Learn, Share &
Protect Our Coast

In October 2025, the Leisure Bay Conservancy became a GREEN COAST Destination – one of only two outside the Western and Eastern Cape. The Green Coast Award gives international recognition to the unspoilt beauty of Leisure Bay’s pristine coastline and our community’s dedicated efforts to conserve it.

Leisure Bay’s 4km-long coastline runs along our four sandy beaches: Kidd’s Beach, Peter Pan, Drakes’ and Ivy Beach (TO Strand). Our coastal footpaths meander along this entire length, connecting the river estuaries, rocky outcrops, dense coastal bush, wetlands, coastal dunes and fields of wildflowers. The seasonal visits of sardines, dolphins and increasing numbers of whales provide additional interest for visitors and residents alike.

Dedicated members of Leisure Bay’s active Conservancy volunteer their time constantly to preserve our unique environment, clear beaches of plastic and other debris after storms, preserve protected species and eradicate alien invasive plants.

With the help of our community, we can ensure that this beautiful coastline remains a thriving, natural haven for generations to come.

The reason behind narrow beach access.

Those familiar, winding tracks that slice through the thick coastal bush down to the shore are rarely wide enough to walk side-by-side. While they might seem unaccommodating at first glance, keeping beach access paths narrow is a deliberate, vital strategy for coastal conservation and land management.

A tight, single-file path naturally funnels traffic along an exact, concentrated line. This keeps human disturbance restricted to a single hard-packed surface, allowing the surrounding native plants and micro-habitats to thrive uninterrupted right alongside the path.

Sand dunes are bustling ecosystems. They are home to a massive variety of wildlife, including nesting birds, reptiles, insects and unique plants.

They are also the coast’s ultimate defence.

During massive storms, giant waves smash into the coast. If the beaches were completely flat, those waves would rush inland, flooding towns, destroying roads and endangering lives. Instead, the dunes absorb the brutal energy of the waves and hold back the water.

Sadly, the dunes have a dangerous enemy: us.

When people ignore the signs and run, slide or drive over the dunes, they crush the plants and destroy the fragile root system that binds the sand together. And our noble defender simply blows away in the wind.

By taking care of the dunes, we ensure that the beach, and the town behind it, will still be there for years to come.

Every year, over a million seabirds, sharks, turtles, and dolphins die from getting tangled up in abandoned fishing gear.

Leisure Bay Conservancy have teamed up with WESSA to protect our beautiful beaches and marine life through real actions:

• The special bins: We have installed dedicated fishing line bins along our coast. These act as a “safe zone” where fishermen can drop off their old, tangled nylon lines and hooks instead of tossing them into the rocks or sand.
• Citizen science: We don’t just throw the line away; we count and measure what we find. This helps scientists understand the pollution problem better so we can create long-term solutions.

How can you help?

• Pick it up: If you see discarded fishing gear on the beach, safely pick it up and deposit it in the ‘Stop the Strangle’ bins before the high tide washes it back into the sea.

Read more: Ghost Gear — Stop the Strangle →

Imagine eating a plastic bag, thinking it’s a juicy jellyfish. That’s exactly what happens to sea turtles when our trash washes into the ocean.

When you clean up the beach, you are literally saving lives. Sea birds, fish, and dolphins can easily get tangled in old fishing nets or accidentally choke on discarded plastic bottle caps.

By picking up trash today, you keep the ocean safe so amazing sea creatures can swim, feed, and live peacefully.

When walking with your furry friend it’s really not ok
When Fido goes to take a dump, to look the other way.
Please pick it up and move it, it’s the least that you can do,
Cos it spoils a perfect beach day if you step in doggy poo.

It’s really not a big deal, (you don’t need to be afraid!)
You can pop it in a jiffy bag or move it with a spade.
We beg you, please don’t bin it. Shake it out where no one goes
Away from trails and passersby, where it can decompose.

Invasive alien plants present a significant threat to localised biodiversity. When these aggressive species are systematically managed and removed, it triggers a powerful ecological restoration cascade that directly revitalises local wildlife, insects, and insect-fed food chains.

Invasive plant species spread aggressively, blanketing the landscape and smothering out structural diversity. Indigenous wildlife depends on multi-layered vegetation for nesting, burrowing, mating and shelter.

Read more: Restoring Biodiversity →

Ancient protectors of our coastline.

Imagine a tree that can survive howling salt winds, thick sea mist, and scorching coastal sun. These trees are not just plants; they are the ancient, resilient protectors of the ecosystem and a living piece of history.

Why are they protected?

Red Milkwoods are essential for the environment. Their thick, intertwined roots act like a natural anchor, gripping the sandy soil and preventing coastal erosion from heavy storms. Their dense leaves create a massive shield that protects smaller, delicate plants from harsh sea winds.

They provide habitat for countless creatures. Their small, purple-black berries feed local wildlife such as birds and monkeys, while their fragrant flowers attract helpful pollinators like bees and butterflies.

I have the best husband in the world! Today I arrived home and he presented me with a present. My very own panga!

For most people of my age, 69, retirement means slowing down. But being a member of the Leisure Bay Conservancy means quite the opposite. We are a surprisingly small group of volunteers who help maintain the Admiralty Reserve (that’s the area between the sea and the beach road).

It’s hard work. As a non-profit there is always fundraising to be organised, as well as the more strenuous side of actually working in the bush. There are 4 of us who go into the bush regularly every Wednesday to sort out the alien invasive plants. We do it to protect the wildlife and preserve nature’s natural habitats.