Elite suburb to lose reserved parking to allow visitors access to beach

Residents in one of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs will lose their privileged parking spaces in a bid to ease traffic at a popular swimming area on Sydney Harbour.

Camp Cove Beach has experienced an influx of visitors due to the ongoing closure of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park, which has triggered complaints from residents about competition for parking, particularly on summer weekends and public holidays.

More people are visiting Camp Cove in Watsons Bay - causing parking pressures and traffic gridlock - because of the ongoing closure of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park.Credit: Edwina Pickles

But Woollahra Council wants to reduce the number of parking spaces reserved for residents in Watsons Bay to make it easier for visitors to attend the beach.

The council is also investigating new swimming areas in the harbour and trying to persuade private schools to allow public access to their sporting facilities, including swimming pools.

The surge in visitors to Camp Cove Beach was caused by the ongoing closure of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park to swimmers due to the NSW government’s delayed reconstruction of the seawall.

The popular swimming spot in Vaucluse will be closed for another summer, with construction not due for completion until April 2024.

Shark Bay at Nielsen Park will be closed for a second summer because of delays in rebuilding the seawall.Credit: Peter Rae

A Department of Planning and Environment spokesman said it “sympathises” with residents around the “loss of amenity” this coming summer.

“The site will re-open for swimming as soon as it is safe to allow visitors to access the beach,” he said.

He said there were other harbour swimming sites near Shark Beach, including the netted Redleaf Pool in Double Bay and Watsons Bay Baths.

Sydney Water will begin construction on a new pumping station at Parsley Bay, also in Vaucluse, in early 2024, which is designed to end the pumping of raw sewage into the ocean.

A Sydney Water spokesman said access to Parsley Bay beach would not be affected during the three-year construction period, but a council spokesman said it could further impact other swimming locations in the eastern suburbs.

“Council will be investigating opportunities for new harbour swimming sites over the next 12 months,” he said.

However, he said the NSW government has to approve any new harbour pools.

The council’s traffic committee last week recommended replacing residents-only parking spaces on a number of streets in Watsons Bay with timed parking restrictions to encourage parking turnover.

The committee rejected calls from residents to retain parking spaces for their use only as inconsistent with the requirement to provide equitable access to parking for other motorists.

Residents have also complained in council surveys about the lack of enforcement of existing parking restrictions - although the council’s traffic committee said more than 900 parking fines had been issued in six weeks over summer.

They also blame parking problems on trades vehicles associated with construction work at the HMAS Watson navy base.

Woollahra councillor Harriet Price said competition for parking was a “real challenge” in Watsons Bay.

“Some parking arrangements in Watsons Bay are most unique, effectively providing exclusive parking for residents only,” she said.

Price said the council was also trying to persuade private schools to open their swimming pools to the public.

“I hope they can come on board to benefit the broader community,” she said.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.