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Revealed! First Look at the New Maroubra Home of the Rabbitohs

Ahead of its planned construction, the South Sydney Rabbitohs has unveiled their new home in Maroubra, where the team will be moving in before the 2023 NRL season rolls.

The new photos are the artist’s impression of the $58M state-of-the-art sports complex that will also include cafes, a merchandise shop, a special fan area for watching training, and a hall of fame section.

The new Rabbitohs facility will also be opened for community use for lectures, events, workshops, as well as access to the playing fields. The gymnastics facility and the indoor sports centres for volleyball, netball, badminton, and basketball will be operating seven days a week.

“The Heffron Centre will allow us to move our NRL, Women’s and NSW Cup teams and administrative, commercial and Souths Cares staff members to one site – with the rest of our representative pathways programs using Redfern Oval,” Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly said in an official press statement.

“Importantly it will also allow us to double the size and reach of our community programs which have already helped achieve over 400 Aboriginal employment placements, helped young people achieve their HSC, and helped over 7,600 students with health and well-being messages.”

Funding for the sports complex will come from the Federal and State Governments, as well as Randwick City Council. Construction is expected to begin in August 2021. Randwick Mayor Danny Said revealed that this is the Council’s biggest project, which has taken seven years to plan. Following the building’s opening, however, that the Rabbitohs will be saying goodbye to their old home in Redfern.

Maroubra One-Bedroom Apartment Sold for $1.2 Million

A one-bedroom apartment in Maroubra has set a new record after it sold for $1.2 million within just 10 days on the market.

The dwelling, located in an Art Deco block on Marina Parade, received a lot of enquiries from professionals looking to move near the beachside with a lot of cafes and shops for their remote work. Buyers were also attracted to the site because it’s in a peaceful location.

According to realestate.com.au, the apartment has a beautiful view opposite Mahon Pool and Lurline Bay. Before the sale, the property was also renovated and updated with contemporary features.

Whilst it is a small apartment, it has a spacious lounge and modern kitchen with a large master bedroom and its own lock-up garage.

It is not known who snatched up the place but First Hand Property’s Mitchell Farah said the new owner paid $1.2 million for the boutique apartment. The sale is another indication of a stronger Sydney property market.

In Maroubra, a two-bedroom house’s average price is $1.7 million whilst a one-bedroom unit will set back investors or occupiers for $644,500, depending on the location. Unit rentals, on the other hand, are between $450 to $750 a week.

Two Interactive Outdoor Classrooms Installed in Maroubra

Do you have curious children who love to learn about how things work? Then take them to the new interactive outdoor classrooms in Maroubra to understand how Randwick City’s biggest stormwater harvest and reuse system works!

The Council has recently installed two interactive sites near Maroubra beach’s playground and at the Mahon Pool that will teach the children how the tanks for collecting rainwater, built under Arthur Byrne Reserve in the last 10 months, is being used to hydrate public parks and gardens and supply water in some parts of the city.

The kids will enjoy knowing how much water is saved in the two one-million litre tanks on the ground, which will continually keep the grasses and trees around the suburb lush and green.

The interactive outdoor classrooms were officially unveiled at the end of March 2021 with some school children from the nearby St Mary St Joseph Catholic School.

Meanwhile, the South Maroubra SLSC also tested the new Arthur Byrne Reserve sprinkler system at the clubhouse grounds and it works efficiently.

The Arthur Byrne Reserve is Randwick City Council’s 14th stormwater harvesting system. Construction commenced in mid-2020 and took at least three stages to complete. The project al has an automatic irrigation system that will provide water for the toilets and amenities, including potable water, found in these public places:

Arthur Byrne Reserve
Broadarrow Reserve
Jack Vanny Reserve
Maroubra Beach
John Shore Reserve
Murranborah Reserve

#SeaToSource: Volunteers Needed for Botany Bay Clean Up

You don’t need superpowers to make a difference in the world because small good deeds, such as volunteering to clean up a portion of Botany Bay, can create a ripple effect to benefit the community. If you want to take part in such an initiative, a #SeaToSource event will be underway near Plane Spotters Beach in Kyeemagh, located some nine kilometres away from Maroubra.

About 70 percent of the earth is covered in water but more than 269,000 tons of plastic pollute the water’s surface, impacting marine life in the most harmful way. Experts said that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean but people can prevent this global problem from worsening if they work together.

On Sunday, 11 April 2021, everyone is invited to take part in the #SeaToSource National Day of Action and clean up the beaches. Plane Spotters Beach is one of more than a dozen locations across the country for cleaning up on this specific day, as organised by the Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), the Sydney Airport and Bayside Council.

Photo Credit: Conservation Volunteers Australia/Facebook

“CVA is excited to work with local partners to deliver opportunities that allow people to care for their waterways,” CVA’s Revive Campaign Director Renae Riviere said.

“We’re so excited to be hosting an event in Bayside that allows everyone to be involved in doing their part for our oceans and waterways,” Ms Riviere added. “For us it’s not just about cleaning up litter on the beach, it’s about addressing where that litter is coming from and protecting the wildlife that live in the ocean. It’s also about empowering communities to feel connected through a love of the world around them and feeling inspired to make small daily actions to protect it.”

#SeaToSource has received a grant from the Australian Government’s Environment Restoration Fund program. To join the National Day of Action, volunteers may sign up online.

Powerball Winner: Mum Bought $50 Million-Winning Ticket in Maroubra

The only $50 million Powerball winner drawn by The Lott on Thursday, 18 March 2021, was a mum from the eastern suburbs who bought her ticket at the Cigarettes Tobacco Cigars (CTC) in Maroubra.

The unnamed woman said that she almost didn’t buy the ticket as rains battered the region in the last few days. She made the decision to “duck out” at the last minute and braved the “crappy weather” that dampened the weekend of her win…just to try her luck.

The Lott officials did not immediately locate the winner as the ticket was not a registered player card. So, they had to play the waiting game until the winner comes forward but the agency did confirm that the ticket came from the CTC Maroubra outlet on Anzac Parade.

The mum heard of the winning ticket’s location in the news and could not believe that it was in her hands. Her husband could not also believe his wife’s luck and checked the winning numbers a few times.

Her winning numbers 18, 30, 16, 29, 6, 33 and 35 is the lone winner of Powerball draw 1926.

The mum said that she will only be able to sleep until she sees the $50 million in her bank account. She also said this money will drastically make their lives different and she plans to buy a house with her prize and treat her family to shopping sprees.

Meanwhile, Cigarettes Tobacco Cigars has been operating in Maroubra for seven years and this is their first division-one winning ticket. Owner John Yu said he also bought a Powerball ticket but he’s very glad that it’s a customer who won the big prize.

Region 9 Bus in Maroubra Slowest in Sydney

The Region 9 bus service has one of the slowest services operated by the Sydney Metropolitan Bus. The State Transit bus line servicing the eastern suburbs depots in Maroubra, Bondi Junction, Botany, Mascot, Randwick and Surry Hills reportedly failed to reach its target running time more than 95 percent of the time during two unfortunate months in 2020.

From January 2020 to January 2021, Region 9 was among the most consistently slowest bus service, along with Transdev, except in November of last year. However, a representative from Transport for NSW said that the State Transit bus line improved its running time performance to 96.8 percent in 2020 from a slower running time performance of 95.2 percent in 2019.

Privately-run bus services in Sydney, on the other hand, have a record of 99.9 percent running time and fastest bus lines are:

Transit (NSW) – Inner West and Liverpool
Punchbowl Bus Company – Hurstville and Bankstown
Forest Coach Lines – Terrey Hills

In 2019, the state government revealed plans for more bus service privatisation, citing an increase in patronage.

“This rate of growth outstrips that of all other forms of public transport and we need to address this increasing demand as a matter of urgency,” Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said.

“We know customers want more buses, more often, as well as a mix of bus services that cater to their needs. This includes high-frequency services on major routes, like the B-Line, and frequent direct options such as on-demand services for short, local trips.

“The NSW Government will engage with the private sector to transform the current, one-size-fits-all model of service delivery, to one with multiple service types including high-capacity routes and local and on-demand travel.”

Region 9’s privatisation was earmarked for tender in early 2020 but was pushed back to 2021 due to the pandemic.

Controversy Arises Over Shark Nets in Maroubra Beach and Other Areas

The local community at Maroubra Beach and other northern beaches are wholly against the proposal to remove protective shark nets at local beaches, citing safety concerns

Recently, Randwick City Council received a motion to phase out shark nets around eastern Sydney’s beaches, saying that these could also trap other non-harmful marine creatures like turtles and other fish.

Greens MP Lindsay Shurey proposed to have smart drum lines in place of the nets to lessen the harmful impact of the barriers on the sea animals but Liberal councillors rejected the motion. In a post on Facebook, the nippers explained why they don’t support the proposal.

“For the record, Maroubra Beach is approximately 1.2km wide from point to point. From the shoreline approx 400 metres outwards, we have a series of shark nets placed strategically to help protect swimmers and surfers from the risk of shark attacks, we’ve had no attacks for many many years at Maroubra,” the post stated.

“The protected area for humans on Maroubra Beach is limited to a relatively small area of the beach/ocean where a series of nets are strategically placed in channels (not entirely across the beach) blocking pathways for sharks from approaching shallow areas where people are likely to be located.”

The nippers also said that whilst drumlines work in regional areas, Maroubra Beach is different because it is frequented by beachgoers every day. The nets helped fend off a white pointer in Maroubra Beach as 1,200 school children were holding activities in the water.

“Your club is conscious of protecting sea life however not at the expense of children and others & until the technology is able to replace nets thereby protecting people we strongly reject the proposal to remove physical barriers.”

It comes as drone footage controlled by a Maroubra local caught a juvenile predator, the great white shark, on the hunt for a stingray miles off the tourist beach. Whilst the video caught such spectacular behaviour, other commenters on social media said that the shark could have easily breached the barrier.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lewis (@carvedbanks)

Meanwhile, experts reminded beachgoers of some basic ways to avoid a shart attack:

Never go swimming alone, especially at dawn or dusk
Avoid swimming in areas where there are lots of fish
Don’t wear jewellery as it can catch light and attract the predators

4 Ways to Help the New Organic Garden at Maroubra Grow

Do you want to be part of an enriching community initiative? A group of locals has been gathering resources to build and sustain The Garden at Maroubra, an upcoming organic garden to benefit all residents.

The Garden at Maroubra is targetted to open in 2021. Randwick City Council is expected to sign off on the final design plans in May or June. This will be the third community garden within Sydney’s eastern suburbs, after Coogee and Randwick.

Whilst waiting for approval, heaps of preparation and work have to be done before the community could harvest a bountiful gain. Here are four ways you can help with the initiative:

1. Make a one-time donation to get things started.

For this community space to thrive, funds will be needed to buy seeds and organic soil, as well as spend for the water tanks and shed. The group has set up a fundraising initiative on Go Fund Me for one-time contributions.

2. Become a Friend of the Garden.

Your generosity will go further if you sign up to be a “Friend of the Garden” and regularly contribute an annual $59 to the cause. This privilege will allow you to participate in training workshops or the working bees program, where you can help maintain the site at your most convenient time.

3. Become a Working Member.

If you’re eager to take your participation a step further, you can sign up to be a “Working Member” and make a $149 annual contribution. Working members are required to join garden workshops and working bee programs. They are also expected to be at The Garden on a weekly basis to cultivate the fruits, herbs and vegetables, as well as keep the space in order. This is ideally great for retirees and residents who have more time to volunteer.

“As The Garden is not yet under construction, members must undertake training workshops prior to becoming involved in the project,” the group said. “We are currently building out the workshop calendar for 2021, so once you confirm how you’d like to be involved, we will contact you via email to outline the workshops needed to get involved. There are no additional costs for these workshops; they are covered as part of your annual membership fee.”

4. Spread the word.

The Garden at Maroubra needs to get the word out to gather more members, sponsors and donations. Help raise awareness by sharing The Garden at Maroubra Facebook page. Look at the group event’s page and share the workshop schedule in your network. Someone from your contact list might be an expert gardener who can provide tips, inputs, and guidance to improve this initiative.

Published 26 February 2021

Champagnat Catholic College in Maroubra to Shift to Co-Ed

Champagnat Catholic College in Maroubra will transition from a private boys school to a co-educational school beginning 2023 after studies have revealed a huge demand for a mixed-sex system in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

School director Tony Farley said that the decision has been vital since single-sex education has dominated schools in Sydney east, regardless if it’s a Catholic, public or independent system.

The Maroubra institution will be the third Marist Brothers-operated school to change the system in the last seven years after Marist North Shore (North Sydney) and Marist College Penshurst (Mortdale).

Marist North Shore welcomed the first batch of Year 7 female students during the first term for 2021, comprising 60 girls out of 160 students. Marist College Penshurst, on the other hand, saw its enrollment doubling since it became co-ed in 2014.

Years were spent in preparation for the shift. Both Marist schools redesigned their toilet blocks and changed the curriculum to accommodate girls. The school staff and older students had to undergo gender bias training as well.

In November 2020, Mr Farley announced Champagnat Catholic College’s masterplan as it prepares for the transition. The plan covers:

the delivery of contemporary learning spaces and facilities;
increased curriculum opportunities for students; and
shared new and renewed facilities and the opportunity to foster better connections between the parishes, partner schools and community.

“We will start with year 7 only in 2023. Each year after that we will enrol girls and boys into the year 7 cohort. The complete transition to coeducation will take six years. We will not be accepting enrolments for girls in the high years until we have transitioned to co-education,” school officials said.

As part of the transition, Champagnat Catholic College will also have its Open Day on 24 March 2021.

Champagnat Catholic College, founded in 161, accepts Year 7 to 12 students and has dominated sports competitions in the Sydney Metropolitan area. This Maroubra school averages 700 students per enrollment.

ANZ Maroubra Junction to Permanently Close in April 2021

Here’s a heads-up for clients of ANZ Maroubra Junction following reports that the major bank will close 19 branches permanently across NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Randick Mayor Danny Said announced that the Maroubra branch has been affected by the closure and will service clients only until Wednesday 7 April 2021. Customers of this branch are encouraged to to get their accounts in order before the closure.

“ANZ will assist customers with alternative banking methods such as online, telephone and mobile banking options. Customer accounts that were at the Maroubra Junction branch will now be located at ANZ Eastgardens,” the mayor posted on Facebook.

ANZ’s closure will mean job losses for 100 workers, prompting Financial Sector Union National Secretary Julia Angrisan to call the decision “heartless.”

It is not known how many staff currently work at the ANZ Maroubra Junction.

The bank said that it’s shifting focus on online banking post-pandemic but Ms Angrisan said ANZ has been forcing customers to go online because it will save costs on rents and staff wages whilst boosting profits.

Reports stated that ANZ’s full-year profits in the pandemic year (2020) were at $3.76 billion.

Meanwhile, the following ANZ branches in NSW will shut down in the next few months:

Ashfield
Campbelltown
Crows Nest
Chifley Square
East Maitland
Engadine
Erina Fair
Kiama
Maroubra Junction
Potts Point
Springwood
St Leonards