Middle Camp Creek is located at Catherine Hill Bay on the central coast of New South Wales. It is classed as a back-dune lagoonn with an entrance that is intermittently open and closed to the ocean.
Water quality report card
As part of our water quality monitoring program we assess the water quality and ecosystem health of an estuary using a range of relevant indicators. We sample a subset of the estuaries located between Taree and Wollongong every 3 years. The most recent sampling in Middle Camp Creek was completed over the 2022–23 summer, when 2 sites were sampled on a monthly basis.
This report card represents 2 water quality indicators that we routinely measure: the amount of algae present and water clarity. Low levels of these 2 indicators equate with good water quality. The numerical scores for these 2 indicators are averaged to give the overall grade.
Algae
Water clarity
Overall grade
The report card shows the condition of the estuary was excellent with:
- algae abundance graded excellent (A)
- water clarity graded good (B)
- overall estuary health graded excellent (A).
Grades for algae, water clarity and overall are represented as:
- A – excellent
- B – good
- C – fair
- D – poor
- E – very poor
Go to estuary report cards to find out what each grade means, read our sampling, data analysis and reporting protocols, and find out how we calculate these grades.
We have monitored water quality in Middle Camp Creek since 2010. This table shows the water quality grades for this estuary over that time.
| Year | Algae | Water clarity | Overall grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | A | B | A |
| 2019–20 | C | C | C |
| 2016–17 | B | B | B |
| 2013–14 | C | C | C |
| 2010–11 | B | B | B |
Physical characteristics
| Estuary type | Back-dune lagoon |
|---|---|
| Latitude (ºS) | –33.15 |
| Longitude (ºE) | 151.64 |
| Catchment area (km2) | 5 |
| Estuary area (km2) | 0.01 |
| Estuary volume (ML) | 2.3 |
| Average depth (m) | 0.2 |
Notes: km2 = square kilometres; m = metres; ML = megalitres.
Water depth and survey data
Bathymetric and coastal topography data for this estuary are available in our data portal.
Land use
About 85% of the Middle Camp Creek catchment is undisturbed forest. Some urban and rural residential development has changed land use in about 14% of the catchment and the Pacific Highway cuts through the upper catchment
National and marine parks
- Munmorah State Conservation Area encompasses most of this catchment.
- This estuary does not flow into a marine park.
Community involvement
- Lake Macquarie Landcare provide support and links to dozens of local volunteer groups that do conservation work and care for the environment around Middle Camp Creek.
Aerial view of Middle Camp Creek estuary.
Local government management
Local councils manage estuaries within their area. Where an estuary is attached to a marine park, marine park management teams are responsible for ensuring compliance with marine park zoning.
Lake Macquarie Council manages this estuary.
Threatened species
Middle Camp Creek supports habitat for many threatened species, including the vulnerable squirrel glider, which lives in the local eucalypt woodlands and rainforests.
Find out more about the biodiversity in our estuaries.