COVID-19: Drones to monitor Coogee, Maroubra, Clovelly beaches over summer

Popular beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs will be monitored by drones this summer following a decision by Randwick Council.

Hundreds of people enjoying Coogee Beach this week as temperatures increase. Picture: Christian Gilles

More of Sydney’s most popular beaches will be monitored by drones this summer after Randwick Council announced it would use the technology to count crowd numbers including at Maroubra and Coogee.

Randwick Council has followed in the footsteps of Northern Beaches Council who announced a similar step earlier this month to stay COVID-19 safe.

A $1.2 million plan was endorsed last night by Randwick Council aimed at helping beachgoers stay safe during summer.

“Access to open spaces and beaches is important to provide for the physical and mental health and wellbeing of locals and visitors,” Mayor Danny Said said.

Drones will be used at Randwick Council beaches.

“This plan is about ensuring we can provide a COVID-safe approach to our open spaces over summer.”

Randwick Council manages some of Sydney’s busiest beaches including the patrolled beaches of Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly as well as unpatrolled beaches at Little Bay, Malabar and La Perouse.

The plan includes employing 12 COVID marshals to work at beaches over summer, four drones being purchased to monitor crowd numbers across all beaches, and live cameras being installed at La Perouse, Frenchmans Bay, Yarra Bay and Gordons Bay providing beach goers with real time information on crowd capacity.

Temporary toilet facilities at Clovelly, Maroubra, Coogee, La Perouse, Frenchmans Bay and Yarra Bay will also be installed to reduce queues and increase capacity.

Randwick Mayor Danny Said. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The changes will be put in place from December 1.

“Importantly, the plan also provides us with the ability to scale our response depending on applicable Public Health Orders at the time,” Mayor Said said.

“We do not know how the restrictions on open spaces will change this summer, but our plan provides the flexibility to adapt as required.”

People heading to the beach this summer are encouraged to check beach capacity numbers and live cameras on the council website, go to the beach at a different time if busy, leave the beach after a swim, wear a mask, and where possible visit the beach outside peak times.