Oct 21, 2025, Ling Meng

A UNSW research team lead by Professor Xiao Hua Wang from School of Science, UNSW Canberra successfully conducted a fieldwork on 14 October 2025 in Batemans Bay, New South Wales. The purpose of this fieldwork was to deploy two moorings including turbidity sensor (NTU), Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), and RBR wave gauge at two stations in Batemans Bay. Water samples were also collected during the deployment for cross-calibration with the NTU turbidity readings. Funded by the New South Wales Transport this fieldwork forms part of the ongoing water quality and hydrodynamic monitoring program designed to support dredging and sediment transport studies in the Clyde River estuary and adjacent coastal areas. This activity is also a part of a UNSW National Industry PhD Program (Mr Yaocheng Deng) in collaboration with the Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Mr James Caffery, Natural Resource Officer from the Council, joined the field trip. His participation ensured effective engagement between the UNSW research team and the Council. In addition, the research team also discussed with James on future collaboration framework including data sharing, beach surveying, sediment monitoring strategies, and integration of the field observations into the Council’s coastal management planning programs. This engagement activity helped strengthen the alignment between the research objectives and the Council’s management priorities.

Figure 1-Water sampling.


Figure 2 Wave gauge (RBR) deployment.


Figure 3 ADCP and NTU deployment.


Figure 4. Sand scraping at Surfside Beach on 26 September 2025.


Figure 5. Newly built sand dune after the scarping activity.