First the mangroves around Swan Bay started dying off, then the fish began to disappear.
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Today, the water around Tea Gardens, one of the state's tourism magnets, has an inky black look about it.
Water quality sampling at Marine Drive this week revealed salinity was at seven parts per thousand - healthy estuarine water is normally about 30 parts per thousand.
Locals don't dispute that the lakes system is naturally slow to flush. Record rainfall hasn't helped, but long time residents say they have never seen the estuary so ill.
Adding to their frustration is the apparent lack of coordination between multiple government agencies responsible for managing different aspects of the environment.
But if there is one point that everyone agrees on it is that permanently unclogging the river's natural entrance, or shortcut, would dramatically improve the estuary's health.
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The entrance was dredged in 2015 and again in 2019. It is scheduled to be dredged in 2025.
"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the situation. Any restriction at the river's entrance is going to stop oceanic water coming up the river and flushing it out," Tea Gardens Slipway president Paul Bendy said.
The Myall River Action Group, which formed more than a decade ago to campaign for the river's health, is lobbying to have the natural entrance formally declared as a navigational channel in an effort to attract ongoing maintenance funding.
The river's western, man-made entrance is presently designated as the river's navigational channel, however, studies have shown it does not flush as effectively as the natural entrance.
Myall River Action Group spokesman Gordon Grainger said investing in the natural channel would bring additional benefits such as reducing fuel costs for larger vessels, improving the viability of oyster farms and enhancing the protection of Corrie Island from feral animals.
"The river is the lifeblood of this community. The only long-term solution to the river's problems is to restore the natural eastern entrance," he said.
"We are seeking government support to achieve our goal."
A NSW Maritime spokesman said the option of creating a navigational channel at the river's natural entrance had previously been investigated but it was determined that it was not required
"A channel does not need to be designated as a navigational channel in order for it to be eligible for funding for dredging," he said.
"Requests for dredging can be made to the Maritime Infrastructure Delivery Office and an analysis will be conducted."
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Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
