Pittwater's Avalon Beach has again been found to be the cleanest beach in Sydney in the 2026 State of the Beaches Annual State of the Beaches Report.
“I am very proud to see that Avalon has been named Sydney’s cleanest beach. We pride ourselves on the quality of our beaches, and that is a testament to the community and the care they show our beaches,” Ms Scruby said.
The 2026 State of Beaches report looks at how suitable sites are for swimming across NSW. It assesses recreational water quality across 245 sites in NSW using National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines.
Monitoring is conducted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's Beachwatch Program alongside 16 partners to grade ocean beaches, estuaries, and inland waterways from ‘very good’ to ‘very poor’.
Avalon Beach scored a ‘very good’ rating alongside other Pittwater beaches Bilgola, Newport, Mona Vale and Palm Beach. Across the state, water quality has improved slightly and 97% of the NSW-monitored ocean beaches have received a rating of ‘good’ or ‘very good’, up from 95% in 2025’s report.
“It is great to see so many clean and inviting swimming spots across Pittwater ahead of summer. I hope the community feels excited and assured about the quality of water they will be enjoying over the summer,” Ms Scruby said.
Although the majority of the Northern Beaches received ratings across ‘good’ and ‘very good’, some spots like Narrabeen Lagoon and Bilarong Reserve received a rating of ‘poor’.
Rainfall plays a significant role in the quality of water and is one of the biggest drivers of pollution through stormwater runoff and wastewater discharges, leading to such low ratings in areas like Narrabeen Lagoon.
“I encourage everyone to take a look at the Beachwatch Report 2026 and to use that as a guide on where best to swim this summer season,” Ms Scruby concluded.
