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Shark Bite Kits Now Available After Hours at Maroubra Beach

Two new after-hours shark bite kits have been installed at Maroubra and Coogee beaches through a partnership between Randwick City and Surfing NSW, giving swimmers, surfers and beachgoers access to life-saving trauma equipment outside lifeguard patrol hours.

The kits sit alongside a newly installed rescue tube at each location, adding a practical layer of emergency preparedness to two of Sydney’s eastern suburbs’ busiest beaches. At Maroubra, the after-hours rescue tube and trauma kit are installed next to the Lifeguard Office, making them easy to locate for anyone familiar with the beach. For Maroubra’s large and active surf community, the addition means that critical emergency tools are now accessible around the clock, not just during patrolled hours.

What the Kits Contain and Where to Find Them

Each shark bite kit contains a tourniquet, dressings and bandages, a thermal blanket and a simple instruction card. The kits focus on controlling life-threatening blood loss in the crucial minutes between a shark attack and the arrival of professional medical help, and the simple instruction card empowers any bystander to provide immediate assistance, even without prior first aid training.

Installed alongside each kit is a rescue tube, a buoyant foam device designed to keep a person afloat in the water during a rescue. Together, the two pieces of equipment address both the in-water and on-shore phases of an emergency response, bridging the gap between the moment an incident occurs and when paramedics reach the scene.

The kits are a product of Community Shark Bite Kits, a not-for-profit initiative that has now placed kits at more than 120 beaches across Australia. The Maroubra and Coogee installations bring this proven national model to the Randwick City coastline for the first time.

After-Hours Safety on an Unpatrolled Beach

The kits are specifically designed to fill the gap outside lifeguard patrol hours, a period when beaches remain in constant use but professional emergency response is not immediately on hand. Lifeguard patrols at Maroubra operate from 7am to 7pm during daylight saving and from 7am to 5pm during winter and non-daylight saving periods. Outside those windows, the shark bite kit and rescue tube next to the Lifeguard Office offer a vital additional layer of safety for beach users, alongside existing emergency infrastructure.

That after-hours focus reflects a realistic understanding of how eastern suburbs beaches operate. Maroubra draws surfers before dawn and long after dusk throughout the year, and many of the suburb’s most committed ocean users are in the water precisely during the hours when lifeguards are not on patrol. Having trauma equipment permanently installed and accessible at any hour addresses that reality in a direct and practical way.

Why This Matters to Maroubra

Maroubra’s surf culture runs deep, and the beach attracts not just locals but visitors from across Sydney and beyond. The coastal safety infrastructure at the beach already includes CCTV, emergency response beacons and a publicly accessible defibrillator, and the shark bite kit and rescue tube now sit alongside those existing measures as part of a comprehensive approach to beach safety.

All beach users are encouraged to note the location of the shark bite kit and rescue tube next to the Lifeguard Office at Maroubra before entering the water. In any emergency, the first call should always be to 000.

Published 23-March-2026.

Des Renford Leisure Centre in Maroubra to Open Purpose-Built Reformer Pilates Studio

RCC

Des Renford Leisure Centre at the corner of Robey Street and Jersey Road in Maroubra is getting a purpose-built reformer Pilates studio, with a $1.2 million investment set to deliver a 13-bed studio within the centre’s ground-level atrium.

The new Pilates studio will be constructed within the existing ground-floor atrium space at DRLC, with classes available through an all-inclusive DRLC membership or on a casual booking basis. The project was formally approved in early 2025, with construction beginning later that year. The 2026 announcement confirms the studio is coming to fruition, adding a dedicated reformer space to a leisure centre that already runs group fitness classes including yoga, Pilates mat sessions and Les Mills programmes across its existing studios.

For eastern suburbs residents who have been making their way to private studios in Randwick, Coogee or further afield to access reformer Pilates, the addition at DRLC puts a high-quality option inside one of the area’s most accessible and well-priced public leisure facilities.

What Reformer Pilates Is and Why It Has Grown So Fast

Reformer Pilates uses a sliding carriage machine fitted with springs and straps to create resistance and support during movement. Unlike mat Pilates, the reformer allows for a much wider range of exercises targeting strength, flexibility, balance and posture simultaneously, all within a low-impact format that suits people recovering from injury, older residents, pregnant women and serious athletes alike. Classes typically run for 45 to 50 minutes and are led by an instructor in small groups.

The format has become one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in Sydney over the past three years, driven by strong word of mouth, a surge in private studio openings across the eastern suburbs and growing awareness of its rehabilitation and preventive health benefits. Locals are flocking to private studios like KX Pilates and Platinum, and with CorePlus Randwick about to open its doors, it’s clear the area’s appetite for reformer shows no sign of slowing down. The arrival of a reformer studio at DRLC brings the option into the public leisure centre setting, where membership prices and no lock-in contracts make it accessible to a much broader cross-section of the community than private studio pricing typically allows.

DRLC’s Growing Suite of Facilities

Des Renford Leisure Centre has been expanding its amenity steadily in recent years. The splash park that opened in October 2023 added a family-focused outdoor water play space to a precinct that already includes three heated indoor and outdoor pools, one of Australia’s largest swim schools, a fully equipped upstairs gym with panoramic views, group fitness studios and an on-site crèche. The reformer Pilates studio continues that trajectory, bringing a genuinely in-demand fitness format into the centre’s programme for the first time.

DRLC currently offers Pilates classes through its group fitness timetable, but those sessions are mat-based. A dedicated 13-bed reformer studio is a significantly different offering, allowing for structured small-group reformer sessions that are currently only available at private studios in the area at considerably higher price points.

Why This Matters to the Maroubra Community

For Maroubra residents, the reformer Pilates studio at DRLC closes a gap that has sent locals elsewhere for a fitness modality that is now mainstream rather than niche. The eastern suburbs Pilates market is busy and well-served by private studios, but access is heavily influenced by cost. A session at a private reformer studio in the eastern suburbs typically runs between $30 and $45 casually, or around $25 to $35 per class on a membership. DRLC’s all-inclusive membership model and no lock-in contracts bring reformer access to a price point that makes it viable for families, older residents, students and anyone else who wants to take it up without a significant financial commitment.

The ground-level atrium location also means the studio will be easily accessible from the centre’s main entry, removing any barrier around navigating a large facility to reach a new space.

For more information on the upcoming reformer Pilates studio or DRLC memberships and casual access options, visit randwick.nsw.gov.au/drlc or call the centre on (02) 9090 3630. DRLC is located at the corner of Robey Street and Jersey Road, Maroubra.

Published 18-March-2026.

Maroubra’s Heffron Park Now Home to Alex Johnston’s Bronze Statue After Record-Breaking Try

The NRL Roast(Facebook)/Getty Images

A life-size bronze statue of South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston now stands outside the Rabbitohs’ training centre at Heffron Park in Maroubra, unveiled on Monday 16 March after Johnston became the greatest try-scorer in NRL premiership history just three days earlier.

Johnston crossed for his 213th NRL try in the first minute of the second half against the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium, edging past Ken Irvine’s record that had stood for more than half a century. The try came from a brilliant set-up by Latrell Mitchell, with Johnston sprinting away from 40 metres to finish an 80-metre team movement that drew thousands of fans onto the field in celebration, a moment that the NRL had explicitly asked supporters not to create, but which produced one of the competition’s most extraordinary scenes regardless.

Three days later, Johnston stood in front of his bronze likeness at Heffron Park, surrounded by teammates, club officials, family and a delegation from the Randwick community, with local Bidjigal and Gweagal Elder Aunty Barbara Simms-Keeley welcoming the crowd to Country before the statue was officially unveiled. The statue, which depicts Johnston running with ball in hand, was created by artist John Cabellon and commissioned by club donor Danny Taibel.

A Record Years in the Making

The statue had been completed three years ago in Thailand and had been waiting for its unveiling as Johnston steadily closed in on the record. It will be the first statue in South Sydney Rabbitohs history.

Johnston’s path to the record is inseparable from Maroubra and the broader Randwick community. He is a South Sydney junior who grew up playing for the La Perouse United jersey, attended and graduated as dux from Endeavour Sports High School, and has remained a one-club player since making his NRL debut for the Rabbitohs on Anzac Day in 2014. His 213 premiership tries have all been scored in cardinal and myrtle, making the placement of the statue at Heffron Park a fitting permanence for a career that has never wandered from its roots.

Johnston is a proud Koedal Klan Saibai man of Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinean heritage, and celebrations of his record extended well beyond Sydney, with jubilant scenes reported throughout Papua New Guinea as the country’s rugby league community joined in marking the achievement. PNG Prime Minister James Marape joined Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in formally congratulating Johnston, and plans are underway to honour him when he returns to PNG later this year.

What the Moment Meant

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo described Irvine’s record as one that many had considered untouchable, given that it had stood for more than half a century, and said Johnston’s achievement made him one of the finest finishers the game had ever seen.

Johnston himself took the weight of the occasion in stride. He described the past few days as pretty crazy and called the statue the cherry on top of his celebrations, before joking that it would give the local wildlife the opportunity to have their say on his performances.

Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly credited Taibel for the statue’s existence, noting that Taibel never doubted Johnston would break the record and ensured the design, build and transportation were completed before the record was actually broken. Solly described it as a lasting tribute located in a sporting precinct that draws a million visitors a year, and expressed hope it would inspire the young athletes who train and play at Heffron.

Why This Matters to the Maroubra Community

Heffron Park is Maroubra’s sporting heartland. The precinct draws junior and senior athletes from across the eastern suburbs week after week, and the Rabbitohs’ move to the site has made it one of the most visited sporting facilities in the Randwick area. A permanent bronze statue at the entrance to the Rabbitohs’ centre of excellence gives the park a landmark that connects its daily visitors to one of rugby league’s greatest individual achievements.

For the Maroubra community, Johnston’s story is also a deeply local one. He grew up playing football in the streets and parks of the area, attended school in the eastern suburbs and has built his career in the community that shaped him. The statue at Heffron Park is not simply a monument to a sporting record. It is a marker of what the eastern suburbs, and Maroubra specifically, can produce when a young person grows up with the right environment around them.

The statue stands permanently outside the Rabbitohs’ training centre at the Heffron Centre, Heffron Park, Maroubra, and is accessible to visitors to the precinct.

Published 20-March-2026.

New Graduate Nurses Begin Work at Long Bay Correctional Centre in Malabar

Long Bay Correctional Centre in Malabar is among a network of NSW justice health facilities welcoming new graduate nurses this year, as 43 graduates join the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network through the GradStart program.

The new nurses are stationed across both metropolitan and regional centres throughout NSW, with Malabar joining locations including Silverwater, Werrington, Kariong, Windsor, Bathurst and Lithgow, among others. At Long Bay, graduates will work alongside the Forensic Hospital, which occupies the same Malabar precinct and provides specialist mental health care to patients within the justice system.

The intake represents a meaningful boost to health services across NSW correctional and youth justice facilities, where healthcare needs are frequently complex and the clinical environment demands a broad and adaptable skillset. Graduates in the program work as part of multidisciplinary teams alongside experienced clinicians, building practical skills across mental health, primary care, drug and alcohol services and public health.

The GradStart Program

The GradStart initiative offers newly registered nurses a structured year of hands-on experience within the justice health system. Instead of remaining in a single ward, participants rotate across several facilities, gaining exposure to clinical environments and patient populations rarely seen in mainstream hospitals.

New Graduate Nurses Begin Work at Long Bay Correctional Centre in Malabar — *Photo Credit: Supplied*

Kaitlin Barnsley, who previously completed the program, recommends the experience to graduates seeking a rewarding start to their careers. Ms Barnsley said her two rotations across different centres exposed her to a wide range of clinical skills and gave her the opportunity to work in varied environments with diverse teams.

While the program pushed her outside her comfort zone, she said the professional rewards far exceeded her expectations. She said the experience built her confidence as a practitioner and strengthened her ability to advocate for patients while working closely with other healthcare professionals. Ms Barnsley added that the graduate year helped shape her into a safe, competent and compassionate registered nurse.

Justice Health NSW chief executive Wendy Hoey welcomed the new cohort, noting that much of the organisation’s clinical work takes place outside the public eye despite having a direct and meaningful impact on patients’ lives and health outcomes. She described the graduates as choosing an exceptionally rewarding career path and expressed gratitude to each of the 43 new nurses for joining the network.

Long Bay’s Role in NSW Justice Health

Long Bay Correctional Centre has been a significant site within NSW’s correctional system for well over a century, with the Malabar precinct evolving over time to incorporate both custodial and health functions. The colocation of the correctional centre and the Forensic Hospital on the same site makes it one of the most complex and clinically significant justice health locations in the state.

The Forensic Hospital, which opened in 2009, is a purpose-built secure mental health facility providing inpatient care to people within the justice system who have significant mental health needs. Nurses working at the Malabar precinct encounter a wide range of clinical scenarios across both the correctional primary care environment and the specialised forensic mental health setting, making it a particularly valuable placement for graduate nurses entering the justice health workforce.

Why This Matters to the Maroubra and Malabar Community

For residents of Maroubra and Malabar, Long Bay Correctional Centre is a longstanding and visible part of the local landscape. The precinct sits at the southern end of the Malabar headland, bordered by residential streets and coastal reserves, and has been woven into the fabric of the area for generations. The arrival of new graduate nurses at the facility is a reminder that the site functions as a significant healthcare employer within the local community, providing jobs and career pathways for people who may live nearby.

More broadly, the investment in graduate nursing at justice health facilities matters because the health of people in custody has direct flow-on effects for the broader community. Nurses who build strong clinical foundations in the justice health system go on to contribute those skills across the wider NSW health workforce, and the patients they care for are more likely to return to community life in better health. That outcome benefits everyone, including the suburbs closest to the facilities where that care is delivered.

Nurses interested in joining Justice Health NSW can find information on graduate and career opportunities through this link.

Published 16-March-2026.

Coogee Randwick Wombats Reach Vegas 9s Grand Final in Stunning Tournament Debut

Coogee Randwick Wombats/Facebook

The Coogee Randwick Wombats, a grassroots rugby league club from Marcellin Fields in Maroubra, reached the grand final of the Vegas 9s tournament in Las Vegas on Saturday 28 February 2026, falling 30-14 to the Titans of Coal in the decider.

The result capped a massive shift for the Maroubra boys, who fought through six matches in 48 hours, toppling five different opponents to earn their spot in the big dance.

What Is the Vegas 9s

The Vegas 9s is an open-registration nines rugby league tournament held in Las Vegas prior to the United States national team games and the main event at Allegiant Stadium. Teams from across the world compete across two days at New Silver Bowl Park, with the tournament designed to grow rugby league’s footprint in North America while giving community clubs access to an international stage.

The Coogee Randwick Wombats entered the 2026 tournament as part of their annual end-of-season trip, travelling from Sydney with 21 players after a vote in the squad’s group chat produced a unanimous preference for Las Vegas. Manager Geoff Tunks said the club had made previous trips to America, Canada and Thailand, and that preparation at training had been strong in the lead-up, with more than 30 players attending Wednesday night sessions.

Day One: Solid Foundation

The Wombats entered the tournament placed in a pool alongside the Brooklyn Kings, Atlanta Copperheads and Riverton Seagulls. Their opening game against the Brooklyn Kings produced a narrow 12-8 defeat, with Luke Hennessy and Lycolan Bakri crossing for tries. The squad responded immediately in game two, running over the Atlanta Copperheads 30-18, with Hennessy and Bakri again scoring alongside Jake Roberts, Jake Tobin and Tyrell Mayfield. A 30-6 win over the Riverton Seagulls to close out the pool stage gave the Wombats a favourable seeding heading into the finals.

Day Two: All the Way to the Final

Day two began with a 30-10 dismissal of the Toronto Saints, before the Wombats advanced to the final four with a tense 24-22 victory over the Rabbitahz. That semifinal win set up a rematch with the Brooklyn Kings, who had beaten them on day one. The result was reversed, with the Wombats winning 18-8 to book their place in the grand final.

Their opponents in the decider were the Titans of Coal, who had dominated the pool stage with wins of 50-0, 48-0 and 32-4. While the Titans of Coal ultimately took the chocolates with a 30-14 victory, the Wombats’ clinical run to the final exceeded all expectations. For a club making its maiden voyage to the Vegas stage, coming home with the silver medal is a massive result for the Souths Juniors nursery.

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The Squad That Made It Happen

The Wombats travelled with an 18-man playing squad plus two injured players. Captain Harrison Marsh led the side, with coach Anthony Marsh directing from the bench. The squad included Harrison Marsh, Luke Hennessy, Pat Rabbitt, Colan Bakri, Jack Hassanein, Joshua Chan, Cash Adams, Jono Bong, Eden Potter, Mikey Mitsias, Robbie Hunt, Jake Roberts, Costa Sanidas, Corey Stevens, Jake Tobin, Zach Kambos, Tahi Sue, Nathan Vigilante, Tyrell Mayfield and Tyler Melville. Officials were coach Anthony Marsh, managers Geoff Tunks and Nicole Tobin, and trainers Scott Bramham and Matt O’Shea. Lachlan Rabbitt played for Boston across the tournament weekend.

Eden Potter, aged 20 and returning from more than 12 months on the sideline following a knee injury, was one of the squad’s standout stories. Tunks said Potter had come back fitter than before and had been eager to prove himself throughout the campaign.

The Maroubra club was not the only local connection at the Vegas weekend. Former Wombats junior and current New South Wales State of Origin and international player Jess Sergis appeared for the LA Roosters, while Ethan O’Neill featured for Leeds in the Super League clash at Allegiant Stadium.

Why This Achievement Matters for Maroubra

The Coogee Randwick Wombats are a community club in the truest sense. They train and play at Marcellin Fields in Maroubra, draw their playing roster from the local area, and rely on volunteers, families and local sponsors including Julian Fadini Property 360, Command 51 Cleaning and Grounds, Mellick Wealth Management, NG Farah Real Estate and The Bay Hotel and Diner.

For a club of this size and resource base to field a competitive squad at an international tournament and reach the grand final demonstrates the depth of talent and commitment that exists within the Maroubra and Coogee rugby league community. The achievement gives local junior players a visible example of the pathway available through the Wombats and demonstrates what the club’s culture of commitment and community can produce at the highest level it has yet attempted.

The club has already signalled its intention to return for the 2027 Vegas 9s, giving this year’s campaign a lasting legacy beyond the result itself.

Published 9-March-2026.

Free Parking at Maroubra Beach Could End as Paid Parking Proposal Emerges

Google Maps

Free car parking at Maroubra and other eastern beaches is under threat following a proposal to introduce paid visitor parking across seven of Sydney’s most popular eastern beaches, with community feedback open until 5pm on 15 April 2026.

While Maroubra currently stands as Sydney’s best-value beach destination, offering three free car parks including one at Mahon Pool, that advantage may not last. A formal proposal to charge visitors for beach parking across the Randwick area has sparked a public debate about who should fund the $23.5 million annual cost of maintaining the beaches that millions of Sydneysiders enjoy each summer.

Maroubra: Sydney’s Free Parking Champion

Maroubra currently offers the best beach parking deal in Sydney’s eastern suburbs by a wide margin. Three free car parks serve the beach and its surrounds. These sit adjacent to the main beach at Jack Vanny Reserve on the northern headland near Mahon Pool and at South Maroubra Beach. Free street parking also remains available along Maroubra Parade with a four hour limit while surrounding side streets carry no time restrictions.

Maroubra Parade offers free parking with a four-hour limit, side streets are free with no time limit, and free public car parks sit next to the main beach, at Jack Vanny Reserve slightly further north, and at South Maroubra Beach. That combination makes Maroubra the easiest beach in the eastern suburbs to visit by car without opening a wallet.

The beach itself adds to the value. Maroubra is an official National Surfing Reserve with a spectacular one-kilometre stretch of sand wrapped by rocky headland, natural bushland and expansive green parks with barbecue facilities, a shaded kids’ playground, a skate park and a free outdoor gym. At the southern end, the Eastern Beaches Coastal Walkway connects through Malabar Headland National Park to Malabar Beach.

Other Free Options in the Randwick Area

Maroubra is not the only free option for eastern suburbs beachgoers. Clovelly Beach has one free car park that also services Gordon’s Bay, though it fills quickly on warm days. Malabar, Little Bay and La Perouse all currently offer free parking. Meanwhile, Coogee Beach Parking and Coogee Parking Oval charge $5.50 per hour, though free parking is available along Arden Street and surrounding streets.

Clovelly Beach currently offers free parking as well. — Clovelly Beach. *Photo Credit: Google Maps*

Further afield, Tamarama, Brighton-Le-Sands, Ramsgate, Kurnell and North Cronulla Beach all offer free parking, as does the area surrounding Cronulla more broadly.

The Northern Beaches Premium

The second most expensive beach parking in Sydney sits across the Northern Beaches, where $10 per hour applies at Manly, Freshwater, Curl Curl, North Curl Curl, Dee Why, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Mona Vale, Newport, Avalon and Palm Beach. At Balmoral Beach in Mosman, the rate sits at $8 per hour along the foreshore.

The rationale across all paid parking zones is consistent: high visitor demand, limited spaces, and the cost of maintaining foreshore infrastructure. At Coogee, 1,781 parking spaces record an average 88 per cent occupancy on summer weekends, with approximately 4,700 vehicles per day staying for an average of 203 minutes each.

Why Maroubra’s Free Parking May Not Last

Randwick City’s free beach parking could soon be history at seven popular spots including Maroubra, Clovelly, Malabar, Little Bay, La Perouse and Yarra Bay, with a community consultation period running from 4 March 2026 as part of a proposal to introduce paid visitor parking. Under the proposal, local residents would be exempt through a free annual permit system, but visitors would pay. Rates have not yet been set, though comparable Sydney beaches currently charge between $7 and $11 per hour. If approved, paid parking could be introduced in late 2026 or into 2027.

The rationale behind the proposal is financial. Maintaining Randwick’s beaches costs approximately $23.5 million per year, covering lifeguard services, beach cleaning, rubbish collection, coastal walkways, toilet facilities and surf club support. Up to 84 per cent of beach visitors in summer come from outside the Randwick area, yet local ratepayers currently fund the entire cost.

Why This Matters for Maroubra Residents

For Maroubra residents, free beach parking is both a practical daily convenience and a point of genuine local pride. The suburb’s parking advantage over neighbouring Coogee and Bondi attracts beachgoers from across the city, supporting local cafes, restaurants and businesses along Marine Parade and McKeon Street. If paid parking is introduced following the consultation, the resident permit exemption means locals would retain free access — but the broader accessibility that has made Maroubra a popular destination for Sydney families on a budget would change.

The community consultation on the paid parking proposal closes at 5pm on 15 April 2026. Residents can complete the survey online or return the paper survey mailed to every household. Drop-in sessions for questions are available at Coogee Beach Promenade on Saturday 21 March and McKeon Street Plaza, Maroubra Beach on Saturday 28 March, both from 10am to 12pm. Enquiries can be directed to 1300 722 542.

Published 9-March-2026.

Malabar Memorial Hall to Reveal Heritage Brickwork in Major Upgrade

Photo Credit: RandwickCityCouncil

The hidden architectural history of Malabar will be brought back to the surface as preparations are being made to strip away 1970s additions to reveal the original mid-century soul of the local memorial hall.

A New Chapter for a Local Landmark

memorial hall — *Photo Credit:* *RandwickCityCouncil*

The planned works focus on stripping away a 1970s ramp and foyer that currently hide the building’s 1950s heritage. By removing these older parts, the project aims to show off the original brickwork while making the space much easier for everyone to use.

This project was approved by Randwick Councillors in late 2022 after a month of talking with local residents to ensure the design matched what the community needed. Construction is currently scheduled to begin during the 2024/25 financial year.

Improving Access and Comfort

A major part of the project involves fixing problems with how people get into the buildings. The current ramp does not meet modern building standards, so it will be replaced by a brand-new lift and a modern staircase. These changes will connect the Malabar Memorial Hall and the Malabar Community Library more effectively.

Inside the hall, visitors can expect better lighting and ventilation systems to keep the rooms comfortable during the hot summer months and cooler winters. The hall has been a central spot for parties and classes since it first started serving the public in 1957, and these updates are meant to keep it useful for many more years.

Better Facilities for Library and Hall Users

The library will receive a significant upgrade with the addition of its own unisex toilet, which means visitors will no longer have to walk across the road to find a public restroom.

The hall itself is being extended closer to the street to make room for a new kitchen and a better area for serving food. This extension also includes an outdoor terrace where people can gather. All existing bathrooms within the hall will be refreshed, and a new accessible toilet will be added to make sure the venue is welcoming for people of all abilities.

Published Date 06-March-2026

Sydney Water Ordered to Remove Malabar Fatberg Linked to Debris Balls on Eastern Beaches

Sydney Water/Instagram

Sydney Water faces a formal pollution reduction order requiring it to remove a massive build-up of fats, oils and grease from its Malabar wastewater treatment plant, after investigations confirmed the accumulation as the most likely source of the debris balls that closed Sydney’s eastern beaches repeatedly from October 2024 to February 2025.

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority issued the order on 23 February 2026, following months of investigation that traced the greasy black spheres washing up on beaches from Coogee to the state’s south coast to a deep, largely inaccessible chamber inside the Malabar deep ocean outfall. The outfall extends 2.3 kilometres offshore and handles wastewater from a catchment covering much of Sydney’s inner-east and western suburbs.

For residents of Maroubra, Coogee and Malabar, who watched clean-up crews comb their beaches through the summer of 2024–25, the EPA’s order represents its most significant regulatory escalation so far in response to a crisis that disrupted one of the eastern suburbs’ most-used coastlines, after the agency issued a Preliminary Investigation Notice in April 2025.

What the Fatberg Is and How It Formed

Investigators including Professor Stuart Khan, a wastewater engineer from the University of Sydney and chair of the EPA’s advisory panel, traced the source of the debris to decades of accumulated fats, oils and grease adhering to the inner walls of pipes feeding into the Malabar system. When heavy rainfall events strike, those accumulated deposits dislodge and flush through the outfall tunnel into the ocean, where wave action rolls them into the black balls that beachgoers encountered on the sand.

Syndey Water — *Photo Credit: Sydney Water*

A Sydney Water assessment report from August 2025 identified the build-up as concentrated in a 300-cubic-metre chamber behind the bulkhead door of the deep ocean outfall, a dead zone beyond the accessible stopboards that workers cannot safely enter. Sydney Water estimates the fatberg could be the size of four Sydney buses, though the organisation cannot measure it precisely because of the access constraints.

Two specific events accelerated the release of debris balls into the ocean. A loss of power at the plant in October 2024 stopped the raw sewage pumps for four minutes, and the rapid pressure surge when power returned dislodged a portion of the accumulated fatberg. A similar pressure spike driven by heavy wet weather in January 2025 produced the same result.

Why Fixing It Is Not Simple

The engineering challenge at the heart of the Malabar problem is significant. The bulkhead door that provides the only access point to the outfall chamber sits underwater and can only be opened at low tide and during low system flows, making safe entry to the inaccessible area beyond the stopboards impossible under current conditions.

Taking the plant fully offline to access the chamber would require diverting sewage to cliff face discharge, a method that would close Sydney’s beaches for months. Sydney Water’s own August 2025 report acknowledged this approach had never been used and was no longer considered acceptable. That acknowledgement confirmed that the chamber was not designed with regular maintenance in mind when engineers built it in the 1980s.

Debris balls found — *Photo Credit: Sydney Water*

Sydney Water already conducts regular cleaning of the accessible sections of the outfall, itself described in the report as an extremely risky operation. In April 2025, workers removed 53 tonnes of accumulated fats, oils, grease and debris balls from those accessible areas.

What the EPA’s Order Requires

The pollution reduction order covers both immediate and longer-term actions. Sydney Water must remove the build-up of fats, oils and grease from the hard-to-access bulkhead area, develop a system to capture debris overflowing from the sewer during severe wet weather events, and conduct a study into the formation and weathering of debris balls to improve tracking capability. The order also requires Sydney Water to consider artificial intelligence or other technology to monitor for the formation of future debris balls before they reach the ocean.

Planned upgrades to the Malabar system are part of a 10-year, $3 billion investment program.Sydney Water is also advancing recycled water initiatives to reduce the total volume of sewage discharged into the ocean.

That longer-term programme reflects a wider recognition that the debris ball crisis is not solely a maintenance problem at one facility. Khan noted that Sydney’s growing population and rising number of food outlets operating without proper grease traps have intensified the problem over time, allowing more fats to enter the wastewater system and form blockages at greater scale than previous decades.

Sydney Water’s Response and Community Impact

Sydney Water confirmed it would implement the EPA’s required measures in close collaboration with the watchdog, and said it was working with the independent Wastewater Expert Panel, local authorities, agencies and the community throughout the process.

That collaboration follows a period of public controversy over Sydney Water’s handling of the crisis. The utility initially insisted in November 2024 that the debris balls did not form from its wastewater discharges. Subsequent reporting established that claim was incorrect, and Sydney Water’s managing director later acknowledged publicly that the evidence pointed to the ocean outfall as the most likely source.

Community concern in Maroubra, Coogee and the surrounding suburbs remains high. The beaches most affected sit within walking distance of the Malabar outfall, and residents recall multiple closures through a period that should have been peak summer swimming season. The EPA’s order is the most direct regulatory action taken to date to prevent a repeat of those events.

Full details of the pollution reduction order and Sydney Water’s compliance program are available through the NSW EPA at epa.nsw.gov.au. Sydney Water’s own account of the debris ball investigation and planned works is available here.

Published 2-March-2026.

Violence Erupts Outside Maroubra McDonald’s as Bystanders Look On

Photo Credit: Google Maps

A disturbing brawl involving several teenage girls unfolded outside the McDonald’s on Anzac Parade in Maroubra on Saturday evening, leaving witnesses shaken and prompting fresh concerns about youth violence in the area.

Police from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command were called to the fast food restaurant at approximately 5.45pm on 14 February following reports of a fight. Footage filmed by a passing motorist captured the confrontation, which showed two girls allegedly attacking another girl on the footpath before dragging her onto the busy road.

The video depicts one alleged attacker repeatedly striking the victim, including pulling her hair and kicking her whilst she lay on the pavement near the intersection. A second girl, believed to be attempting to help the victim, was then set upon by one of the alleged attackers.

The witness who recorded the incident told news.com.au they were simply driving to work when the fight broke out. The footage shows dozens of pedestrians walking past, with only one woman appearing to call for assistance whilst others watched from a distance.

Police attended the scene and spoke with four females aged 12, 17, 18 and 21. The three younger females were released pending further enquiries, whilst the 18-year-old woman was taken to Maroubra Police Station where she was charged with affray. She was granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on 6 March 2026, according to IBTimes UK.

The incident has sparked debate on social media, with many questioning why bystanders did not intervene to stop the violence.

Domestic violence advocate and author Ashlee Donohue has expressed alarm about what she describes as increasing youth violence in Maroubra. Ms Donohue is CEO of Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women’s Centre and has presented at United Nations forums on violence prevention.

Ms Donohue referenced a separate incident on Maroubra Bridge on 31 January, where a 14-year-old girl suffered serious injuries, including a collapsed lung, following an alleged assault by a group of girls. She believes social media is playing a role in fuelling these attacks, with perpetrators filming the violence to gain attention online.

“They are doing this to post it online to get likes and views,” Ms Donohue told the Daily Mail. She has called for changes to legislation that would hold those who film or encourage violence equally accountable as those who carry out the assaults.

Ms Donohue said the 14-year-old victim from the January incident had been lured to a location by a schoolmate under the pretence of hanging out at the beach, only to be set upon by several girls whilst approximately 15 others watched and encouraged the violence.

“This assault was brutal and planned,” she said. She noted that police have laid charges against several teens in relation to that incident, but has made a public appeal to meet with the parents of those involved.

The latest violence has rattled some Maroubra residents who remember when the suburb was synonymous with the Bra Boys surf gang in the 1990s. That group became notorious for territorial disputes and violent confrontations, gaining national attention through their 2007 documentary narrated by Russell Crowe.

Whilst Saturday’s incident resulted in charges, the broader question of how to address youth violence and the role of social media in amplifying these confrontations remains a concern for the local community.

Anyone with information about the Anzac Parade incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Published 16-February-2026

Probus in Maroubra: Staying Connected After Full-Time Work

Photo Credit: Probus South Pacific

For many people, retirement doesn’t signal a desire to slow down so much as a shift in how time is spent. Long-established community groups such as Probus exist for that in-between space — where people are no longer working full time but still value conversation, activity and shared interests.

Probus is an international, not-for-profit association that brings together retired and semi-retired people through locally run clubs. The name comes from PROfessional and BUSiness, reflecting its origins among people who had spent much of their lives in structured working environments. Over time, however, Probus has evolved well beyond those beginnings and today welcomes anyone no longer in full-time work who is interested in staying socially, mentally and physically active.

Where Probus fits in the wider community

Probus clubs are sponsored by Rotary, a relationship that dates back to Probus’s beginnings in the 1960s. While Rotary provides the initial sponsorship and ongoing support, each Probus club operates independently, managing its own activities and membership.

Across Australia, there are around 1,400 Probus clubs, all operating as non-political, non-sectarian social clubs. Probus does not engage in fundraising and exists solely to support connection, learning and companionship in retirement.

Membership fees are deliberately kept modest, consisting of a once-off joining fee and an annual fee which covers administration, insurance and venue costs. Details are provided by the Club to would-be members during the interest meeting.

Upcoming meeting in March

For those curious about whether Probus might be a good fit, an interest meeting for the newly formed Maroubra Junction Probus Club will be held in March.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday 10 March, at Juniors Maroubra, 946 Anzac Parade (corner of Haig Street), with arrival from 9.45am for a 10.00am start. Attendees are invited to meet current members, learn how the club operates and enjoy a free morning tea.

The meeting is open to anyone who is retired or semi-retired, whether or not they have previously been involved with Probus. People who are unable to attend on the day can still register their interest and be kept informed about future meetings.

If you’re not based in Maroubra, Probus also offers a “Find a Club” tool through its national network to help people locate nearby clubs in other suburbs.

Finding out more

For information about the March interest meeting or Probus more broadly, enquiries can also be directed to Ethan Haber on 1300 630 488, or via the Probus South Pacific website.

For many members, Probus isn’t about replacing work — it’s about staying engaged with people and ideas after work ends. And for those looking to share the article with a friend or family member approaching retirement, it offers a simple answer to a common question: what comes next?

Published 10-Feb-2026