'Not again!': Divisive Aussie beach trend returns for another year

Love them or hate them, they're back!

2 min read

September 2, 2024 - 9:25AM

Lifestyle

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As the weather warms up, so too does our annual love/hate relationship with a popular lightweight, portable and easy-to-set-up beach accessory.

Yep, we’re talking about CoolCabanas because, you guessed it, these pop-up shelters are making their seasonal comeback, and opinions are once again divided.

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Image: Facebook

The divisive Aussie beach trend

In a photo shared on Facebook over the weekend from Noosa Heads, a busy tourist hotspot in Queensland, over 20 CoolCabanas were seen dotted across the small beach.

The trend, which started in 2022 and has been dubbed ‘cabana-rama’, has drawn criticism for “taking over” beaches and ruining the ocean views for beach-goers.

The photo was captioned: “Great day at the beach,” but it’s unclear if the woman was simply commenting on the good weather or being sarcastic and referring to all the cabanas. But that didn’t stop locals from weighing in on them in the comments anyway.

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"Here they come again"

“Jeez they look crook,” said one, adding that the structures were a “necessary evil.”

“Here they come again,” replied someone else, saying that people will need a lot of luck to get a spot on the beach this year.

“Being a local doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the beach,” someone else pointed out.

But one brave commenter hailed the tents as “a great idea.”

CoolCabana etiquette rules to follow

In the peak of summer last year, Kidspot established some very important etiquette rules for those who had bought a CoolCabana.

Leah Goulis, Kidpot’s Lifestyle Editor, wrote, “If you don’t follow these common courtesies, you’re killing the vibe of every other person hoping for a nice day in the sun.”

First on the list - don’t hog the shore.

“Just don't be selfish. The beach is there to share, so if you’re planning on setting up your oversized sun shelter, don’t be an ass and set up right on the shoreline,” she said.

“Find a spot towards the back of the sandy area so you don’t obstruct the view of other families - they want to be able to see their children play in the sand and supervise them playing in the shallow water without you setting up camp right in front of them.”

Also, if you’re not planning on staying long, she says to “leave the cabana at home.”

“If you're there for an hour or less, ask yourself if it’s really necessary to pack the whole beach set up. This also applies if you go early in the morning or late in the arvo when the sun isn't so harsh,” Leah mentioned.

“Perhaps a small umbrella might do the trick.”

Finally, she emphasised, “If you take it, USE IT!!”

“A shelter is there to protect YOU from the sun. Not the drinks you have in the esky.”