and International Coastal Management to undertake the Noosa Main Beach Algae Mitigation Project. This involved investigation into ways to exclude the algae from Noosa Main Beach between First Point and Middle Groyne. A concurrent study was undertaken by Healthy Waterways to investigate the source or cause of the algae "bloom".

The algae mitigation project was split into four stages:

Option Overview and Proposed Trials
Data Collection
Design & Approvals
Trial

The 2005/06 algae season was relatively mild at Noosa Main Beach. Algae was present on the beach between mid-November and late March. Stages 1 - 3 were successfully undertaken, however, due to the late start of the algae season and delays in fabrication, the trial [stage 4] was postponed until the next algae season. Photos taken during Stage 2 [late November] are below.

Hinksia sordida - filamentous algae

Algae in the Surf Zone

Underwater Photo of Algae Outside the Surf Zone

Patches of Algae Visible from Middle Groyne

Algae Collected During Dragnetting Trials