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Brooms Head beachgoers can safely head back to Back Beach

Beachgoers can once again safely access Back Beach from Brooms Head following the completion of major repairs to the stairway leading to the beach, Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis announced on Thursday. Mr Gulaptis said the stairway’s timber-concrete structure suffered significant damage during a storm in August 2016 and posed a serious safety risk. “In the interests of public safety and environmental and cultural heritage protection, we temporarily closed the walking track from Brooms Head to Back Beach during the construction phase,” Mr Gulaptis said. Mr Gulaptis has thanked beachgoers and bushwalkers for their patience while access was restricted. “I appreciate this was a major inconvenience as the stairs are also essential for the Yuraygir coastal walk, which is promoted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Clarence Valley Council,” he said. Walkers using the Yuraygir coastal walk were provided with maps of an alternative route during the period of the works. “We really had no option but to replace the stairs as the timber-concrete structure of the old stairway had suffered significant storm damage and posed a safety risk,” Mr Gulaptis said. “Repairing the existing stairs was not a feasible option because of its age and dilapidated state which made complete replacement more cost effective.” Further work will be undertaken this year to repair the chain and board walking track above the beach stairs but the walking track isn’t expected to be closed while this work is carried out.