‘A precious place’: Anger over BYO booze plan at popular eastern suburbs beach

Five Watsons Bay residents, including Hollywood filmmaker George Miller, have engaged lawyers to fight a proposal to allow bring-your-own alcohol at a popular beachfront kiosk in Sydney’s east, arguing the move will encourage drunken behaviour and destroy the family-friendly atmosphere.

Woollahra Council’s proposal to allow patrons to drink at the popular Camp Cove Kiosk has divided opinion in the harbourside enclave, and prompted one councillor to warn the row could alert revellers to the council’s little-known lack of restrictions on drinking alcohol on its beaches.

Miller is among locals worried the plan to permit BYO alcohol could attract crowds of intoxicated revellers spilling into nearby streets, and send broken glass from bottles into the sand.

“It’s the last spot of all the beaches you would want the risk of BYO alcohol because of its proximity to Kiddie Corner,” he said, referring to a calm section of the cove commonly used by families.

The council approved a six-month trial of BYO alcohol at Camp Cove Kiosk between lunchtime and 6pm in winter and until 7pm in summer from last December to June this year.

Alcohol is allowed on the beach at Camp Cove, but the kiosk operators need the council’s permission to allow BYO at the venue.

Kiosk operator Omer Farhy said the proposal for the 35-seat venue was modest and would not change the beach’s peaceful character or spark antisocial behaviour. But council staff recommended the plan for rejection after police and a handful of locals raised safety concerns, despite most submissions from Watsons Bay and Vaucluse residents endorsing the changes.

Farhy told a meeting of the council’s finance, community and services committee on Monday he wanted to introduce “an elegant and relaxed way to enjoy the beach with a sunset BYO drink”.

“I am not a drinker myself and do not support drunken behaviour,” he said.

Watsons Bay resident Allen Linz, who lives next to the “thriving” kiosk, said he had been frustrated by noise from patrons shouting and speaking loudly near his fence.

“It’s very, very hard for [the operators] to control that, so how they’re going to control BYO alcohol at this point, I don’t know. The ability to control people who are drinking is very difficult.”

He went a step further: “Council should look at banning alcohol on Camp Cove Beach, it’s not necessary to have alcohol on the beach. Look at Waverley and other councils around Sydney, they don’t allow it.”

Lawyer Adam Moxon Simpson told the meeting he represented Miller, Linz and three other unidentified residents who worried about shattered glass and wanted to protect Kiddie Corner as a spot where “toddlers play in the sand, kids learn to swim, and parents and kids can feel safe”.

“Now is not the time for more alcohol on beaches, and Kiddie Corner is not the place; it’s a precious place for families.”

Council papers said staff received 77 submissions on the proposal – 48 of which were positive. Supporters said the trial enhanced the community atmosphere and encouraged social engagement.

Police did not receive any reports of antisocial behaviour at the kiosk during the trial period. But staff raised concerns that, in any event, police officers and council rangers would lack the powers to confiscate alcohol from patrons given the venue was not fully licensed and booze was permitted on the beach.

“While the area is not currently alcohol-free, this status is not widely known,” council papers said.

“Promoting BYO alcohol at the kiosk, in the [police’s] opinion, could increase public awareness of the fact that Camp Cove beach is currently not designated as being alcohol-free. This may attract individuals who may engage in antisocial behaviour, especially during warmer months.”

Liberal councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis suggested a 12-month second trial and said the proposal had divided Watsons Bay’s “very close-knit community”.

“It is not widely known in our community, let alone the rest of the state, that we permit alcohol to be served on beaches. You’ve got to be careful for what you wish. By alerting the public to that fact, in 12 months time we might find ourselves in a situation where this has gone out of control.”

Liberal councillor Toni Zeltzer and Independent councillor Mark Silcocks opposed the permit, arguing it was irresponsible given police and staff thought the risks outweighed any benefits.

Zeltzer said the opponents were “not wowsers” and Watsons Bay residents were “a sharing community” who “have to contend with a lot” living in a suburb that was a magnet for visitors.

“How much more do we burden them with simply because they bought nice homes in this area?”

Most of the committee voted to grant the kiosk a 12-month licence to operate BYO alcohol. It would be reviewed in a year, and included conditions for plastic cups and to only permit booze from noon.

Councillors will vote on the matter at the next full council meeting on August 25.

Speaking before Monday’s meeting, Miller recalled about 150 people had attended a pop-up party near the beach one night in March – although the committee later heard that gathering was not related to the kiosk trial.

“They stopped in the street and they were drinking and smashing bottles. The next morning we had to go out and sweep up the bottles. It was a really good example of what could go wrong,” he said.

Miller, who directed Mad Max, agreed the council should consider beach alcohol-free zones but said the local opponents’ “first aim is to stop [the BYO proposal], which we believe is a folly”.

“There are no liquor licensing laws, there’s no way you can police it, there’s no security. This is the thin edge of the wedge. It’s a very risky situation.”

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