The Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches is promoting its Adopt A Beach program, as community concern grows over litter, vandalism, and damage to fragile sand dunes across the Northern Beaches, including Narrabeen Beach.
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The community-led initiative brings volunteers together for regular beach clean-ups while collecting data on the types of rubbish washing onto or being left behind along the coastline. The program also aims to educate residents about reducing single-use plastics and support broader advocacy for stronger action on marine pollution.
On its website, Surfrider said Sydney’s inner harbour shorelines have some of Australia’s highest recorded concentrations of microplastics per square metre and warns that ocean plastics are forecast to triple by 2050. The organisation says healthy oceans free from plastics are “our superpower to boost biodiversity, support local economies and reverse climate change”, while encouraging more people to get involved in protecting local beaches.
The renewed focus on community stewardship comes as concerns continue over anti-social behaviour in coastal dune systems, including Narrabeen. Reports have highlighted problems such as rubbish dumping, broken glass, discarded furniture, vandalised dune fencing and beach bonfires in several Northern Beaches locations, prompting calls for stronger measures to protect these environmentally sensitive areas.
2026 Report Highlights Narrabeen Findings
Surfrider’s 2026 Adopt A Beach Impact Report includes Narrabeen among the participating locations and documents 141 kilograms of waste collected through the program.
The report found cigarette butts were the most common items removed, followed by soft plastics, bottles, bottle caps, cardboard and paper products. The findings identify the most common types of litter collected during clean-up events and help pinpoint pollution hotspots.
By tracking waste over time, the organisation aims to better understand pollution trends while building evidence to support advocacy for reducing plastic pollution at its source.
Volunteers Target Pollution Hotspots
Surfrider’s Adopt A Beach program, led by its Sydney branches, is designed to build a long-term community movement focused on protecting the coastline. Alongside monthly clean-up events, volunteers record the rubbish they collect, helping identify pollution hotspots and the most common sources of litter.
The foundation says the information gathered through the program supports advocacy for greater action on plastic pollution while encouraging practical changes that reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
The clean-up effort also highlights the importance of protecting coastal dune systems. The dunes provide habitat for native wildlife and are the focus of ongoing restoration work across the Northern Beaches.
Calls for Greater Protection of Coastal Dunes
The spotlight on Narrabeen’s clean-up efforts coincides with broader calls for action to address damage occurring in Northern Beaches dune systems.
Community volunteers have reported removing broken bottles, shopping trolleys, old furniture, discarded camping equipment and other waste from dunes at Narrabeen and neighbouring beaches. Environmental advocates have also raised concerns about vandalism affecting dune restoration works, with newly installed protective infrastructure reportedly being damaged or removed.
A motion before Northern Beaches seeks to investigate options for preventing and responding to vandalism in dune areas, including public education, signage and monitoring. Lighting fires on beaches and within sand dunes is prohibited, with enforcement handled by NSW Police. Under the Local Government Act, people can also be fined for failing to comply with dune protection notices or “No Entry” signs, while littering offences may attract penalties under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act.
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Alongside enforcement, Surfrider continues to encourage community participation through its Adopt A Beach program. The organisation says regular clean-ups help remove pollution while building a community committed to protecting and restoring the health of the coast.
Published 18-July-2026
