Beaches of the Illawarra

The beaches of the lIIawarra between Stanwell Park and Werri fit within a general dynamic classification characterizing most beaches of the world. At the one end of this classification lies the reflective beach which is devoid of inshore topography, mainly sheltered and temporally stable. At the other end lies the dissipative beach which is characterized by a barred surf zone, situated on exposed coastline and susceptible to rapid change. Because of structural control on the geology of the lIIawarra coastline some of the beaches are often directed. or even forced, into morphology which may at first appear abnormal for the setting of that beach. Additionally man is interfering in places with the coastal environment to the extent that some beaches may be irreversibly locked into an erosional cycle.