The Coffs Harbour LGA has a large number of estuaries which all require careful management.
Arrawarra Creek is a small estuarine water body situated at Arrawarra, approximately 30 kilometres north of Coffs Harbour.
The Boambee/Newports Estuary has a roughly rectangular shape catchment area of approximately 49 km2.
The Bonville Pine Creek estuary is situated south of Sawtell, about 9 kilometres south of Coffs Harbour.
Coffs Creek estuary is a wave-dominated barrier estuary and is semi-mature. The estuary is surrounded by estuarine wetlands, urban and open space areas.
Hearnes Lake is located approximately 25 kilometres north of Coffs Harbour, just south of Woolgoolga.
The Moonee Creek estuary is located approximately 8km north of Coffs Harbour, and enters the ocean immediately north of Green Bluff and adjacent to the village of Moonee Beach.
Pipe Clay Lake is a small estuary located in the traditional lands of the Gumbaynggirr people in Corindi, around 40 kilometres north of Coffs Harbour.
The Woolgoolga Lake Estuary is a small coastal lake with a catchment area of 22 km2 with a water area of approximately 3 km2. Willis Creek and Darkum Creek are small estuaries located to the south and north of Woolgoolga Lake.