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The start of autumn is blessing Sydney with some top-tier beach days, but there’s some less delightful news coming from some of our fave stretches of sand (or, in Clovelly’s case, slabs of concrete). Randwick City Council is proposing to introduce paid parking for visitors at several of its coastal gems, including Coogee Beach, Maroubra Beach, Clovelly Beach, Little Bay Beach and La Perouse. If the proposal moves forward, visitors would need to pay to park while local residents would receive permits allowing them to park for free.
According to reporting by The Sydney Morning Herald, the council says maintaining its popular beachside precincts costs ratepayers more than $23 million each year. Introducing paid parking for visitors is expected to generate around $6 million annually – money that would be reinvested into beach infrastructure like surf clubs, amenities, buildings and walkways.
Mayor Dylan Parker said the change is about creating a fairer system for locals.
“Right now, local ratepayers carry most of that cost, even though the bulk of beach users in summer are visitors,” he explained, describing the current system as "not fair or sustainable in the long term.”
If the proposal went ahead, households within the council area would be entitled to at least one free parking permit. The exact cost for visitors hasn’t been announced yet, though council information circulated to residents referenced parking fees at other major Sydney beaches – including about $10 per hour at Manly Beach and $11.60 an hour at Bondi.
Of course, the politics of beach parking in Syd can get a little heated. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, previous attempts to prioritise locals have sparked backlash – including a controversial 2023 move by Woollahra Council to introduce residents-only parking near Camp Cove, a rule was ultimately scrapped.
For now, Randwick residents and beachgoers still have time to weigh in. The council is accepting community feedback on the paid parking proposal until April 15. You can learn more and have your say over here.
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