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Collaroy’s Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club Opens New Sustainable Home

Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Council/Martin Mischkulnig

The new community hub of the Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club in Collaroy has finally opened its doors after nearly two years of construction, offering a welcoming space to Northern Beaches locals and visitors.

Designed by award-winning Adriano Pupilli Architects, the new clubhouse, which was officially unveiled in February 2023, comprises three distinct weathered timber pavilions along the rugged coastal dune scape.

The main building houses the gym and training area, first aid room and function rooms for community activities. The second floor of this building offers sweeping views of the ocean. The other buildings have the cafe and the community storage lockers for the Council Lifeguards and the Board Rider group.

At the heart of the Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club is the courtyard, a centralised public area with amenities like barbecues, plenty of seating and shade, and gorgeous landscaping.

Long Reef SLSC — *Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Council/Martin Mischkulnig*

The $9.5-million fit-for-purpose building, which replaces the old clubhouse, is sustainable and fitted with modern and flexible features that are sympathetic to the local environment.

The structures are made of natural materials from sustainably sourced timber, whilst water fittings and fixtures have been designed to save water. The building has LED lighting on automated controls, drought-tolerant planting, green roofs, bike racks, and permeable paving.

“I said when the fences went up that I was sad to see the old buildings go, but it was well and truly past its used-by date. This new site is both spectacular and functional,” Peter Kinsey, President of Long Reef Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club, said. “I am so glad I could be here to witness its completion after being part of the Club for more than 60 years. It’s a real special feeling.”

“This facility will provide a welcoming centre of activity for the broader beach-loving community, and a long-term base for future generations of volunteer surf lifesavers to share their skills, conduct vital patrols and provide a safe beach environment for everyone to enjoy,” Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said.

Founded in 1950 with 29 members, the Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club currently has over 1,000 members.

Published 1-April-2023

Parking Limitations Proposed Along Pittwater Road as Complaints Over Weekend Pop-up Car Market Mounts

Photo credit: Google Maps

Hourly parking restrictions on Pittwater Road in Collaroy have been proposed following complaints that the weekend pop-up car market is taking away parking spaces from nearby businesses and residents.

Up to 100 for-sale vehicles are parked in the kerbside lane of Pittwater Road next to Griffith Park during weekends, occupying spaces along the stretch between Anzac Pde and Hadleigh Avenue. The weekly pop-up market attracts hundreds of potential car buyers which businesses in the area complain is affecting their customers who are finding a place to park at weekends.

Concerns are also raised about the safety of prospective buyers who are inspecting the vehicles, putting them at risk from passing traffic.

Councillor De Luca is now pushing for a two-hour parking limit to be imposed on Pittwater Road from the Anzac Pde/Pittwater Rd intersection to Hadleigh Avenue. He said that problem which has existed since the 1990s has caused the loss of street parking that would normally be used by residents and customers of nearby businesses.

“That Council formally write to the NSW Minister for Roads and the Shadow Minister for Roads

requesting the implementation of hourly parking restrictions on Pittwater Road from the intersection of Anzac Parade and Pittwater Road to Hadleigh Avenue, Collaroy to prevent cars for sale taking up much needed residents’ and beach user parking and posing safety risks with potential purchasers walking on Pittwater Road to inspect vehicles,” Councillor Vincent De Luca OAM’s motion reads.

Meanwhile, Transport for NSW said that the government agency is aware of the issue and that advertising a car for sale on a public road without prior council approval is illegal. Transport for NSW will work with the Northern Beach Council on the issue to ensure the safety of road users at the subject location.

Published 4-March-2023

A Little Slice of the Summer Holidays: Beachfront Eatery Opens in Collaroy

Photo credit: Facebook / Shannon Fentiman MP

A new beachfront bar has recently opened in Collaroy sitting next to The Collaroy, offering seafood-laden snacks, tropical cocktails and a sweeping view of Collaroy Beach.

Just in time for summer, Merivale opened its latest venue by the beach, The Surf Deck. The beachfront venue offers a perfect spot to swing by for some brunch or catch up with friends over tiki-style cocktails and tasty food whilst soft breezes and waves roll in the background.

Beachfront Eatery Opens in Collaroy — Photo credit: The Surfdeck / merivale.com/venues/the-surf-deck

And at the helm of the kitchen is Merivale executive chef Jordan Toft whose Mexican and Mediterranean-inspired menu has been tailor-fit for snacking and for sharing. Looking at the breakfast menu, you’d find the classics including House Granola made with seasonal fruits, coconut yoghurt and almond milk; and Bacon and Egg Roll with aioli, American cheese, lettuce and a soft roll.

The Food Menu, meanwhile, offers an array of seafood dishes, tacos and burgers. Think Sydney Rock Oysters with pineapple and pepper mignonette; Swordfish Carpaccio with lemon, pink peppercorn and chives; and Diner Bacon Burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, b&b pickles and burger sauce.

Vinnies Pizzas are plenty too. On offer are Gamberi (San Marzano, fior di latte, prawns and fresh chilli), Margherita (San Marzano, buffalo mozzarella and basil) and Vegetariana (Fior di latte, basil pesto, tomatoes, zucchini, grilled peppers, Spanish onion, olives), and more.

The drinks list includes signature cocktails such as Mai Tai, Peachy Monkey and Sundaze. There’s also wine by the glass featuring sparkling, white, red and rose options.

The Surfdeck is located at 1064 Pittwater Road, Collaroy. Operating hours are from 12 pm to 10 pm, Monday-Wednesday; 12 pm to 12 am, Thursday-Friday; 8.30 am to 12 am, Saturday; and Sunday 8.30 am to 10 pm.

book here

The Surf Deck | 1064 Pittwater Rd, Collaroy NSW 2097, Australia

Collaroy-Narrabeen Seawall Extension Now Underway Amidst Mounting Opposition

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The extension of the Collaroy-Narrabeen Seawall is now underway even as calls opposing the construction continue to grow.

A new wall is being built on a section of the Collaroy beach between Stuart and Ramsay Streets. Construction works began on in August 2022.

The new development will extend the seawall constructed in 2021 to cover the stretch along ten properties to the north from Stuart Street to Wetherill Street.

Council said that whilst rock revetment-style works were already approved for some parts of the beach, duplicating this in areas where private properties are located would mean that the wall would encroach up to 10 metres onto the public beach due to space constraints. Hence, a vertical seawall would provide a better outcome.

Construction continuing on new Collaroy seawall. This section is exactly where that swimming pool ended up on the beach in 2016. Notice the different grades of core material and armor units (5 layers in all) pic.twitter.com/SYb7VNwTdP
— Mitchell Harley (@DocHarleyMD) August 2, 2022

The Nature Conservation Council, on the other hand, has been campaigning against the further expansion of the concrete seawall at Collaroy-Narrabeen Beach. The Group argues that other less-damaging solutions such as beach nourishment and offshore artificial reefs are better options, as successfully proven in Gold Coast.

The cost of construction for the new wall will be divided amongst the property owners and the state and federal governments. The property owners will pay 80 per cent of the cost whilst the State Government and the Federal Government will split the remaining, with each providing 10 per cent of the funding.

Destruction at Collaroy Beach after the 2016 storm | Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Council / northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au

The devastating effect that the 2016 storms brought to the properties along the Collaroy beachfront magnified the inherent risk the landowners have been faced with since the area was developed in the early 1900s.

Collaroy Tennis Club Turns On New Solar Power System

Photo Credit: Collaroy Tennis Club / collaroytennisclub.com.au

Collaroy Tennis Club has officially switched on its solar power system which is a first among Tennis Northern Beaches member clubs.

The renewable energy project’s major sponsor, Brendan Pomponio of Belle Property Dee Why, graced the ceremony held 7 May 2022. Mr Pomponio said that the company’s motivation to sponsor the project was to contribute something to the club that would provide a recurring benefit.

Brendan Pomponio switching the solar power system on | Photo Credit: Dale Cohen, Northern Beaches Advocate – Collaroy Tennis Club / collaroytennisclub.com.au

“In our 100th anniversary year, we have won the Most Outstanding Club of the Year Award and installed LED lights and new poles. The Club has just reached 200 members, an 81% increase in 2 years. We are very proud to announce the “official switching on” of the Solar Panels and Battery facility. We are the first club in NSW to have Solar (with batteries) and we are now totally green,” Collaroy Tennis Club President, Vito Cincinnato said.

Vito Cincinnato and Brendan Pomponio | Photo Credit: Dale Cohen, Northern Beaches Advocate – Collaroy Tennis Club / collaroytennisclub.com.au

Mr Cincinnato said that whilst the club doesn’t use a lot of power during daytime but their old conventional lights do consume a lot of electricity. However, by combining the new solar power system with LED lights, the club’s significantly reduce power consumption and help it reach close to zero carbon emissions.

Collaroy Tennis Club received a $23.5k grant from the ATP Cup Legacy Fund that went to the LED lighting upgrade on all of the club’s six courts. The solar and battery upgrade, on the other hand, involved the installation of 33 rooftop solar panels and batteries for storage of excess power. The renewable energy system is expected to generate an average of 63kwh of electricity per day, more than enough to offset the club’s 51kwh daily power consumption or savings of up to $9,000 on power bills.

The more than $100k project makes Collaroy Tennis Club the first club of Tennis Northern Beaches and the first metropolitan tennis club in the state to be equipped with solar panels on a clubhouse.

For a Limited Time! Mr Gelato in the Northern Beaches Offers Customised Egg Gelato Easter Cakes

Make your Easter celebration unforgettable this year by serving and indulging in truly delightful egg-shaped gelato-filled Easter cakes from Mr Gelato by Matteo, with outlets in Collaroy and Freshwater.

Available only until Sunday, 17 April 2022, the customisable dessert from Mr Gelato by Matteo is prepared fresh on the site with the customers picking out the biscuit crumble for the base, their ice cream flavour for the filling, the glaze, and the toppings.

Among the most popular choices include:

BASE	GELATO	GLAZE TOPPING
Caramel crumble Chocolate crumble Classic Italian crumble	Apple pie Chocolate Coffee Dulce De Leche Ferrero Rocher Lemon Nutella Pistachio	Dark Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Lemon Nutella Pistachio

The Egg Gelato Easter Cakes are guaranteed to be a hit with the family but customers may also indulge in heaps of other desserts like its classic gelato, crepes and other unique cakes.

Who can ever resist the original gelato artigianale Italiano, which comes in different flavours? Served in a cup, a cone, a cannoli, or as a split, the creamy and smooth gelato melts in your mouth and contains less fat than regular ice cream.

The Northern Beaches store, which uses traditional family recipes, has been around since 1996 in Rome, and then expanded in the two local outlets.

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A post shared by Mr Gelato by Matteo 👑 (@mrgelatobymatteo)

Mr Gelato by Matteo use locally sourced fresh fruits for its wonderful flavours, top-quality Australian milk, and some of the best ingredients from Italy.

Follow the store on Instagram for updates.

$14.7 Million Revamp for Pittwater House in Collaroy Proceeds as Scheduled

Upgrades to Pittwater House in Collaroy have started more than a year after the school received approval for its development application. Once completed, the $14.7 million revamp will see the school with a new library, new classrooms, and an improved drop-off/pick-up zone that will fix the traffic issues in the surrounding streets.

Pittwater House lodged DA2019/1274 in November 2019 outlining the masterplan for its senior school building, library and resource centre, reception and admissions office, classroom upgrades, and the drop-off and pick-up zones.

The school cited the need for the upgrades as it projects an increase in the student body to more than 1,000 by 2030. The school also stated in its masterplan that there is a need to “augment existing facilities with more modern facilities that reflect new ways of learning” to continue to provide high-quality instruction for the children.

The DA received approval in October 2020 with the construction, spread out in several stages for four to five years, set to start by Term 4 2021.

In September 2021, the school had the turning the sod ceremony with Dr Nancy Hillier, the school’s principal for more than three decades. The first stage will cover the Kiss and Drop zone and then followed by the Senior School upgrades.

The drop-off/pick-up zone will consist of a new driveway on South Creek Road to allow cares to enter the campus. This driveway will be closed to the public outside of the drop-off/pick-up times and will be used as a play area for the kids.

“This is a plan for renewal, not expansion,” school officials stated. “Our School will continue to operate on-site as normal, so the construction program will be managed to minimise dust and noise. Careful design and supervision of building works will allow for our students to continue to engage in all the activities that comprise each day with minimal adverse impact.”

*Photo Credit: DA/NorthernBeachesCouncil*

Pittwater House was established as a preparatory school for boys in 1961 with just six students. In 1975, the school opened its Girls’ College and throughout the ’80s and ’90s, the school expanded with more blocks and facilities.

Today, it has more than 900 students with a student-teacher ratio of just 9.4 per class. The school said that the small class size will remain the same, amidst the upgrades, so every student will get equal attention from the teachers.

Collaroy Plateau Vets Urge Dog Owners to Vaccinate their Pups for Leptospirosis

The Collaroy Plateau Veterinary Hospital has issued an urgent alert after a dog was killed by leptospirosis, a highly contagious bacterial disease carried and spread by rats.

After a dog contracted leptospirosis in the peninsula in early June 2021, veterinarians are urging pet owners all across the country to get their dogs vaccinated against the bacterial disease after a dog died at a specialist centre.

The canine patient, who passed away from complications brought about by leptospirosis, frequented areas such as Narrabeen and Elanora Heights. This particular case was marked as the first local case of the disease in a dog in the Northern Beaches area.

Leptospirosis typically spreads through contaminated water from the urine of infected animals, most commonly rats, however, it is a disease that can be caught by a wide range of animals including humans. In the case of dogs, they are capable of transmitting the disease to one another through biting or coming into contact with their urine. Most dogs catch the disease from drinking stagnant water.

Photo credit: CC BY-SA/archer10 (Dennis)/Flickr

Symptoms of the disease include fevers, severe headaches, sore muscles, chills,diarrhoea, vomiting, redness in eyes, and it can even lead to kidney failure, jaundice, respiratory issues and in some cases, death.

To keep dogs safe from leptospirosis, veterinarians have recommended that dog owners take extra care when taking their canine companions out for walks, with extra measures such as emptying out water bowls in parks before filling them with their own fresh water. They also recommend that they get their dogs vaccinated, however, the vaccination for this particular disease can only be given to puppies older than six weeks old.

The Collaroy Plateau Veterinary Hospital can be found at 24A Aubreen St, Collaroy Plateau. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their Facebook page for the latest updates and announcements concerning the disease and other outbreaks to keep canines safe and healthy.

New Pedestrian Safety Program to be Implemented in Collaroy Plateau

The Northern Beaches Council is currently implementing a new pedestrian safety program, with an ongoing trial which began in March 2021, in cooperation with Collaroy Plateau Public School and other schools.

Using funding from the Commonwealth government’s Federal Stimulus – School Infrastructure Program, the $8.57 million safety upgrades will affect a total of 32 schools across the Northern Beaches over the next twelve months. Among the first two institutions slated for inclusion are Manly West and Collaroy Plateau Public School.

According to Mayor Michael Regan, pedestrian safety is a top priority and the program should speed up the improvements or replacements of existing school pedestrian crossings; introduce new footpaths and user paths; as well as implement safety infrastructure such as kerb ramps.

“This is an exciting program which will ensure we improve safety for our kids and community around our schools,” says Mayor Regan. “We have been working on a Safer Schools program for some time with the school community to identify hotspot areas which need urgent safety upgrades.”

Some of the proposed upgrades include the raising and/or relocation of pedestrian crossings. This will contribute to community safety by increasing the visibility of the crossings and the people using them while forcing vehicles to slow down as they approach.

Those interested in following the program or providing feedback can do so by visiting YourSay.

High Cost Of Building Collaroy Seawall Worries Some Homeowners

Photo credit: Soil Conservation Service/YouTube

Construction of the Collaroy seawall continues despite funding issues. With the protection of private properties forecasted to cost around $17.3 million, some homeowners could not help but fret because they need to shoulder 80 percent of the total expenses.

Based on estimates, it’s going to cost residents over $282,000 each. The 1.3-km seawall would cover a total of 49 private properties, 11 public land areas, a car park and a surf club. With the public land areas included, the total cost could go as high as $24.8 million.

The rest of the expenses for the private properties will be shouldered by the NSW government and Northern Beaches Council, who will allocate 10 per cent of the total cost each for the private works. To avail of the financial assistance, residents have to submit a development application for the Council to review.

“Council has approved six Development Applications for coastal protection works submitted by residents. These applications represent 23 of the 49 land parcels requiring coastal protection, there is currently one DA to be finalised and Council is waiting on information from this resident,” the Northern Beaches Council wrote.

Because of the high cost of building the seawall, there are a few homeowners who have already raised funding for their works.

Seawall proposal

The construction of a seawall in Collaroy was first proposed in 2002. However, Daylan Cameron, Senior Environment Officer – Natural Hazards of Warringah Council’s Natural Environment Unit stated that it wasn’t popular with the community at the time.

Following a severe storm in June 2016, the construction of a seawall was once again suggested and now, it’s finally closer to reality. Collaroy-Narrabeen Beach had a long history of storm damage and coastal erosion, making it the 3rd area most at risk from coastal processes across Australia.

‘Flight deck’ foundation exposed following a 1967 storm (Photo credit: engineersaustralia.org.au)

The Coastline Management Plan 1997 identified four main strategies for dealing with coastal erosion along the beach:

Protective works
Environmental planning measures
Development control and conditions
Dune Management

Nielsen Lord Associates stated in 1998 that the problem stemmed from the fact that the initial subdivision was too close to the beach with properties extending into the active beach zone.

In relation to this, experts warned the damages in the beachfront houses in Collaroy would have a wide effect on the property market. Despite the fact that the house prices in Collaroy increase 15.7 per cent every year, these damages could affect future buyers’ willingness to invest in the area.