Randwick City Council will this month commence work to conceal the infamous Malabar Beach stormwater pipe as part of its ongoing program to improve the water quality and natural environment of the beach.

Funded under the 2015-16 Capital Works Program, the $130,000 project involves burying the pipe under an armour of rocks, native plants and vegetation blending it with the natural landscape.

Randwick Mayor Noel D’Souza welcomed the project.

“Locals will be glad to see the back of this pipe,” Mayor D’Souza said. “We’ve got our beach back. It’s beautiful, clean and relatively undiscovered.

“The pipe is now rarely used following the completion of a stormwater diversion project in 2012, but the massive pipe remains on the beach and is an eyesore and a reminder of the beach’s dirty past.

“Since the completion of the stormwater diversion project, the water quality has improved significantly and has been rated as ‘good’ for the past three years by the State Government’s Beach Watch program.

“Now with the concealment of the pipe we will be able to improve the overall aesthetics of the beach, reaffirming this beautiful coastline as a family favourite for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor D’Souza said.

Council investigated several options to conceal the storm pipe measuring at 24 meters in length and 1.8 meters in diameter.

“We looked into a number of options to improve the stormwater piper including the possible removal of the pipe, shortening the pipe and even transforming the pipe into a channel which would flow out onto the beach and into the water.

"Upon further investigation we found these options were not favourable due to the impacts on the beach, overall beach visual appeal and marine ecosystems", Mayor D'Souza said.

For the safety of residents and visitors access to the northern rock platform at Malabar Beach will be limited from Monday to Friday during completion of the project, however will be restored for the weekend.

Construction is expected to be complete in June 2016 weather permitting.