The pong from the gong !

To put it mildly - Wollongong's Lake Illawarra stinks !
Like most lakes with an entrance to the sea Lake Illawarra is subjected to regular closures when sand buildup blocks the channel. When this happens the lake becomes stagnant - until heavy rainfall raises it's level and removes the blockage.
This tends to annoy those who live by the lake. When it is closed to the sea there is no fresh nutriment and fish stocks fall. There is also a problem of flooding as the level rises but before it can dislodge the blockage of sand.
To solve the problem huge amounts of money have been spent to create a permanent opening. Bulldozers have artificially removed the sand blockage and now a double sea wall has been constructed to lengthen the entrance to deeper water.
The theory is that with a permanent entrance the lake will again become a paradise for those seeking fish and prawns and the tidal movement will flush the lake on a regular basis - with a vast improvement in water quality.
There is now a new problem - and it is driving away tourists and holiday makers - and making life miserable for those living near the lake and enjoying it's immense water views.
Now the lake is again tidal the sea grasses that are so important for fish stocks become uncovered at low tide - and with the baking effect of the sun they start to rot - and that creates a smell that many compare with an abattoirs or a garbage dump.
The smell is so bad that many claim outdoor BBQ's are out of the question, and that windows must be tightly closed on even a moderately warm day.
Unfortunately, if the objective is a healthy lake teeming with fish then these sea grasses are necessary - but if they are allowed to remain there is no prospect of removing that offensive smell.
It seems that lake residents have to make a choice. Have the lake authority use chemicals to poison and remove the grass beds - and end up with a lake devoid of fish - but with magnificent views - and no pong !
Or - enjoy the fishing and the sparkling water - and the view - but accept that the pong goes with the territory !