Coogee Beach rainbow walkway will see $20k makeover with progress pride flag

A bold gay rights statement installed at Coogee Beach is set to receive a makeover with five new colours to represent the more inclusive LGBTQIA+ flag. Here’s what it’ll look like.

Coogee Beach’s landmark rainbow walkway is set to receive a major makeover with new colours which represent the progress pride flag.

The $20,000 revamp to the 47m rainbow at the steps of Coogee’s lower promenade was passed unanimously at a Randwick Council meeting on Tuesday night.

According to the council’s motion, the move was sparked by feedback from gay rights and advocacy groups who advised the progress flag was more inclusive and had become the conventional flag to represent the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Progress Pride flag was developed in 2018 by non-binary American artist and designer Daniel Quasar.

The redesign of the iconic rainbow flag calls for a more inclusive society. It includes the new colours of black and brown, which symbolise people of colour, as well as pink, baby blue and white, which represent the trans community.

What the Coogee Beach rainbow will soon look like. Picture: Randwick Council

How the rainbow currently looks. Picture: Randwick Council

Coogee’s rainbow was first installed in early 2021 ahead of the Mardi Gras season.

The arched rainbow was created with specialist flooring paint designed to withstand the sun, sand, salt of its environment and originally intended to remain for several months.

This option was voted down. Picture: Randwick Council

Another option that was voted down. Picture: Randwick Council

Last September, Randwick Council voted unanimously to make the rainbow a permanent fixture, to help boost tourism and recognise diversity.

At the time, the decision caused controversy, with some councillors claiming the community had not been consulted about the change.

But others pushed back, saying consulting the community about such an initiative would risk putting support for the LGBTQIA+ community up for debate.

According to council documents, the flag alteration would result in a $20,000 negative in the council’s September budget review.

The progress pride flag.

As well as adding the new colours, that amount will cover the repainting and resealing of the original rainbow, which is showing signs of wear and tear, the council confirmed.

At Tuesday’s meeting, councillors voted on four different designs for the new flag.

The winning option takes up the most space and sees the new colours added to the walkway on either side of the rainbow.

Randwick councillor Noel D'Souza.

Other potential designs which were voted down included adding five extra colours to the original rainbow shape or adding them onto the edges in either V-shapes or straight lines.

Independent councillor Noel D’Souza led a successful motion in February to install a plaque at the rainbow site to honour the victims of LGBTQIA+ hate crimes.

He said the rainbow walkway and its new additions make a statement of inclusiveness and acceptance.

“LBGTQIA+ people in this country are still sadly crippled by the manacles of prejudice and the chains of discrimination,” he said.

“This in a free and democratic country is unacceptable and disrespectful to a marginalised group in our community that deserves better”.

According to Randwick Council, staff discussed the potential changes ahead of the vote with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras chief executive Albert Kruger, ACON chief executive Nicholas Parkhill and the Senior Marcomms Manager for Sydney WorldPride 2023, Nic Holland.

The council confirmed it will also update its street banners for 2023 with the new progress pride style.