The beach you WON’T be able to go to this summer: Why a Sydney favourite will be out of bounds even after the rain finally stops
- Sydney’s Shark Beach to be shut over summer while work is done on its seawall
- Work was meant to be finished by December but wet weather has caused delays
- The sheltered beach is a favoured hangout for families both locals and tourists
Soggy Sydney may be dreaming of spending some quality beachtime when the sun finally breaks out but the wet weather has claimed one of city’s favourite sandy spots, Shark Beach.
Despite the uninviting name, the beach nestled along Neilson Park on the coastal side of exclusive Sydney eastern suburb Vaucluse is a favoured family haunt but it has been shut since March 1 to allow renovation work on its seawall.
The beach was meant to reopen in December but soaking weather means the work on the 160-metre concrete wall won’t be finished until next year.
Sydney’s popular Shark Beach will be closed over summer as works are done on its seawall
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service told the Sydney Morning Herald that the wet weather had delayed a number of its projects around Sydney.
‘Continued poor weather has forced delays to a number of projects across the Sydney region, including the Nielsen Park seawall replacement, new whale watching platform at Cape Solander and North Head upgrade by several months,’ a NPWS spokesperson said.
The beach’s promenade and popular kiosk and cafe, The Nielson, are also shut for the duration of repairs.
Normally the sheltered beach is a favoured one for families, both locals and tourists
As well as repairing the seawall, which was built in the 1930s and suffered considerable damage during storms in 2016, works include creating a wheelchair-accessible ramp to the beach and improving stair access to the beach.
New lawn and more native trees will also be planted and with the promenade area expanded and resurfaced and a new irrigation system put in place.
The beach was meant to be reopened in December but wet weather has delayed the works
Woollahra mayor Susan Wynne told the Sydney Morning Herald that while it was disappointing to lose the beach over summer, the repair works were necessary.
‘There’s nothing we can do. If it’s not ready, it’s not ready,’ she said.
‘It needs to be done.’
Sydney’s beautiful people, such as Instagram influencer Alice Roberts, will need to find new picturesque backdrops as Shark Beach remains closes over the summer
As a sheltered inner Harbour spot, Shark Beach is considered great for safe family swimming with soft sand, a shady and leafy park backdrop and views of the Sydney city skyline from the water.
Tourism Australia lists Shark Beach as one of the nine best beaches in Sydney, making it popular among tourists as well as locals.
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