Australia: Byron Bay beach 'all but gone' as wild weather erodes Australia's coast

Usually a popular destination in New South Wales, Bryon Bay has been struck by extreme weather causing the severe erosion of its beach. 

Main Beach at Byron Bay has all but disappeared, Byron Mayor Simon Richardson told media on Monday.

He said that "severe weather" and "massive swells" were washing away what was left. "We're watching our beach disappear."

Byron Bay's Main Beach has always had an issue with erosion, but the "abnormally high tides" recently have caused the beach to "disappear". 

A tourist who visited the beach said: "It's unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it. There's actually a stairway and the footings are all gone. It's incredible."

The Bureau of Meteorology said the northern parts of the New South Wales state recorded about 15.7 inches of rain in the last two days with more rain forecast.

It warned coastal erosion, hazardous rain and huge waves off the coast would continue through Monday and urged motorists to stay off the roads.

Australia is expecting a wetter than usual summer this year due to a La Nina weather phenomenon, typically associated with greater rainfall and more tropical cyclones, though a major heat wave had sweltered the east just weeks ago.

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