Community Action Delivers Results For Suffolk Park's Beaches
- 12th June 2026
- Council & Advocacy
- 3 min read
Community volunteers, Council staff & environmental advocates are working together to address exposed tyres, improve beach access & explore long-term dune restoration opportunities.
Just a few weeks ago, storms once again exposed the challenges facing Suffolk Park's coastline.
Hundreds of historic tyres emerged from the dunes, beach access points were damaged & the impacts of coastal erosion became impossible to ignore.
What has happened since demonstrates the power of community action.
This week, Suffolk Park Community Association President, Kelly Minahan, & head of Environmental Subcommittee, Vanessa Ekins, have been working alongside Byron Shire Council staff to address immediate issues while also exploring longer-term solutions.
Community & Council Working Together
Yesterday, representatives from SPCA met with Byron Shire Council's Open Spaces team & other Council staff to discuss the ongoing tyre issue, dune restoration opportunities & future management strategies for Suffolk Park's coastline.
The discussions focused not only on the immediate clean-up effort but also on how the community, Council & environmental groups can work together to improve the long-term health & resilience of the dune system.
The meeting follows significant community concern after recent storms exposed large numbers of tyres emerging from the dunes.
More Than 100 Tyres Removed
The clean-up effort has continued throughout the week.
Following the Council meeting, Kelly returned to the beach over the last 24 hours to recover additional tyres exposed by recent erosion.
More than 70 loose tyres were retrieved in a single day, with Council crews collecting & removing them from the site.
Council staff estimate that approximately 100 tyres have now been removed in total.
Anyone who has attempted to move one of these tyres knows this is no small task. Many are filled with sand & extremely heavy.
The work undertaken by volunteers & Council crews represents a significant effort in difficult conditions.
Improvements To Beach Access
Residents will also notice today's works at the Wareham Street beach access.
Following recent storm damage, Council has now restored access to improve safety & usability for beach users.
While challenges remain across sections of the coastline, the works demonstrate a willingness to respond quickly where practical improvements can be made.
Looking Ahead
Perhaps the most encouraging outcome from recent discussions is a growing focus on long-term restoration.
Today, SPCA representatives also met with Miles, technical assistant of Suffolk Park Dune Care, to discuss future restoration opportunities & how community groups, environmental volunteers & Council can work together to improve the health of the dune system.
Rather than focusing solely on tyre removal, discussions are increasingly turning towards dune recovery, revegetation, coastal resilience & securing future funding opportunities.
One potential pathway may involve preparing for the next round of coastal restoration funding, expected to open later this year.
By undertaking the necessary planning, investigations & costings now, Suffolk Park could be better positioned to pursue larger-scale restoration works in the future.
Building Momentum
What began as a community response to exposed tyres is evolving into something much bigger.
There is still much work to do, but recent weeks have shown what can happen when a community comes together around a shared goal.
From clean-up to restoration, momentum is building.
What has been most encouraging is not the number of tyres removed but the speed at which community members, environmental groups & Council have come together to address the issue.
For the first time in a long while, there is a growing sense that long-term solutions may be within reach.
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