There's barely an inch of sand visible on the beach between Worm Bay and the Pavillion area due to large amounts of smelly seaweed washed up on the shore.

Warrnambool City Council conducts scheduled beach cleaning three times per week between November and May.

A council spokesman said other cleaning may occur if it is required for a specific reason and if it is possible.

"Seaweed removal is often not possible in winter as the tides are too high to operate machines on the beach," he said.

"The saturated sand means there is a strong possibility machinery would become bogged."

The spokesman said that during the winter the higher tides deposited large amounts of kelp.

"During the summer beach cleaning the tides are lower and the weed can be piled at the bottom of the dune," he said.

"However, with higher winter tides the water frequently moves seaweed piled at the base of the dune straight back on to the beach.

"These are natural environmental processes."

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