There’s some welcome news for Eastern Suburbs families heading back to the beach as the weather warms up, with 70% of Randwick City beaches receiving a Good or Very Good water quality rating in the NSW Government’s latest State of the Beaches report.
Even better, that figure has improved from 60% in the previous reporting year, with several much-loved local swimming spots receiving positive results.
And there’s one standout this year: South Maroubra received a Very Good rating.
For local families who spend their summers swimming, surfing, building sandcastles and cooling off along our coastline, it’s an encouraging way to head into the warmer months.
South Maroubra Leads the Way
South Maroubra achieved a Very Good rating in the 2026 report, while several other popular local beaches and swimming spots were rated Good.
They include:
- Clovelly
- Gordons Bay
- Maroubra
- Congwong
- Malabar Beach
- Little Bay Beach
There was particularly positive news for Malabar Beach and Little Bay Beach, with both improving their previous ratings to achieve a Good result.
With so many beautiful beaches on our doorstep, seeing improvements across the area is something worth celebrating.
70% Now Good or Very Good
Perhaps the most encouraging number in the report is the overall improvement across Randwick City.
According to the 2026 State of the Beaches results, 70% of Randwick City beaches received either a Good or Very Good rating, compared with 60% in the previous reporting year.
The NSW Government’s State of the Beaches program monitors recreational water quality at swimming locations and assesses how suitable sites are for swimming.
For families who practically live at the beach over spring and summer, the latest results provide some encouraging news about many of our favourite local swimming spots.
And What About Coogee?
There is still work to be done at one of the Eastern Suburbs’ best-known beaches.
Coogee Beach retained its Poor rating, and improving the water quality there remains a priority for Randwick City Council.
The good news is that the issue isn’t being ignored.
Council is continuing to work with the NSW Government and Sydney Water on a $7 million infrastructure projectdesigned to improve water quality at Coogee Beach.
The project is expected to include an underground pump station that will divert stormwater away from the beach, helping to reduce the impact of stormwater following rainfall.
That’s particularly important because rainfall is one of the major factors affecting water quality at beaches.
Heavy rain can wash pollutants from streets and surrounding areas into the stormwater system and ultimately into the ocean. Rain can also contribute to discharges from the wastewater system.
So while Coogee’s latest rating isn’t the result locals would have hoped for, the significant investment and infrastructure work planned to address the problem gives the community something positive to look towards.
A Reminder About Swimming After Rain
Even beaches with good overall ratings can experience temporary changes in water quality, particularly following heavy rainfall.
For families, it’s a useful reminder to check current conditions before swimming after significant rain.
Beach water quality isn’t necessarily the same every day, and stormwater runoff can temporarily affect otherwise clean swimming locations.
Checking current Beachwatch information before packing the towels and heading down for a swim can be a good addition to the usual beach routine.
Plenty to Celebrate Along Our Coastline
Living in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs means having some extraordinary beaches, ocean pools and swimming spots almost on our doorstep.
From an early morning dip at Clovelly and snorkelling around Gordons Bay to family beach days at Maroubra, Little Bay and Congwong, our coastline plays a huge part in local life.
That’s why seeing 70% of Randwick City beaches achieving Good or Very Good results – up from 60% – is genuinely encouraging news.
South Maroubra’s Very Good result is another reason to celebrate, while improvements at Malabar and Little Bay show that ratings can move in the right direction.
And although there is more work ahead at Coogee, the planned $7 million infrastructure project represents a significant effort to tackle the underlying stormwater issues affecting the beach.
With spring here and summer just around the corner, that’s some positive news for local swimmers.
Bring on beach season!
