Pittwater Life January 2024 Issue

and hostess also available.
churchpointcharter.com.au.
Boat ramps
If you have a boat you want to
float you can launch it from
ramps at Rowland Reserve or
Bayview Park or Maybanke
Cove or Riddle Reserve off
Pittwater Road Bayview;
Bilarong Reserve, Jamieson Park
or Lake Park North Narrabeen;
Careel Bay off George Street
Avalon; At Church Point
near the parking area, or off
McCarrs Creek Road; Clareville
off Delecta Avenue or Lot 7312
Taylors Point Road; Florence
Park or Salt Pan Cove off Prince
Alfred Parade Newport and at
Palm Beach Governor Phillip
Park, Sandy Point Lane or for
dinghies only Lucinda Park off
Nabilla Road.
Locals’ Tip: Check
pittwaterweather.com if you
want to keep an eye on our
local micro-climate.
HEAD TO
THE WATER
Explore our beautiful
waterways and golden
beaches. From Narrabeen
Lagoon to the northern tip of
The Local Voice Since 1991
Palm Beach there are myriad
places to swim, snorkel
and engage in on-the-water
activities or simply immerse
yourself in the restorative
effects of blue space.
Best beaches
We are truly spoilt for choice,
with every surf beach boasting
a unique vibe. Where possible
swim between the red-andyellow
flags and follow the
lead of our lifesavers who
know better than any of us
when it comes to reading the
ever-changing surf conditions.
Check beachsafe.org.au (and
Beachwatch pollution forecast)
before heading out. Locals’
Tip: The best spot at any of our
surf beaches during summer is
the north end. There is (mostly)
always a nor’-east sea breeze
and it can be unpleasant if
you’re fully exposed to its
impact. Mona Vale Basin, North
Bilgola, North Avalon and
Whale Beach are all sheltered in
these conditions.
Surf Safety
It goes without saying… but on
behalf of all the surf life savers
we’ll say it again… please
swim between the flags. Rips
are common. Typical characteristics
of a rip include: deeper,
darker coloured water, fewer
breaking waves and water moving
out to sea. If you get stuck
in rip stay calm and focus on
staying afloat, rips will not pull
you under they just pull you
away from shore. Normally a
rip will stop just behind breaking
waves. Stay calm, float with
the current to conserve your
energy, raise your arm to alert
life savers and wait for help to
arrive. If you are a confident
swimmer, swim with the rip to
just behind the waves. Then
swim left or right to catch a
wave back to the shoreline.
Rock pools
Jutting off the coast you’ll find
some of the most dramatic
ocean pools in the world.
Palm Beach – The 50-metrelong
Johnny ‘Jack’ Carter Pool
is at the southern end of Palm
Beach in an area known as
‘Kiddies Corner’.
Whale Beach – At the southern
end of the beach, this 25-metre
rock pool isn’t very deep and
has a nice sandy bottom, muchloved
for its quiet atmosphere.
Access is from The Strand.
Avalon – Located at the
southern end of the beach, this
uniquely shaped pool is just
over 20 metres long, complete
with a paddle pool for littlies.
Access is from the carpark off
Barrenjoey Road.
Bilgola – At the southern
end of the beach, this 8-lane,
50-metre pool has concrete
walls and floor. The pool has
two sections, separating the
serious lap swimmers from the
wading area which is great for
toddlers. In summertime, the
pool lights stay on until 10pm
for late-night swims.
Newport – At the southern
end of the beach, the pool is
50-metres long with a natural
rock platform as the floor. The
water is waist-high and is great
for swimming laps. You can
reach it from the walkway at
the corner of Calvert Parade
and The Boulevard or along the
beach from the beach carpark.
Mona Vale – Accessed off
Surfview Road at the northern
end of the beach sitting
on a rock platform that is
surrounded by water at high
tide, there are two pools –
one suitable for children and
less confident swimmers
and a larger pool measuring
30-metres for bigger kids and
adults.
North Narrabeen – At the
entrance to Narrabeen Lagoon
with access off Narrabeen Park
Parade, this 50-metre pool
is best known for its timber
boardwalk enclosing a smaller
pool from the rest of the pool.
It’s a great spot for curious
kids too, as there are plenty of
natural rock pools to explore
nearby.
Locals’ Tip: Rock pools are
sometimes closed due to rough
seas, renovations and cleaning
– and they do get a little grubby
between cleans especially
in summer when slime and
grime builds up quickly from
frequent use, so time your visits
accordingly. Council publishes
the cleaning schedule on its
website.
Tidal pools
Our waterways are pretty
clean but as a general
precaution it’s best to avoid
swimming in Pittwater for up
to three days following rainfall
or for as long as stormwater is
present. Stillwater swimming
enclosures include: Paradise
Beach – access is off the
northern end of Paradise
Avenue, Avalon; Taylors
Point Baths – located at the
southern end of Clareville
Beach Reserve, access is off
Hudson Parade; Clareville and
Bayview Baths – On Pittwater
Road Bayview. Locals’ Tip:
Plan ahead. Usage may be
limited on low tides. Finding
a parking spot can be a
challenge.
NATURAL ASSETS
Pittwater is a natural heritage
area that comprises bushland,
wetlands, lagoons, waterways,
rock platforms and beaches
– it’s also home to a large
variety of native animals. All
native animals are protected
species. If you find an injured
or orphaned native animal
contact WIRES on 1300 094
737 or Sydney Wildlife Rescue
on 9413 4300. If you see a
stranded or distressed marine
mammal report it to ORRCA
(Organisation for the Rescue
and Research of Cetaceans in
Australia) on 9415 3333.
Majestic headlands
Appreciate the beauty of
Pittwater’s headlands and
take in some excellent views.
The list is almost endless.
Narrabeen Headland – Peal
Place, Warriewood; Turimetta
Headland – Narrabeen Park
Parade, Warriewood; South
Mona Vale Headland –
Narrabeen Park Parade, Mona
Vale; Mona Vale Headland
– Grandview Parade, Mona
Vale; Eastern end of Hillcrest
Avenue, Mona Vale; Bungan
Head Reserve – Bungan Head
Road, Newport; Newport
Headland – Barrenjoey
Road, Newport; Eric Green
Reserve (access from North
of Newport Beach Carpark);
North Bilgola Headland – The
Serpentine, Bilgola; Bangalley
Head (the highest point on
Sydney’s northern coastline) –
Marine Parade, Avalon; Careel
Head – Whale Beach Road,
Avalon; Whale Beach Headland –
Malo Road & The Strand, Whale
Beach Malo Reserve; Little
Head – Whale Beach Road and
Norma Road, Whale Beach; Palm
Beach Headland – Southern
end of Ocean Road, near
the rockpool, Palm Beach;
Barrenjoey Headland – At the
end of Governor Phillip Park,
Palm Beach.
JANUARY 2024 39
Summer Guide