More than 20 tonnes of rubbish have been collected from Coogee beach in Sydney’s east after thousands of backpackers descended on the location to celebrate Christmas Day.
Bronte beach in the neighbouring local government area of Waverley is usually the site of the annual unsanctioned party known as “orphan’s Christmas”, but this year the council warned revellers “do not come”.
The council held safety concerns about construction work in the park, which it worried could not be managed if 15,000 people turned up, as was the case in 2024.
“The aftermath of last year’s gathering – significant mess and broken glass, antisocial behaviour and crowd control issues – saw council undertake community consultation about how to better manage the impacts,” Waverley council said.
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Roughly half of Bronte Park is off-limits while the development of the new Bronte Surf Club is under way, which has resulted in a “drastic reduction in open space and only narrow channels available to move around”, the council said.
While some Santa-hatted revellers visited Bronte on Thursday, numbers were low and many moved on to Coogee.
Randwick’s mayor, Dylan Parker, said the council was reviewing its response and was open to further action before future Christmas parties.
“We don’t want to see this become the norm, but unfortunately we may have no other choice,” Parker said.
“We welcome people enjoying Christmas by the beach, but it has to be done respectfully. What we saw at Coogee crossed that line.”
Parker praised staff who worked late into Christmas night and on Boxing Day morning to complete the clean-up of 20 tonnes of rubbish left by the crowd of thousands.
“I would like to commend all of our rangers, lifeguards and waste and cleansing staff for the amazing work they’ve done,” he said. “I would also like to thank Waverley Council who sent extra crews from nearby Bronte Beach to give us a hand.
“In total, more than 20 tonnes of rubbish was picked up and sent to the tip in four truck loads.”
Staff used beach rakes, footpath sweepers, high-pressure hoses and hands-on cleaning to clear rubbish and clean toilets, sand and grassed areas.
“While many people behaved responsibly, it’s disappointing that some chose to litter heavily and urinate in public spaces,” Parker said.
He said the council was determined to do what it could “to protect our local beaches and ensure they are safe and open to everyone”.
“We do have limited powers, but we will look at all options in consultation with local police and our neighbouring councils, considering things like temporary fencing, alcohol and glass inspections and more,” he said.
