The same powdery sand also lines the northern beaches of the facing island, Haslewood.

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Curl Curl is part of an area known as the Northern Beaches, the heartland of Australian beach culture, where clubs are locked in fierce rivalry.

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No-one from Tidy Northern Ireland, where beaches in County Londonderry and Antrim were highlighted, was available to comment.

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Mr Attwood will also be noting that there were no plastic bags listed in the top ten items found on Northern Ireland's beaches.

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Northern Ireland's beaches are some of the untidiest in the UK, with litter levels per kilometre more than double that found on most other beaches.

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The survey was carried out in the 2003 bathing season and found a UK average of 98.4% compliance - which was highest in Northern Ireland, where all beaches met the grade.

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One of the most frequented stretches of track winds its way through the beautiful Balagne region along the northern coast, stopping at gorgeous beaches and sleepy resort towns.

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Cider and green hillscapes, for example, are features of the camino del norte along the verdant northern coast, as are handsome beaches whose bracing waters are sweet relief between hill trudges.

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The pieces of gutta percha have been found on beaches in Cornwall, Devon, northern France and the Netherlands in the last year.

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Although it is the least safe part of Central America, the northern triangle does receive tourists seeking Mayan ruins, volcanoes, beaches and jungles.

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