Fitness activities are abuzz at the outdoor gym in Neptune Park in Coogee but the noise has attracted complaints from residents nearby. Some restrictions affecting commercial training and loud music at this public venue could be in place after meetings with leaders and stakeholders.
Since the lockdowns in Sydney, commercial fitness owners have been using Neptune Park’s outdoor gym facilities whilst their studios remain closed. To keep their business operating, some trainers have conducted classes and personal training on the public site.
However, residents a few metres from the park have complained of gym buffs who train with loudspeakers with booming electric music, disrupting the neighbourhood’s quiet hours. At night, some turn on their brightest car headlights so they could use the facilities, turning the site into a 24-hour gym. Worse, residents have attested that the people who frequent the site use the green space as their public toilet.
Photo Credit: RCC/Facebook
From the start, residents said that they didn’t want an outdoor gym in Neptune Park because it could become a nuisance. However, Randwick City Council opened the facilities in February 2021 to improve and innovate outdoor spaces across the LGA.
Discussions among councillors and stakeholders are underway as a proposal to set restrictions has been brought up at the council meeting. If agreed, electronic music and commercial gym training could be banned at this outdoor gym and operating times will be enforced to ensure that residents will not be disturbed. However, some residents prefer the dismantling and relocation of the outdoor gym near Wylie’s Bath.
Meanwhile, beginning 27 Aug 2021, Randwick City Council has issued a Public Health Order requiring QR check-in codes at all outdoor gyms and playgrounds in the LGA. Hand sanitisers will also be available at these facilities.
“Adding the QR codes to these outdoor facilities means NSW Health will quickly be able to notify people should a confirmed COVID-19 case attend the location while infectious. We encourage everyone to use the codes while at one of these locations. Thank you!”
A digital display to honour and name the lifesavers killed during the war, located at the Fallen Lifesavers Memorial in Coogee, is in the works. Originally planned as a wall display, the digital design is expected to be a poignant memorial that family members of the heroes will appreciate.
This project is Stage 2 of the Fallen Lifesavers Memorial, which was installed in 2014 at the southern section of the Goldstein Reserve. Stage 1 comprised a bronze statue of a soldier and a lifesaver standing hand-in-hand to symbolise friendship and camaraderie. It was designed by sculpture artist Alan Somerville.
Aside from the digital display that will have the names of all the fallen heroes, the second stage of the construction will also include landscaping and ambient lighting.
Photo Credit: Randwick City Council
“We had originally planned to install the names on a wall,” according to Randwick Mayor Danny Said, adding that the digital interface will not take up too much space and “provide an interactive experience for family members researching loved ones lost in war.” The interactive display is easier to update as well.
“This is a space for locals, family members, and others to reflect on and remember the sacrifice made by these brave souls,” the mayor added. “It is such a generous act of service to not only want to protect the lives of swimmers at the beach but to also enlist to serve our country.”
Construction and installation of the digital memorial will start in September and will likely be completed at the end of 2021. Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club, which approached Randwick Council about the statue and memorial several years ago, has been tasked to manage the digital interface, including updating its information.
There were over 3,500 lifesavers who served Australia during the war.
“It’s an honour to have this national memorial based in Coogee, which has such a proud and longstanding link with surf lifesaving, and to be able to thank these men and women for their sacrifice,” according to Mr Said.
Coogee Bay Hotel has submitted plans for a massive $111.7-million revamp that includes the construction of 60 apartments, a supermarket, and an eat-street section. The plan has drawn mixed reactions, with a group of residents launching a petition to Save Coogee Village from the planned development.
In the Save Coogee Village petition, Coogee MP Marjorie O’Neill said that plans to build 60 new luxury home units with a mega car park could lead to over-development and exceed the building’s height standard for the area. The proposal could also see the residential buildings overshadowing the surrounding areas, including the famous Coogee amphitheater.
“We regard these plans as an atrocious overdevelopment of our seaside suburb and our iconic Coogee Beach precinct,” Ms O’Neill wrote. “The proposed redevelopment of the site would be of a size and scale that would change for the worse the cherished local and casual character of the area.”
As of press time, the petition has logged 382 signatures.
Highlights
Coogee Bay Hotel submitted plans for a massive $111.7-million development to refurbish the hotel and add residential and retail sites.
Coogee MP Marjorie O’Neill launched a petition opposing the plans with nearly 400 signatures from members of the community.
Cinc Hotels, which owns the site, said that the redevelopment was due as Coogee has evolved, especially in this pandemic.
However, Cinc Hotels manager Christopher Cheung said that the redevelopment is due after the hotel’s last major refurbishment 10 years ago. He said since Cinc Hotel bought the site in 1991, Coogee has evolved tremendously and the pandemic lockdowns have highlighted the need for a revamp of the 8,501-square metre site.
Under the plans (DA/437/2021) submitted to Randwick City Council, the mixed-use site will be divided into two sections, separating the hotel areas from the residential and retail areas.
Photo Credit: DA Tracking/Randwick City Council
The five-storey building housing the residential units will be a U-shape structure overlooking the swimming pool at the back of the hotel. A pedestrian link with an eat-street from Arden Street to Coogee Bay Road will be created, opening up to the retail and supermarket area.
In addition to the residential units, at least 10 new hotel rooms will be added to the building whilst 19 rooms will be refurbished, along with the bar and beer garden.
The proposal indicated that the “heritage components of the site and acknowledges the sense of identity Coogee Bay Hotel presents to the community, present and past.”
“The vision is to upgrade an existing heritage institution by providing opportunities and amenities for the community while enhancing the identity of the area.”
Residents along the long stretch of Carrington Road in Coogee may have noticed a foul-smelling odour when they pass down the hill. Whilst a temporary sandbag fix was done in recent weeks, the reeking problem is far from over.
A blockage from an old 200-meter long sewer pipe, which services 27 houses in the area, has caused a stream of sewage waste to flow onto the pavement, stormwater drains, and home gardens. However, Sydney Water has informed Randwick City Council that it can’t fix the blockage since this is part of a private system in one of the houses on Carrington Road.
The owner of the house might not even be aware that the blockage has caused a leak in the neighbouring properties. Some of the residents said that they have been frequently hosing their areas to remove the stench and they also have been telling passersby, especially children, to watch out for traces of human wastes in the puddles of water.
Apart from the putrid smell, the outflow of sewage water is a major health hazard.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
However, Sydney Water said the extent of their service, in this case, is to provide the homeowners proper advice on how to fix the blockage and leaks, which they will have to shoulder out-of-pocket.
Randwick Deputy Mayor Philipa Veitch said that putting the responsibility of repairing an old 200-metre pipe on the homeowners could take years to transpire and might involve litigation. Instead, she asked Sydney Water to take charge.
“It’s classified as a private line but at 200-m long and under a major road, it’s too big a job for the residents to fix. Sydney Water runs our sewerage system and needs to fix this mess,” Ms Veitch said.
The Council has sought intervention from NSW Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey, whose office confirmed that they are investigating the matter and has sent people to check on the temporary fix. A spokesperson for Pavey also said that Sydney Water will continue to coordinate with the Council.
Coogee is among the top 10 suburbs in the country with the most expensive childcare fees but local parents can expect some relief during the Greater Sydney lockdown, following the announcement of a waiver from the federal government.
The Federal Government confirmed that beginning Monday, 19 July, families staying at home and not using childcare services should not be charged the gap fees but could still receive their childcare subsidies.
Despite the lockdown, childcare centres have been allowed to open, especially for essential workers. However, many parents have chosen to keep their children safely at home while the COVID-19 situation continues to impact Sydney.
Highlights
The Federal Government waived the gap in childcare fees for parents during the lockdown.
However, childcare centres in affluent suburbs said they rely on the gap fees to stay afloat during this crisis.
Coogee residents pay the 7th highest childcare fees in the country.
Gap fees are the amount families pay for childcare services that are not covered by the government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS). With the waiver in effect, families will still have their children enrolled at the centres even if they have not been using the service for weeks.
“When gap-fees are waived, families will not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for those days that their children are at home during the current stay at home period,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement.
Photo Credit: Conger Design/Pixabay
The statistic shows that 216,000 families stand to benefit from this initiative. However, the Education Department has no data on how many of the 3,634 centres across Greater Sydney will be waiving fees.
Whilst the waiver has been good news for parents, Chiang Lim of the Australian Childcare Alliance NSW said that some services in Sydney’s most affluent suburbs heavily rely on payment from the parents to remain open. Thus, their operational costs will be more dependent on the gap fees and, if waived, they will not be able to pay for staff wages, rent and other obligations. One operator said that they did not agree with the Federal Government’s decision.
It comes as a survey from KinderCare showed that Coogee families spend $159.36 a day for childcare services, the seventh most expensive childcare cost in Australia.
The waiver will be re-assessed after 30 July 2021 whilst the Australian Childcare Alliance NSW gathers more data from childcare services.
The Wonderland house on Baden Street in Coogee will remain standing following the rejection of a development application to demolish the property for a new residential facility.
Randwick City Council refused DA/523/2020 after six months of assessment. According to the Council’s report, the application does not comply with the Randwick Local Environment Plan, the Randwick Development Control Plan 2013, and the Apartment Design Guide.
The rejection also stated that the building designed to replace the iconic Wonderland house is not compatible with the bulk and scale of the streetscape. However, the developer could still appeal the decision to the Land and Environment Court within six months of the refusal.
It comes as the Randwick community opposed the development application, citing that the Coogee building is a historic and iconic site with a rich social and cultural impact.
“Its nautical details and the brightly painted facade is instantly recognisable in Coogee and is a nod to earlier times.
“As well as its jaunty seaside art deco architecture, once so popular in Coogee, the building has a fascinating social history. It was built in 1922 by McLeod who owned the garage located in the dome building (now the Coogee Pavilion).”
In recent history, the house was the set of the television series, Wonderland, which aired from 2013 to 2015. However, the Wonderland house is not a heritage-listed site.
Did you know that seven of the 10 suburbs with the most expensive childcare cost in Australia are located in Sydney? Coogee takes the seventh spot in this top 10 list.
Coogee parents pay $159.36 a day for childcare services, according to survey data collected by KindiCare, a childminding app for families and childcare providers. Coogee’s numbers closely follow the rates of these top three Sydney locations: Rose Bay ($168), Mosman ($161.90) and the City of Sydney ($161.90).
The rest of the Sydney suburbs on this list include Surry Hills, Bondi, Crows Nest and Vaucluse, whilst two Melbourne suburbs, Armadale and Prahan, round up the top 10 places with most expensive childcare costs in the country.
SUBURB
REGION
COST of CHILDCARE
Rose Bay
Sydney NSW
$168
Mosman
Sydney NSW
$161.90
City of Sydney
Sydney NSW
$161.63
Armadale
Melbourne VIC
$161
Prahan
Melbourne VIC
$160.88
Surry Hills
Sydney NSW
$159.63
Coogee
Sydney NSW
$159.36
Bondi
Sydney NSW
$158.78
Crows Nest
Sydney NSW
$158.67
Vaucluse
Sydney NSW
$158.18
According to KindiCare creator Benjamin Balk, the results of the survey covering 16,400 centres wer not surprising and he believes that an expensive childcare cost does not always equate to quality. However, some facilities in Sydney may be more expensive because there are exclusive or unique choices that are not commonly available at other facilities.
Photo Credit: Daniela Dimitrova/Pixabay
Mr Balk said that there are heaps of private childcare facilities in Sydney that provide options like music lessons for kids or an onsite chef who prepares their meals, on top of the quality learning experiences given to the children. Many parents are also willing to invest in these inclusions because the long-term outcomes become evident when their son or daughter start formal school.
However, childcare costs are a strain on the budget of about 90,000 working parents who pay more for this expense than their rent or mortage, according to Georgie Dent of Parenthood. Whilst the Australian Government provide childcare subsidies, Ms Dent believes that fees will continue to increase unless the system is fixed.
It was a “delicate and difficult operation” but fortunately, groups of rescuers in Sydney were able to help free a humpback whale caught in netting one recent Sunday afternoon off the coast of Coogee Beach.
Onlookers from the beach were able to film the distressed mammal as it tried to free itself, dragging two floating buoys on the water. The witnesses said that the whale’s movements were erratic thus it was apparent there was something wrong.
Marine Area Command received an alert and sent out a sea crew to help the animal, which had been circling Coogee Beach. A spokesperson said that the officers were able to get close enough to the massive mammal and cut the ropes off the buoys.
The groups have been coordinating with each other due to the dangerous nature of the rescue. According to a spokesperson from the ORCCA, the effort required a specialist since it involves a distressed humpback. The rescuers were also racing against time as the incident occurred at about 4:00 p.m. With sundown looming, they had to act fast and assess the mammal’s situation before they lose sunlight.
Meanwhile, humpback whales usually swim in Sydney’s eastern coastline to head north during the migration season of May to November. Thus, Coogee Beach is a hotspot for whale watching during these months and people could easily spot humpbacks as they are the most playful whales. However, on some occasions, killer whales, pilot whales and minke whales pass along the waters as well.
Have you heard about the decades-old case of the shark that threw up a human arm at the old Coogee Aquarium and Swimming Baths on Dolphin Street? If you haven’t, here’s a look back at the strange case which involves a dismembered arm, a missing body, and a man who admitted some involvement but professed his innocence of murder up to his dying day.
In 1935, a four-meter tiger shark from Coogee Beach was put on display inside the massive aquarium at the complex. One day, visitors were stunned to witness the shark throwing up a human arm with a distinctive boxer tattoo.
Confused police personnel tried to put the pieces of the bizarre case together beginning with the identity of the floating limb and how it ended up in a shark tank. They were able to lift fingerprints from the arm, which led them to James “Jim” Smith, a boxer and small-time criminal who was reported missing by his family.
Photo Credit: Trove Australia
His brother, Edward Smith, and his wife, Gladys Smith, were able to confirm his identity because of the arm tattoo. They also confirmed that Jim had a risky job and sometimes informed the police about his dealings in the underworld.
The investigation also led police to Reginald William Lloyd Holmes, a known smuggler and insurance scammer who sometimes relied on Jim for help. In one of their scams, the pair worked with a former serviceman, Patrick Francis Brady, who had a record for forgery. The authorities later figured out that Brady was blackmailing Holmes.
Patrick Brady Photo Credit: Trove Australia
More than a month after discovering the arm, Brady was charged and tried in court for the murder of Jim. Witnesses attested that Brady was with Jim at a bar on the night of his disappearance, despite Jim’s protestations of innocence.
Holmes tried to distance himself from Brady’s legal troubles and attempted to take his own life, to avoid talking to the police. His attempt at suicide failed and he finally cooperated. Holmes said that Brady talked about dismembering Jim’s body, putting it in the boot of his car, and jettisoning the vehicle at Gunnamatta Bay in Cronulla.
Photo Credit: Noah Fortuna/Google Maps
Holmes said that Brady came to his house that night bearing Jim’s tattooed arm to issue threats. Holmes confessed that he disposed of the arm off the coast between Maroubra and Coogee.
A day before Holmes was supposed to give his testimony, he was found dead inside his car parked on Hickson Road in Dawes Point, in an apparent suicide. Many believed his death to be otherwise because police had discovered that Brady was working for Edward Frederick Weyman, a gang boss, who had learned that Jim was an informant.
Unfortunately, despite the police’s best efforts, the shark arm case was dismissed, largely because police were unable to find the body and their star witness was dead. Brady’s lawyers argued that the discovered arm “did not constitute a body,” which raised doubt on Jim’s death and posed the possibility that he could still be alive. Up to his death in 1965, Brady was firm in telling the police he did not murder Jim.
So, how did the arm end up in the shark tank? Investigators speculated that a small shark swallowed Jim’s tattooed arm, only to eaten by a bigger tiger shark, which was caught and placed inside the Coogee Aquarium. At that time, the aquarium’s owners needed the tiger shark on display to draw the public with something interesting because they were strapped for cash.
The bizarre murder case placed the Coogee Aquarium on the front pages of newspapers, sparking renewed interest from curious locals. The story of the shark arm case became fodder for urban legends and material for books and even television shows like “CSI Miami.“
Meanwhile, despite becoming a heritage-listed site in May 1982, the Coogee Aquarium and Swimming Baths’ original building eventually deteriorated as nature and lack of attention to the site took its course. In 1996, Council initiated a major renovation of the site, which is now known as the Coogee Pavillion, with its rows of shops and restaurants.
A corner building in Coogee, which has been the home of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) for 36 years, has proven to be a lucrative investment, fetching over $11 million when the property changed hands and potentially giving the new owner over $400K in rental income per year.
The 585 square meter property is a two-storey structure on 199 Coogee Bay Road, a very prominent site on the suburb’s retail strip and some 250 meters of the beach. The new owner, a Coogee businessman who runs a gym near the bank’s location, had outbid 15 other potential buyers, pushing the sale past its reserve price by $2.5 million.
Following the sale, CBA has also signed another three-year lease on the Coogee building, securing the new owner’s investments. The property is situated on B2 Local Centre zoning with a 12 meter heigh limit, opening possibilities for developments in the future.
Photo Credit: Scozzy/Pixabay
It’s mostly local investors who have been keen on buying commercial properties in the eastern suburbs beaches than investors abroad since the pandemic. These local investors are more familiar with the properties’ value thus they are willing to pay a premium.
Due to its proximity to the beach, the Coogee lifestyle is all about a work/life balance with several locals embracing fitness and health, with the occasional fish and chip indulgence. Commercial activities and traffic usually peak during the summer months as people flock to Coogee’s beautiful beaches.
In Coogee, apartments are more in demand than traditional houses so there are more new buildings than old but renovated homes. However, these apartments boast of some of the best views of the beachside that appeals to many investors as well.
