Some tourist spots are struggling to cope with their renewed popularity as visitors return to summer holiday hangouts for the first time since the pandemic.
The Promised Land, near Bellingen on the NSW Mid North Coast, was so well loved recently that the local council advised swimmers to stay out of the Never Never River that ran through it.
Testing of the waters found concerning levels of what was essentially faecal matter, with human and dog excrement the suspected source.
Bellingen Shire Council mayor Steve Allan said high visitation to the remote setting was not a new issue for the council.
"It has been an increasing concern," he said.
The stunning Never Never River and The Promised Land are set within Tuckers Nob State Forest.
Forestry Corporation of NSW does not recognise it as a tourist area.
That means there are no public toilets, no rubbish bins, and minimal parking. But that hasn't stopped thousands of people from visiting the scenic swimming spot.
Bellingen Shire Council sustainable environment and waste manager Lucy Menzies said the compromised water quality recorded at the Arthur Keogh Reserve in The Promised Land was likely caused by an influx of visitors.
"We're leaning towards that now," she said.
"It has been very popular over the holiday period and there are certainly indications that people have been using the riparian area there along the banks for toileting purposes, which is quite unfortunate.
"It could also be [more] dogs being taken to the area as well."
Water quality improves
Water quality improved to "fair" a few days after the high levels of enterococcus bacteria, indicative of faecal matter, were recorded in the river.
Ms Menzies said the short-term high readings suggested there was an isolated issue after a busy weekend period.
"If it was due to a septic leak or something like that, we would be expecting the issue would still be there but it's not," she said.
She said there was an increase in litter in the region and damage to some revegetation areas where people had parked inappropriately.
Cr Allan said the council did not promote The Promised Land as a tourist destination and hadn't for years.
"Unfortunately, we can't control the influences on social media and other private organisations and what they do," he said.
"The genie is out of the bottle and there is no way of putting that back in."
He said the lack of infrastructure at the remote freshwater site was a concern.
"It's very difficult to stop people visiting the area, so if we can provide some facilities that are safe and not going to do more harm then maybe that is the best way to proceed," he said.
Reducing the impact
In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for Forestry Corporation of NSW said The Promised Land had no designated visitor sites.
The spokesperson said while the corporation did not promote the destination, it was aware it was used for informal recreation.
"In recent years we have taken steps to reduce the impact of this informal use by blocking unused roads to limit four-wheel drives, installing natural bollards along the river edge, erecting signage, and sending regular patrols through the area," the spokesperson said.
Potential restrictions
MidCoast Council made a public appeal in December for tourists to consider not visiting Seal Rocks due to the tiny hamlet being overrun by cars and people.
Cr Allan said Bellingen council could look at doing something similar.
"It is something we'd definitely have to consider," he said.
"It would be a shame if we have to regulate but it is a pristine environment and it needs to be protected, but we do have to balance that against the fact it is public land and people are entitled to visit."
