Randwick City Council Archives - Page 2 of 2

Shark Mitigation Technologies Deployed in NSW Beaches Including Maroubra Beach

Photo Credit: Randwick City Council / randwick.nsw.gov.au

Did you know that shark mitigation technologies are being trialled along Randwick’s coastline? These technologies – SMART drumlines and shark listening stations – were rolled out in February this year, along with drones flying over NSW beaches, including Maroubra Beach.

Following Randwick Council’s decision in April 2021 approving the deployment of shark mitigation technologies in cooperation with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real-Time) drumlines and listening stations were deployed along Randwick coastlines in February 2022.

These tools were put in place in at least 21 locations, 500 metres off the coastline to catch, tag, release and monitor dangerous sharks, and will complement the two shark nets already positioned in Maroubra and Coogee.

What exactly are SMART drumlines and listening stations?

A SMART drumline is a baited hook attached to two buoys and equipped with a GPS that can send alerts to contractors when an animal takes the bait. The contract boats then go to the site to tag the shark with an acoustic tag before taking it about one kilometre offshore and finally releasing the animal.

SMART drumlines are shown to be 15 times more efficient than nets in catching target sharks and are less likely to catch non-target animals. As a result, animals caught by these tools have 99 per cent of survival as compared to 40 per cent in nets.

Listening stations, on the other hand, are buoys that are capable of sending real-time alerts to the SharkSmart app, website and Twitter account whenever a tagged shark is detected to be within 500 metres. It provides the date and time, the location where it was previously detected and where it was tagged.

See the Shark Smart map here.

“They don’t often stick to one beach and ‘lurk’,” said Dr Paul Butcher, Principal Research Scientist with the DPI who has been tracking sharks since 2015.

“They move quite vast distances. We’ve seen one white shark travel to WA and back three times. It’s covered more than 40,000kms since it was first tagged in 2016.

“The benefit of this program is that we primarily catch the species that are responsible for most serious shark bites in NSW.”

Non-lethal alternatives

Along with these technologies, drones are also being used on 50 NSW beaches including Maroubra Beach. Dr Butcher is currently working on a program that would make autonomous, image recognition software-equipped drones that could fly over beaches and detect shark presence close to the beach and alert lifeguards who would usher beachgoers to safety.

Another research project aims to eliminate the need to capture sharks altogether. The project involves some environmental DNA sampling of water columns to “detect spikes or troughs that would indicate the presence or absence of white, tiger and bull sharks.” Dr Butcher said that a one-litre sample of water is enough to determine the presence of dangerous sharks in the region.

According to International Shark Attack File data, Australia ranks second in the world when it comes to the number of unprovoked shark bites in 2021. There have been just 12 unprovoked incidents recorded in 2021 which is lower than the region’s recent five-year annual average of 16 and significantly lower than the top ranked USA’s 47 incidents.

New South Wales recorded six incidents – two were fatal – whilst Western Australia had four and one of which was fatal. Queensland and Victoria have one incident each.

Four School Pedestrian Crossing Upgrades in Maroubra Completed

Photo Credit: Randwick City Council / randwick.nsw.gov.au

Four school pedestrian crossing upgrades in Maroubra have been completed. The upgrades include raising two existing pedestrian crossings, installation of pedestrian refuge in two areas, and even a wombat crossing.

The upgrades involve converting pedestrian crossings into raised “wombat” crossings, installing pedestrian refuge islands, and installing signalised intersections at an accident blackspot location on Anzac Parade.

The various pedestrian crossing safety projects, funded under the Federal Stimulus Road Safety Program School Zones project, are situated in 29 locations near local school areas.

In Maroubra, four projects were already completed:

Loch Maree Street, Maroubra – Raise existing crossing
Fitzgerald Avenue (at Robey Street), Maroubra – Install pedestrian refuge
Fitzgerald Avenue (at Walsh Street), Maroubra – Install pedestrian refuge
Moverly Road, Maroubra – Raise existing pedestrian crossing, create wombat crossing

The pedestrian crossing safety project on Wride Street (at Duncan Street), Maroubra involving the installation of pedestrian refuge is now in its design phase.

Did you know that a study on raised platforms published in the Journal of the Australian College of Road Safety revealed that “wombat” crossings reduce casualty crashes by as much as 63 per cent?

Raised “wombat” crossings are zebra crossings placed on a raised section of the road to allow better visibility of pedestrians and encourage approaching vehicles to reduce speed. The same principle applies to raised pedestrian crossings.

A refuge island, on the other hand, is a median with a refuge section installed to help pedestrians determine when it is already safe to cross the road.

The list of Council’s school pedestrian crossings upgrade projects and their status are as follows:

Status	School area	Location and project
Completed	Clovelly Public School / St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School	Varna Street (at Arden Street), Clovelly – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Coogee Boy’s Preparatory School / Randwick Coogee Preschool / Randwick Public School	Botany Street (at Waratah Avenue), Randwick – Upgrade existing pedestrian refuge
Completed	Coogee Public School	Howard Street (near Lee Street), Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Coogee Public School / Rainbow Public School / Randwick Boy’s High School / Randwick Girl’s High School	Oberon Street & Higgs Street, Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Emanuel School / St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary School	King Street, Randwick- Install pedestrian refuge near Montifiore Randwick (Head Office)
Completed	Kensington Public School	Bowral Street (near Doncaster Avenue), Kensington – Raise existing crossing
Completed	Kensington Public School	Bowral Street, (near ANZAC Parade), Kensington – Raise existing crossing
Completed	Maroubra Junction Public School	Loch Maree Street, Maroubra – Raise existing crossing
Completed	Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary School / South Sydney High School / Champagnat Catholic College	Sturt Street (west of Paton Street), Kingsford – Install raised pedestrian (wombat) crossing
Completed	Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary School / South Sydney High School / Champagnat Catholic College	Fitzgerald Avenue (at Robey Street), Maroubra – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary School / South Sydney High School / Champagnat Catholic College	Fitzgerald Avenue (at Walsh Street), Maroubra – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School and Our Lady of the Rose College	Villiers Street (at Addison Street), Kensington – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	Randwick Girls’ High School/ Randwick Boys’ High School	Barker Street West of Easy Street – Pedestrian Refuge
Completed	Randwick Primary School, Coogee Preparatory Primary School	Church Street (at Frances Street), Randwick – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	South Coogee Public School	Rainbow Street (at Hendy Avenue), Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Completed	St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School	Arden Street, Clovelly – Raise existing crossing
Completed	St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School	Clovelly Road (at Knox Street), Clovelly – Install pedestrian refuge and kerb nibs
Completed	St Anthony’s Primary School	Arden Street (north of Clovelly Road), Clovelly – Raise existing pedestrian crossing, create wombat crossing
Completed	St Bridgid’s Catholic Primary School	Arden St & Bream St , Coogee – Pedestrian Refuge
Completed	St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary School	Avoca Street, Randwick – Raise existing crossing
Completed	The French School (Lycée Condorcet)	Moverly Road, Maroubra – Raise existing pedestrian crossing, create wombat crossing
Construction Phase	Brigidine College and Claremont Primary School	Perouse Road (at Aeolia Street), Randwick – Raise existing pedestrian crossing, create wombat crossing
Construction Phase	St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary School / Emanuel School	Carter Street (at Avoca Street), Randwick – Install continuous foot
Construction Phase	St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary School / Emanuel School / Randwick Primary School	Clovelly Road (at Centennial Avenue), Randwick – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	Coogee Public School	Bream Street (at Mount Street), Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	Emanuel School	Chepstow Street (at Stanley Street), Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	Matraville Sports High School	Anzac Pde at Franklin Street (southern intersections), Matraville – Signalise multi-carriageway intersection
Design Phase	Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary	Dutruc Street (at Alison Road), Randwick – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	South Coogee Public School	Rainbow Street (at Ellen Street), Coogee – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary School / Emanuel School / Randwick Public School	Gilderthorpe Avenue (at Frenchmans Road), Randwick – Install pedestrian refuge
Design Phase	St Mary, St Joseph Catholic Primary School / Maroubra Public School	Wride Street (at Duncan Street), Maroubra – Install pedestrian refuge

Source: Randwick City Council

The $4.365-million project is made possible through a grant awarded to Randwick City Council under the Federal Stimulus Road Safety Program School Zones project. The Australian Government committed a total of $3 billion for the Road Safety Program over three years from 2021 to 2021 and is offered to states and territories to help fast track their lifesaving road safety upgrade projects.

The program is being offered under a “use it or lose it” scheme where states and territories are to use their funding within each six-month tranche for them to receive the full allocation for their next tranche.

Drowning in Little Bay Prompts Call to Observe Increased Rock Fishing Safety Measures

Surf Life Saving Australia is calling on the public to observe increased safety measures for rock fishing following the tragic drowning of a father and his son in Little Bay near Maroubra.

Shane Daw, the general manager for coastal safety of Surf Life Australia has been advocating for those engaging in rock fishing to wear lifejackets and he believes that this should be mandated nationwide. The safety expert also wants more education on the importance of a lifejacket, including in areas where it has become compulsory.

A 40-year-old father and his nine-year-old son were believed to have been swept by the tide as they were rock fishing in Little Bay on Monday, 31 Jan. The pair were not wearing lifejackets when paramedics took them out of the water. According to reports, the dad and son were in critical condition and could not be saved.

According to Mr Daw, every council in Australia should have laws about mandatory lifejackets, as well as continued enforcement and education about its use. He said that even in councils where it has been required, many fishers are still not aware of the law, especially among recreational fishers. He believes that this safety guideline should also be taught in schools and community groups as the death toll has been climbing.

Data from Surf Life Saving Australia showed that 80 per cent of all rock fishing fatalities were not wearing a lifejacket.

Little Bay, under Randwick City Council, is considered one of the most dangerous places for rock fishing. In 2018, the Council mandated lifejacket use for rock fishers.

However, according to NSW Police, only two violations have been logged in Little Bay since its enforcement. The recent accident is the fourth rock fishing-related death in the area since 2017 and the 21st since 2001.

A review of the lifejacket policies, education, and implementation will be conducted by Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker. Meanwhile, the victims’ family and friends have launched a GoFundMe page for the mother, who painfully watched her husband and son drown in the water.

Malabar Ocean Pool Amenities Building Development Up for Consideration

The Malabar Ocean Pool could get a brand new amenities building after overwhelming support from the public to proceed with the development.

In a survey conducted by Randwick City Council, 70 percent of the residents agreed that the ocean pool must have its very own amenities building whilst 24 percent said that a structure might unnecessarily ruin the site’s character.

There are currently no toilets near the Malabar Ocean Pool and locals have to use the amenities at the Cromwell Park some 700 metres away.

The Malabar Ocean Pool has been around since the 1890s. In the 1970s, the Council, along with the Sydney Water and NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, closed the site due to pollution. Following an extensive restoration, the ocean pool was ready for public use again in 1997 but it was still without the needed amenities.

Because of its popularity with the locals, especially in the summer months, the Malabar Ocean Pool usually accommodates a large number of visitors. The precinct committee has approached the Council to build toilet facilities around the site, while a probe into a potential location was conducted in 2019.

Locals said that the car park area could be an ideal space for the amenities building, which must also include outdoor showers, changing rooms, drinking fountains and disabled access.

Following the result of the public consultation, the Council will now consider allocating funds to develop detailed plans in its 2021-22 budget.

Maroubra SLSC Secures $400,000 for Stage 1 Upgrades

Good news for Maroubra locals as the people prepare to enjoy a safe and healthy summer! Randwick City Council has agreed to allocate $400,000 for Stage 1 of the planned upgrades to the Maroubra Surf Lifesaving Club (Maroubra SLSC).

The scope of works covers the following:

140sqm increased storage capability for lifesaving equipment
New beach surveillance and observation platform
New training and education room
Improved community room space

The start date of construction has yet to be determined. The remaining stages of redevelopment and upgrades will still be decided upon based on the Maroubra Beach Foreshore plan.

Maroubra SLSC is crucial to the community’s safety and protection in the water, especially when Maroubra’s beach is deemed as one of the more hazardous beaches in Sydney. Club members rescue some 285 people every year, which is considered as one of the highest in New South Wales.

The organisation also hosts various community activities for physical and mental well-being, making the clubhouse an important social hub. Club membership increased by more than 25 percent in three years, making the current building’s format and condition unfit for the expanded membership.

The facility improvements will help support Maroubra SLSC’s mission and value to the precinct. The upgrades will also push the club to become a world-class site.

Heffron Centre Development: Concept Design Unveiled, Project to Bring 200 Jobs

The concept design for the Heffron Centre development in Maroubra has been unveiled following a public consultation in April 2020. The planned multi-purpose, state-of-the-art sports facility will move on with the development application, with an estimated target date of construction in mid-2021.

The new Heffron Centre will include two indoor sports halls with spectator seating and ample storage spaces. This site will house the Community and High-Performance headquarters of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Souths Cares.

Lecture rooms, gymnastic zones, training and operational areas, bathrooms for athletes and guests, as well as a merchandise shop were incorporated in the design, based on the residents of the locals.

Photo Credit: CO-OP Studio/Randwick City Council

Part of the centre will also include a cafe within an open plaza with both indoor and outdoor seating. The plaza is envisioned as a community hub for relaxation and socialisation.

An internal street will be built to link these facilities and connect the front and back of the site. Visitor areas for viewing the NRL training field will also be established.

“The concept designs have been informed by community feedback and are the result of more than four years of hard work, research, consultation and planning,” Randwick Mayor Danny Said stated in the unveiling of the concept design. “This is an exciting project that will see grassroots and elite sports co-exist at Heffron Park. It will also see the Rabbitohs move to their supporter heartland in Maroubra,” Mr Said added.

Randwick City Council and the South Sydney Rabbitohs were able to secure about $21 million in state and federal funding for the Heffron Centre. About 200 jobs will be generated once construction starts, with at least 60 ongoing jobs to be retained once the site is operational.

The Council expects the development to be completed in late 2022.