Botany Bay

As part of our Beachwatch program we assess swimming suitability at 11 swimming sites in Botany Bay using microbial indicators. We collect samples at each site weekly between October and April, and monthly from May to September, to calculate the suitability grade. Sampling is ongoing. Each grade reflects the most recent 100 water quality results to April 2022. Find out more about how we monitor beach water quality.

Estuarine, lake and lagoon water can sometimes be unsuitable for swimming, especially after rainfall when stormwater and wastewater can overflow into swimming areas. Learn more about what the grades mean and how we grade swimming sites on the Beachwatch How we report webpage.

Physical characteristics

_{Notes: km² = square kilometres; m = metres; m³ = cubic metres; ML = megalitres.}

Land use 

The Botany Bay catchment has been heavily disturbed, with a significant amount of the land cleared for urban and industrial use. On the north side are the historic site of La Perouse and various industrial operations, including Port Botany and Sydney Airport. To the south is Kurnell, where land use includes a mixture of conservation areas, heavy industry and residential areas. To the west is Brighton Le Sands, which consists of a mix of residential and commercial businesses.

National and marine parks

• Kamay Botany Bay National Park is the largest conservation area in the Botany Bay catchment.
• Towra Point Nature Reserve supports the largest wetland of its type in the greater Sydney region and is a Ramsar wetland of international importance.
• Cape Banks Aquatic Reserve is located on the north headland of Botany Bay and aims to conserve biodiversity and protect habitat.
• There is no marine park associated with this estuary.

Community involvement

• Bayside Bushcare is a community group that provides volunteers with the opportunity to get involved in bushcare work such as weed removal, planting of native species, mulching, animal surveys and seed collection.
• Cooks River Alliance is a partnership of 4 councils dedicated to improving the health of the Cooks River. The alliance runs programs and supports volunteers who want to get involved in environmental projects. Its website includes and list of links to other community groups working to restore and protect the health and biodiversity of the Cooks River.
• Georges Riverkeeper is a catchment management group that works with 8 member councils to improve the environment of the Georges River. They raise community awareness about protecting and restoring the natural environment and provide links for volunteers to get involved.