Beach, dune and rocky shore environments fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

Beaches, dunes and rocky shores are coastal environments where land, sea and air meet. They are shaped by waves, tides, wind, sand movement, salt spray, storms and sunlight. These environments can contain many smaller habitats, including dry sand, wet sand, strandlines, dune plants, rock platforms, crevices, rock pools and shallow water.

A beach is a sandy or pebbly area beside the sea. Dunes are raised areas of wind-blown sand that form behind many beaches. Rocky shores are areas where solid rock, boulders or rock platforms meet the sea. In Sydney, intertidal habitats include beaches and rocky shores, and these places support many animals that must survive changing tides and harsh conditions.

These environments are different from the bushland, creeks, mangroves and salt marsh near Field of Mars Reserve, but they are part of the wider NSW coastal environment. They help students compare how living things survive in places shaped by salt water, waves, moving sand and exposure to sun and wind.

A beach, dune and rocky shore environment.

Beaches, dunes and rocky shores can occur together in coastal national parks such as Murramarang National Park.

Where are beach, dune and rocky shore environments found?

Beaches, dunes and rocky shores are found along much of the NSW coastline. NSW has about 1900 kilometres of coastline, made up mostly of sandy shores and rocky shores, with a smaller amount of muddy shore. These places include ocean beaches, sheltered bays, rocky headlands, rock platforms, estuaries and coastal national parks.

In the Sydney region, coastal environments can be seen at places such as Royal National Park, Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Long Reef, northern beaches, eastern beaches and parts of Sydney Harbour. Some coasts are open to large waves, while others are more sheltered. This affects the sand, rocks, plants and animals found there.

Garie Beach in Royal National Park shows how beaches, rocky headlands and coastal slopes can occur close together.

What living and non-living features make up beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

The living features include dune plants, algae, seaweeds, fungi, bacteria, crabs, worms, snails, limpets, mussels, barnacles, sea stars, sea anemones, fish, reptiles and birds. Plants and algae are producers because they use sunlight to make food. Animals are consumers because they eat plants, algae, detritus or other animals. Decomposers break down dead plants, dead animals and seaweed washed onto the shore.

The non-living features include sand, rock, salt water, air, sunlight, wind, waves, tides, temperature, rainfall and nutrients. On beaches and dunes, wind moves sand and plants help trap it. On rocky shores, tides cover and uncover rock platforms, creating tough conditions for animals and algae that must survive drying, heat, salt water and wave action.

Coastal banksia is a living feature of some NSW coastal environments.

What plants and animals live in beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

Dune plants are often low, spreading or tough-leaved plants that can survive wind, salt spray, heat and moving sand. Coastal spinifex can grow on coastal sand dunes and has long stolons that spread across sand. Pigface grows on coastal sand dunes close to the sea and has fleshy leaves that help it survive dry, salty conditions.

Rocky shores can support algae, seaweeds, barnacles, limpets, snails, chitons, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, anemones and small fish. Some animals clamp tightly to rocks, hide in crevices, close shells or stay in rock pools to avoid drying out at low tide. Beaches and dunes can also support shorebirds such as little terns, pied oystercatchers, sooty oystercatchers, hooded plovers, beach stone-curlews and red-capped plovers.

Coastal spinifex helps trap wind-blown sand and stabilise coastal dunes.

Little terns are beach-nesting shorebirds that can feed along the NSW coast.

How do living things depend on beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

Living things depend on these environments for food, water, shelter, breeding places and safe places to grow. On dunes, plants trap sand, reduce erosion and create shelter for insects, reptiles and birds. On beaches, seaweed and other material washed ashore can feed small animals, which then become food for birds and fish.

On rocky shores, algae and seaweeds are important producers. Grazing animals such as limpets and snails feed on algae. Crabs, sea stars, fish and shorebirds may feed on smaller animals. A simple rocky shore food chain could be: algae → limpet → sea star. A simple beach food chain could be: washed-up seaweed → beach invertebrate → shorebird.

Zebra snails are rocky shore grazers that feed on algae growing on rocks.

How are beach, dune and rocky shore environments connected to Aboriginal Peoples and Country?

Beaches, dunes, estuaries and rocky shores are part of coastal Country. Aboriginal Peoples have long cared for, learned from and used coastal places. In coastal Sydney, Aboriginal Peoples fished and collected shellfish and crustaceans from rock platforms, sandy shorelines, muddy shorelines, estuaries and bays.

Some coastal places contain Aboriginal cultural sites, including shell middens, engravings and other heritage places. These places must be respected and protected. Visitors should not touch, collect, move or disturb shells, stones, artefacts or cultural sites. Local cultural knowledge belongs to the Aboriginal Peoples connected to that place.

Coastal Country includes beaches, dunes, rock platforms and headlands that hold cultural, ecological and educational importance.

Why are beach, dune and rocky shore environments important?

Beaches, dunes and rocky shores are important because they support biodiversity and provide many smaller habitats in a small area. Dunes help buffer parts of the coast from wind, waves and storm erosion. Rocky shores and rock pools provide shelter and feeding areas for many animals, including invertebrates, fish and birds.

These environments are also important for learning, recreation and community wellbeing. Students can observe tides, erosion, deposition, food chains, animal adaptations, coastal plants, shorebird protection and human impacts. They are useful places for comparing natural and urban environments in NSW.

Coastal environments are important places for biodiversity, fieldwork, recreation and learning.

What threatens beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

Beaches, dunes and rocky shores can be damaged by trampling, vehicles, weeds, rubbish, pollution, coastal development, erosion, storms, sea level rise and climate change. Dune plants can be damaged when people walk, ride or drive through dunes instead of staying on tracks and beach access paths. Without healthy dune plants, sand can move more easily and dunes may become less stable.

Rocky shores can be damaged when people collect animals, remove shells, turn over rocks, leave rubbish or walk carelessly through sensitive areas. In some NSW aquatic reserves, including Long Reef Aquatic Reserve, collecting marine animals, marine plants, shellfish or empty shells from the shore is not allowed. Threatened beach-nesting shorebirds are also vulnerable to disturbance from people, dogs, vehicles, predators, storms and high tides.

Plastic rubbish can wash onto beaches and become a threat to coastal animals and habitats.

How can you help protect beach, dune and rocky shore environments?

You can help protect beaches and dunes by staying on marked tracks, using beach access paths, keeping out of fenced dune areas, taking rubbish home and keeping dogs away from shorebird nesting areas. During shorebird nesting season, visitors should read signs, give birds space and walk on wet sand where this is recommended.

You can help protect rocky shores by looking carefully without collecting animals, shells, seaweed or rocks. Walk slowly, avoid stepping on animals and never turn over rocks or move animals. Check local rules before visiting rock platforms, aquatic reserves or marine parks, because some places have strict protection rules.

Staying on marked tracks helps protect fragile dunes and plants.

Related fact sheets

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• Ecosystem and environment fact sheets⁠ – Browse fact sheets about local, Sydney and wider NSW environments.
• Ecosystems and environments fact sheet⁠ – Compare habitats, ecosystems and environments across NSW.
• Mangrove forest fact sheet⁠ – Compare exposed coasts with sheltered tidal forests in estuaries and rivers.
• Coastal salt marsh fact sheet⁠ – Learn about another coastal ecosystem shaped by tides, salt water and sediments.
• River and creek environment fact sheet⁠ – Compare freshwater flow with tidal and wave-shaped coastal environments.

Habitats

• Water habitats fact sheet⁠ – Explore how wet places support aquatic plants, animals and food webs.

Animals connected to coastal and aquatic habitats

• Semaphore crab fact sheet⁠ – Learn about a crab that lives in muddy intertidal habitats.
• Rakali fact sheet⁠ – Explore a native water rat that hunts in waterways and wet habitats.
• Bird fact sheets⁠ – Browse bird fact sheets linked to habitats, food webs and conservation.

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Learning resources

Use this beach, dune and rocky shore fact sheet to support classroom learning about waves, tides, sand movement, rock pools and coastal change.

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