Maroubra Archives - Page 14 of 14

Drones to Monitor Maroubra Beach this Summer for COVID-19 Safety

The Randwick City Council has endorsed a $1.2 million plan to have drones monitor the crowds and ensure physical distancing at Maroubra beach and other popular beaches in eastern Sydney this summer

Four devices will be purchased and used by 1 Dec 2020, which will provide beachgoers with real-time details about the crowd capacity. Similarly, there are also steps to hire about 12 COVID marshalls who will look after the crowd and facilitate social distancing.

Additional toilet facilities will also be provided at the Maroubra beach to lessen the lines and avoid a convergence, which can help limit the spread of the virus. The beaches in Clovelly, Coogee, Frenchmans Bay, La Perouse and Yarra Bay will also have more temporary toilet installations.

“COVID marshals will be out and about providing a prominent visual reminder of the need to social distance and I encourage people to follow their advice for everyone’s health and wellbeing,” Randwick City Mayor Danny Said in a press release, whilst acknowledging that access to beaches is vital to a person’s mental and physical wellbeing.

“Additional technology such as live beach cameras will give people real-time information to view crowd numbers at the beach before leaving home. We’ll also be publishing daily updates on crowd capacity at popular beaches to help people make informed decisions as to when to visit the beach.”

Randwick City Council has live cameras around the beaches so locals may check the crowd before planning a trip. The mayor also reiterated the need to wear masks while heading to the beach. Swimmers are also encouraged to avoid visiting during peak hours or leave the site after they’re done swimming.

“These simple steps will help Lifeguards and Life Savers keep our beaches open so that people can safely enjoy them this summer,” the mayor added.

More Shark Activity in Maroubra Coast as Great Whites Move to Nursing Grounds

A top shark scientist warns of increased shark activity off the NSW coasts, including the Maroubra coastline, as great white sharks head to their nursing grounds with the advent of summer.

Dr Vic Peddemors said there will be more potential sightings or shark encounters as the great whites move in numbers toward Port Stephens. However, Peddemors also said that shark attacks will not likely increase.

In a radio interview on ABC, Peddemors said that great white sharks’ movements have increased since October.

Researchers don’t have much data on the exact location of their breeding grounds but over the years, young sharks in the first five years of their lives have been swimming up and down the NSW and Victoria coasts before moving on to New Zealand or New Caledonia.

The experts said that water is cooler in the breeding grounds thus young sharks stay for a few years. However, the evidence does not suggest that the sharks are populating the NSW coasts, despite increased sightings.

Scuba divers confirmed spotting a number of impressive sharks nursing in the water but they rarely attack people. However, video posts of shark sightings could trend on social media, which might cause unnecessary panic.

Peddemors said that the great whites are “just cruising through the whole time.” The NSW State Government also has programs to keep track of sharks to protect the swimmers and divers.

SunDrive: Solar Panel Inventor, With Roots in Maroubra, Secures $8 Million Funding

Former university roommates David Hu and Vince Allen started building the early versions of their solar power technology at a garage in Maroubra in 2015. Five years later, the partners have scored $8 million in funding to make efficient renewable power commercially available under their now-flourishing company, SunDrive.

Leading capitalists Blackbird Ventures and Grok Ventures led the funding round to help Mr Hu and Mr Allen expand their invention to develop more affordable cells. After securing $5 million from the investors, SunDrive also received a $3 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

SunDrive is working to drive down the costs of solar panels whilst improving its energy efficiency and conserving silver resources. Mr Allen, who has a Ph.D. in solar power at the University of New South Wales, developed a way to replace the panel’s silver electrodes with copper.

As demand for solar power rises, Mr Allen and Mr Hu don’t see silver as a sustainable option because it is expensive and could soon be depleted given the demand. On the other hand, copper is more abundant and available and has more efficient electrodes than silver.

But the technology to ensure that the copper sticks to the silicon onto the solar panel plates was not yet developed until SunDrive came along. The company will use the funding to perfect this technology and sell cost-effective solar panels.

Mr Hu projects that their product will be ready for the market in two and a half years as great ideas need time for enhancements.

From the garage in Maroubra to a workspace in Wollongong with a team of six, SunDrive will be relocating to Kirrawee with 16 staff.

Smoky Sue’s Moves to Maroubra from Neutral Bay

A move to a new location signals better beginnings for Smoky Sue’s, the smokehouse from Neutral Bay. Now burning the pit at its new Maroubra home, owner Owen Brown reveals that they’ve been barbecuing and smoking tonnes of meat week after week since the move to the eastern beachside suburb.

Three years ago, Smoky Sue’s and its Texas-style briskets were also warmly received at its original site. But the indirect effect of COVID-19 forced them out of their old location.

“With deep sadness we have to move on from our Neutral Bay location, as it’s time for us to spread our wings (and briskets),” the company announced before closing the doors of its Neutral Bay shop in mid-June. “Thank you all for your amazing support. Sues wouldn’t be the same without you.”

But Smoky Sue’s has since gained more meat-loving patrons at its new Anzac Parade location. Some come as far away as the United States, who are looking to try the city’s best and most authentic tasting smoked pulled pork or brisket. They’re usually not disappointed as Mr Brown has an American working on the pit.

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And we’re back baby! After months of work behind the scenes, we will be reopening in our beautiful new location tomorrow and we couldn’t be more excited 🥳 Thank you all for your patience, and we are stoked to be able to fulfill your BBQ and burger dreams again 🥩🍔 . . . . . #maroubra #sydneyfood #lunch #dinner #delivery #bopple #brisket #fries #meat #eeeeeats #feedyoursoul #buzzfeast #dailyfoodfeed #foodphotography #feedfeed #smokedmeat #foodies #bbq #foodlover #devour #burgers

A post shared by Smoky Sue’s (@smokysuesofficial) on Sep 15, 2020 at 1:14am PDT

The smokehouse is proud of its smoking technique. Veering away from the traditional, Mr Brown, the pitmaster, combines French (sous vide) and American (smoking) cooking style.

The result is a lump of perfectly side-charred meat with the moist sealed in the center. The meat also breaks apart with the slightest prod of a knife or fork.

To wash down the tender and delicious meat, the restaurant offers a few selections of craft beers, cocktails, whisky, lemonade and milkshake.

For store trading hours and updates on deals, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Maroubra Blue Whale Sighting Just ‘Third in 100 Years’

A majestic blue whale, one of the largest animals on the planet, was spotted and photographed in the waters of Maroubra recently. Wildlife experts said that this has been a rare gift since it is only the third confirmed sighting in the last 100 years in the world and the first off Sydney, Australia’s coast.

Andrew Marshall of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) confirmed the sighting in a news release. He said that blue whales often go unnoticed because these animals avoid the shore due to their sizes.

“They are not often seen because they tend to live very far out to sea, their populations are widely dispersed and we have very limited data on its migration and critical habitat.” Mr Marshall said. “We have unofficial records of blue whales near Sydney from observers at Cape Solander in 2002 and 2013,” he added.

“But this recent sighting is the first verified record of this species off our coast.”

The expert said that the blue whale caught on camera by Instagram photographer @seansperception is likely “25 metres in length and weighed over 100 tonnes.”

The photographer said that he was documenting humpbacks in Maroubra when this beautiful creature appeared.

“Although so large they are incredibly hard to ever see especially on the east coast on Australia,” Sean said. “To put their size into perspective; they grow to around 30 metres, their tongue weights the same as an elephant & their heart is the size of a car! Completely mesmerised & feel like I’ve hit the Jackpot!”

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A post shared by Sean (@seansperception) on Aug 17, 2020 at 12:04am PDT

The latest sighting will hopefully help NPWS and its marine experts gather more information about the species.

Maroubra has plenty of vantage points for whale watching but visitors to the beach are reminded to observe COVID safety precautions.

Be Involved at the Maroubra Residents Online Meeting

Do you want to know the projects and plans for the community? A meeting among Maroubra residents will take place online on Monday, 28 Sept 2020, via Zoom. Members from the Council will also be there to consult and engage with the community on issues that impact residents.

Get involved and stay abreast of what’s going on in the community!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ONLINE MEETINg

Maroubra Cleaner Wins $100,000 at Lucky Lotteries

Following the Lucky Lotteries draw last 1 Sept 2020, a cleaner from Maroubra is now looking forward to better sleep every night after winning the $100,000 pot.

The unnamed winner said that she’s planning to buy a new bed with her acquired fortune, as well as build a new lounge suit in her home so she can comfortably enjoy a leisurely rest. She also plans to use the rest of her winnings to spend a luxurious holiday when travel is safer.

“I play Lucky Lotteries all the time. It’s my favourite game to buy at the newsagent,” the winner said. “I was supposed to be on holiday right now, but I couldn’t go because of COVID-19, so the win has definitely cheered me up. I can’t go anywhere to celebrate, but I think I’m going to stop cleaning the bathroom and have a cup of tea instead!”

The woman purchased her Lucky Lotteries ticket at the Pacific Square News at the Pacific Square Shopping Centre on Anzac Parade. The shop owner, David Zou, said that they also sold a division one winning ticket 10 days before the lucky woman.

Photo Credit: Ngariwan Ongkowidjaja/Facebook

“It’s perfect for our customers, and we feel like a really lucky store!” Zou exclaimed. “We’ve been talking to our customers about it, and they are really happy for us. It’s created a real buzz with everyone talking about it!”

“We want to thank our customers for their support. We hope we can sell another major prize soon! Congratulations to our winner! We wish them all the best.”

South Maroubra Ocean Challenge: What Happens During This Ocean Swimming Competition?

Photo Credit: South Maroubra SLSC/Facebook

The South Maroubra Ocean Challenge is a new event for those living in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and the Southside. First mounted in 2017, this is an open beach swimming competition that does not just bring out people’s competitive side since the event also includes a barbecue party, a bar, and live entertainment.

Hosted by the South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), the South Marouba Ocean Challenge is divided into 500 metre, one kilometre and 2.5 kilometre lapses.

The 500-metre swim comprises a short rectangle course off the beach. The one-kilometre lapse follows the same rectangle course but it’s stretched further to the south while swimming parallel to the beach.

The 2.5-kilometre course, on the other hand, requires swimmers to take a sharp left turn up north in the water before swimming back to the south and returning to the beach. This category is more ideal for the physically fit and strong risk-takers.

A minimum age requirement is imposed as kids under nine years old will not be allowed to compete. Swimmers below 18 years old, on the other hand, have to submit a consent form with their parents’ name and contact details to join.

Ocean swimming is growing in popularity among swim clubs in Australia than pool swimming because there’s more challenge to the competitions. Swimmers need to grapple with the tide, the wide, the height of the surf and the surrounding sea life while in the water, which doesn’t come with pool swimming.

Swimmers also learn better techniques from ocean swimming competitions since there are no skill limitations. They could be in the water alongside Olympians or first-timers in just their swim caps, goggles, and basic swimsuit.

The host of the ocean challenge has the responsibility to ensure the safety of the swimmers based on rules of open water swimming from the Fédération Internationale De Natation (FINA, or International Swimming Federation).

Apart from requiring competitors to swim around the buoy online, South Maroubra Ocean Challenge swimmers aren’t allowed to wear wetsuits unless the water temperature is below 18 degrees.

South Maroubra SLSC mounts the swimming competition every February. The contest, however, won’t run for 2019.