With the holiday season nearly upon us and further rainfall predicted, it is worthwhile remembering that our water quality can be affected by heavy rain. If the water is brown or we have had recent heavy rain, it is better to be cautious. If in doubt, one way of checking the water quality is to go to the Food Authority website and see whether the Port Stephens oyster harvest areas are open. https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/shellfish/status
The oyster farmers test the water to see if it is contaminated. If a harvest area is not open, then it would be a good idea to give swimming a miss. We are in the Bundabah harvest area.
Currently, all Port Stephens harvest areas are open. However, the Lower Karuah River is open for dupuration only, meaning that the water quality is probably still impacted in that area by the recent rain.
