The City of Joondalup has announced a new round of remediation works at the popular Hillarys Dog Beach, following recent environmental testing that identified trace amounts of asbestos material within the sand dunes.
Test Results Trigger Proactive Response
Recent soil testing conducted at the animal exercise area revealed that 14 out of 40 samples taken from the dunes contained asbestos. The contamination originates from small fragments of old fibre-cement sheeting. Notably, one of these samples contained "very low levels" of asbestos fines, which is considered the most hazardous form as the particles can become airborne.
Despite these findings, the city confirmed that the detected levels fall within the safety limits for recreational areas set by the Health Department. Comprehensive air monitoring during the initial investigation detected no airborne asbestos fibres, providing reassurance about the current risk to the public.
Ongoing Safety Measures and Historical Source
City of Joondalup CEO, James Pearson, stated that the council is taking a proactive approach to ensure community safety. "Despite the levels falling within DoH guidelines for recreational land use, the city will carry out further proactive remediation works at Hillarys animal exercise beach," Mr Pearson said.
The planned work involves the removal of approximately 24 cubic metres of sand from the affected section. This remediation is being handled by licensed asbestos specialists operating under strict safety controls, with continuous air monitoring throughout the process.
The asbestos is believed to be a legacy issue from old beach shacks that lined the coastline from Whitfords Beach to Pinnaroo Point between the 1950s and 1970s. Erosion from severe weather earlier this year exposed the old building debris, leading to the beach's initial closure in August for several weeks.
Long-Term Management and Public Access
Mr Pearson indicated that the immediate remediation work is expected to be completed by Monday. However, the city's commitment extends beyond this single clean-up. "The city will keep inspecting and cleaning the site weekly and is developing a long-term management plan to ensure the beach remains safe," he confirmed.
This incident is not isolated. Since 2021, the City of Joondalup has engaged specialist contractors to conduct regular inspections and remove fragments of asbestos-containing materials, which are typically exposed by coastal erosion.
While the remediation is underway, the beach will remain open to the public, though access to the southern section will be temporarily restricted as a precautionary measure. Further soil testing will be conducted after the sand removal to confirm the area is clear of asbestos contamination.
