Windang Foreshore Improvements
We're working to protect and improve the foreshore of Lake Illawarra at Windang.
Update March 2026
Council will soon start maintenance work to restore access and amenity to parts of the Windang foreshore. This will include refilling holes behind retaining walls and repairing sections of footpath. Once repairs are done, we can re-open some of the fenced-off areas.
We'll continue to work with NSW Crown Lands and other agencies to do emergency protection works as quickly as possible.
We've also finalised a study to support the next stage of works, which we're aiming to start mid-year.
You can find the Windang FAQs at the bottom of this page.
About the Windang foreshore
Lake Illawarra did not always connect to the ocean. It would naturally open and close depending on weather and tides. In 2007, the lake was permanently opened to help reduce bad smells and algal blooms and make it cleaner and safer.
Over the years, changes in the movement of water in the entrance channel has caused erosion as sand and soil has washed away. Erosion has been worst along the Windang foreshore, where sections have become lost or damaged, including sand, jetties and the former playground.
The permanent opening has caused other changes, including:
- The channel of the lake has gotten deeper and wider, especially near Windang Bridge
- Tidal ranges have changed - high tides have gotten higher and low tides have gotten lower
- Important habitats like seagrass and saltmarsh have suffered because it's harder for them to survive in the new conditions.
Wollongong and Shellharbour Councils are working together on ways to manage these changes and protect the lake and its foreshore as much as we can.
Many options have been studied, but fixing erosion is complicated and expensive. Fixing one issue could create other problems. Even with a lot of work and investment, we may not be able to stop erosion completely.
You can visit the Our Wollongong website to read about the options that have been considered for Lake Illawarra and the Windang foreshore.
The Windang Foreshore Improvements Project will look at how we can manage erosion in the short-term until a long-term solution can be implemented.
Safety at Windang foreshore
It's not safe to swim in the lake channel. If you're looking for somewhere to swim nearby, there is a patrolled beach at Windang.
It is also not safe to go too close to the edge of the bank, as the foreshore could be unstable. Please check signs and stay behind the safety fencing that has been put in place at areas we know are unsafe.
Foreshore trees
The health of some of the Norfolk pine trees along the Windang foreshore has been affected by erosion, as roots have become exposed to direct sunlight and salt water.
Council’s arborists are monitoring the trees. We'll do any tree works as needed to manage safety and maintain the trees' health as much as we can.
Windang Foreshore Playground
We closed and removed the Windang Foreshore Playground, after storm events in April 2024 and tidal changes caused severe erosion along the foreshore. The site became unsafe, with parts of the playground collapsing into Lake Illawarra.
Council is considering options for a new permanent play space in the Windang area.
In the meantime, we're renewing the playground at Windang Beach Tourist Park, near the site of the former playground. We're aiming to open this playground in time for the peak summer season.
See our Windang Foreshore Playground page for more information.
FAQs about Windang Foreshore
Erosion along the Windang foreshore is a complex issue. The main cause is not the foreshore itself, but the behaviour of the Lake Illawarra entrance.
Since the lake was permanently opened, fast‑moving water has deepened and widened the entrance channel. This has made the area unstable over time. As a result, erosion has continued, undermining land and infrastructure and making the foreshore difficult to stabilise.
Council is working with several NSW Government agencies to identify solutions. Due to the scale and complexity of the problem, there is no quick fix. However, we are exploring short‑term options while also investigating long‑term solutions to manage the impacts of the lake’s permanent opening.
There has been a broad understanding that the channel is continuing to move north and conditions along the foreshore have been gradually deteriorating. However, damage in some localised areas near the groynes (structures built perpendicular to the shore) has increased significantly over the past 18 months, following the declared disaster in April 2024.
Deep scour holes have formed in these areas, leading to localised slumping of the foreshore and movement of sand.
Council has been working closely with Crown Lands to address these issues and to assess options for improving conditions. Any potential responses are being carefully considered to avoid worsening the problem or causing unintended impacts elsewhere.
Lining the foreshore with rocks may slow the rate of land erosion, but it will not stop it completely. Our study indicates that, without removing the groynes and filling the scour holes, any localised emergency repairs are unlikely to be effective. This is because the processes driving the erosion would continue.
Ongoing erosion of the channel would continue to undermine any rock lining along the foreshore. This highlights the need to focus on long‑term options to manage the lake entrance, rather than relying on short‑term or localised fixes.
Council has engaged a Coastal Engineer to investigate emergency and medium‑term foreshore protection options. This work began in October 2025 and included a re‑survey of the channel floor.
A draft report outlining short‑term options has been workshopped with NSW State Government agencies. A report identifying the preferred approach to emergency protection is currently under review by Council and will be finalised soon.
For areas identified as Council’s responsibility, the report will support:
- planning, design and required approvals
- applications for funding to deliver the works
- implementation of the works
For works identified as the responsibility of other agencies, Council will advocate on behalf of the community to progress the recommended actions.
Council will keep the community informed about the outcomes of this advocacy through the project webpage and at future Let’s Talk Windang events.
A lasting solution would require reconfiguring the lake entrance. This would be a large‑scale and costly project and would need to carefully balance the many environmental, social and operational constraints of the lake.
Both Shellharbour City Council and Wollongong City Council have investigated a range of possible options through the Lake Illawarra Entrance Options Study (EOS). Following this work, both councils have written to the NSW Government requesting funding and support to develop a Strategic Business Case (SBC) to further investigate a long‑term approach to managing the lake entrance.
Council is currently awaiting a response to this request.
Recent refurbishment works have been completed on the playground within the tourist park to support continued community access in the interim.
Council is working with NSW Government agencies to minimise further loss of infrastructure and protect cultural heritage. Slowing the rate of erosion remains the key priority, as without action to reduce erosion, any improvements made within the foreshore area would be at risk of being lost in the future.
We have recently renewed the Windang Tourist Park playground, located just metres from the previous playground site, and it is now open to the public. You can find the exact location and more information here.
Council is also developing a new Playspace Strategy, which will help guide the future of playspaces in Windang. You can stay up to date on this work through our engagement portal.