Northern beaches: Police to monitor Oz Day beach booze ban zones
Police and council rangers are bracing themselves for surging crowds at our beaches and parks on January 26.
Manly
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Australia Day revellers have been put on notice that authorities will be closely monitoring crowds for flouting beach booze bans,
And police and council rangers will be watching for blatant breaches of COVID-19 social distancing rules in what is expected to be a bumper day on the northern beaches.
The warning comes as — again — crowds of people crammed into Manly’s controversial East Esplanade Reserve on Saturday afternoon and evening, just weeks after a COVID lockdown ruined Christmas and New Year for thousands of peninsula residents, as well as leaving businesses fearful for their future.
Under COVID distancing health guidelines, only 800 people should be in that park at any one time.
But as new images emerged of the party atmosphere along East Esplanade at the weekend, Northern Beaches Cr Pat Daley reiterated his call for authorities make the area a 24-hour alcohol-free zone for the duration of the pandemic.
Cr Daley said it was becoming a “nightmare for police” and almost impossible for them to move people on when it becomes an alcohol free zone at 8pm.
The council has declared that on Australia Day all beaches, sand areas and attached reserves are Alcohol Free Zones from 6am on January 26 to 6am on January 27.
Cr Daley told the Manly Daily that ratepayers were becoming frustrated that people were ignoring alcohol free zones around Manly, and elsewhere, and not keeping socially distant to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Council CEO Ray Brownlee said that rangers would be working closely with NSW Police to ensure the bans were upheld.
The council and the Police have developed a joint action plan to manage drinking in alcohol-free zones at reserves and beaches on Australia Day.
“We ask everyone, this Australia Day, to please observe the NSW Health Orders including social distancing, and to respect other people around them.”
Mr Brownlees reminded revellers that Rangers have the power to confiscate alcoholic drinks
and tip them out and that police were authorised to ensure public health orders such as social distancing were adhered to.
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