Friends of Freshwater
December 2025 Newsletter (Issued January 2026)
Apologies for the delay in publishing the DUKE newsletter. The holiday season and all it brings made it difficult to get all the articles we wanted to publish. With January already upon us, Freshwater is now experiencing the full impact of summer and its growing reputation as a “go-to” destination for beach, dining, and village life.
Friends of Freshwater Inc. Annual General Meeting
Our Annual AGM was held on 30 October 2025 at the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club.
A full copy of the Minutes of the Meeting is available on our website via the link provided.
The continuing Committee re-affirmed that Friends of Freshwater will maintain its focus on:
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Scrutinising development proposals, and
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Encouraging greater participation from newer residents who value Freshwater and wish to contribute positively to the community.
Friends of Freshwater provides a structure for coordination, management, and where possible, funding, to support meaningful local contributions.
The meeting minutes below also note the election of the 2026 Committee.
Friends of Freshwater AGM -Minutes of Meeting.
Summer Arrives
Hot January – Saturday Jan 3 – Temps over 40C
After a long build-up, summer has arrived with a vengeance—high 30-degree temperatures and warm ocean waters have once again made Freshwater one of the most desirable places to be.
For those of us who call Freshwater home, the popularity of the Village brings both energy and strain. The IGA, banking facilities, restaurants, cafés, hotel, and village street bars all add to the appeal—but they also continue to test the capacity of our streets and local infrastructure. When too much is not always enough.
Kieren Deight and daughter man the Freshwater Beach Stand
Here was our tireless Committee member Kieren Deight manning our stand at the beachfront Stand on Duke’s Day at Freshwater Beach on the Saturday with 40C heat.
He was accompanied all morning by his daughter as well as fellow Committee member, Angus Guthrie. It was too hot for many people to linger on their way between the beach and what little shade was available. It was a popular day to rush into the water at Freshwater Beach, but we were able to enlist some new members and talk about how they can help.
- Our biggest call out at the moment is for new volunteers to join the Irene Crump Reserve Bush Regeneration team on the southern slope of Freshwater Beach, along the pathways that go up towards Queenscliff.
No experience is required to join – only your enthusiasm to join a friendly and committed team in keeping weeds in-check and planting out new areas with native vegetation.
Autumn is one of the best planting seasons of the year so we hope you can join us in the preparation of areas and planting of seedlings.
If you are interested, please just come along to Irene Crump Reserve above the beach on any Thursday morning and talk to one of the team, or call Angus Guthrie on 0422 382 347 to find out more.
The only requirement is that you join the Friends of Freshwater so that you are covered by our insurance!
There is no doubt: Freshwater remains the place to be in 2026.
Happy New Year to all residents and members.
Sydney Shark Attacks
Beaches Closed due to Shark sightings
January 2026 has started tragically in Sydney with a shocking three shark attacks in just two days.
Most people who have grown up in Sydney or lived here for any length of time are aware of the potential danger of sharks in the harbour and along our beaches. Yet we must go back to 2009 when we last had three attacks here in quick succession, and indeed conditions then may have been somewhat similar to this year.
Research from the NSW Department of Primary Industry shows that shark attacks are most common in conditions of:
- Murky, dirty water
- After high rainfall or floods
- Lots of baitfish and diving birds around
- Within 1 km of a river
Avoiding low light conditions around dawn and dusk is recommended.
Considering this in relation to the recent spate of attacks, water temperatures and fish populations in Sydney Harbour generally peak during the warmer months from December to April. During this period, longer days, higher temperatures and the influx of warm water from the East Australian Current increase water temperatures bringing in high numbers of baitfish, larger predatory fish and sharks.
Around Sydney waters, Bull Sharks are common as they are the only species of shark to give birth in low salinity environments such as river estuaries – a strategy to reduce predation on small pups. Up to 15 live pups may be born at once and it is believed these pups remain in these areas for up to 4–5 years.
Each year, when it rains, Bull Sharks will tend to migrate down the river into the harbour to feed, particularly when the waters are warm and food supply has increased. Younger ones will return to the rivers for many years before reaching adulthood and commencing their long migrations up the coast, following the warm waters as far as the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland for the winter months. If early summer rains are regular and spaced out over a large area like the Sydney Basin, colloquial evidence suggests this movement may be gradual and in small numbers. Yet if rains are delayed, then it rains heavily across the whole basin, large numbers of sharks may be on the move at one time.
In modern cities such rains will be accompanied by massive run-off from grimy streets, potential sewerage overflows and murky, nutrient rich water. In Sydney, these conditions will affect near-coast ocean areas impacted by run-off from coastal lagoons as well as the harbour. This year, discoloured waters have been evident up and down the Northern Beaches for at least 5 days after the rains.
Taking quotes from a report published by the ABC on Tuesday, 20 January 2026:
University of Sydney associate professor of public policy Chris Pepin-Neff said swimming in Sydney Harbour after heavy rain was a “terrible idea”.
“After 20 millimetres of rain, the level of faecal matter and raw sewage that are in the harbour attracts bait fish and brings sharks toward the bait fish,” he said.
“It’s really important after a big storm to not swim in the harbour for about 72 hours.”
Dr Pepin-Neff says there needs to be better communication about the presence of sharks in the harbour after a storm.
While none of this is new, it is also true that conditions vary from year to year. It may therefore be many years between the confluence of extreme conditions that contribute to the worst outcomes and in the meantime, we become somewhat complacent.
- So, if we revisit 2009, January had been hot and dry while almost no rain fell during the first nine days of February. A period of moderate to heavy rains commenced on February 10. Storm water runoff may have introduced debris and bacteria into our waterways, as well as increasing turbidity. At dawn on 11 February a Navy diver was mauled by what is thought to have been a bull shark while undertaking a counter-terrorism training exercise at Woolloomooloo. The next day near dusk a surfer was attacked by a great white shark while surfing at Bondi Beach, while a third attack occurred on 1 March when a 15-year-old boy was bitten on the leg while surfing with his father at Avalon Beach.
Fast forward to 2026 and we have now had three attacks in Sydney in the space of only 2 days.
The first incident occurred in the late afternoon on Sunday 18 January. This was towards the end of the wettest day in Sydney since 1988, with over 127mm of rain recorded at Observatory Hill. The attack was again in the harbour, this time near Vaucluse’s Shark Beach, where a young boy jumping off rocks was mauled by a bull shark. He has since sadly passed away from his injuries.
Just before lunchtime on Monday a young surfer escaped injury after a shark bit off a chunk of his surfboard at Dee Why Beach, and this was followed on Monday evening when a surfer was attacked by a shark at North Steyne Beach at Manly. He sustained serious injuries.
Each incident is a genuine tragedy, and it is clear that more needs to be done to address the risks.
This should include increased education, better environmental monitoring, improved warning systems and appropriate changes in public policy. We should also revisit the science and our understanding of shark behaviours to see what additional controls and deterrents may be able to be put in place to improve safety while maintaining a healthy marine environment.
Ultimately, however, the responsibility is ours, both as a society and as individuals. When we enter our waterways and oceans, we are entering a wild environment and an ecosystem which deserves our understanding and respect. The knowledge to stay out of the water at high-risk times and locations is a far better solution than contemplating an ecosystem without sharks.
Sources:
Various news articles:
ABC report published on Tuesday, 20 January 2026 with quotes from University of Sydney Associate Professor Dr Chris Pepin-Neff
NSW Department of Primary Industry and SharkSmart: Bull Shark Fact Sheet
Information summarised from Shark Hunter Jaws Remodelled Facebook posts
Development and Change
Residential demolition and rebuilding continues throughout the Freshwater basin, with more than a dozen homes currently under construction. This trend is expected to continue, with increasing density in new developments.
Freshwater’s popularity as both a place to live and a destination is unchallenged. However, the character of the community has changed significantly over the past 30+ years. Rising costs of living are challenging long-term residents’ ability to stay, while high-asset builds increasingly attract higher-net-worth buyers. At the same time, higher-density developments are being promoted to provide more affordable housing options.
Significant change has already occurred—and more is coming. Recent activity includes the following:
Harbord Hotel – Planning Update
Original Artist rendering of the proposed Stage 3 Development – yet to be considered
Application Number: PEX2024/0005
A Planning Proposal was submitted in 2024 for to rezone the site of the current Harbord Hotel together with an adjacent property to support the development of a 37 room hotel development. After strong community opposition it was not supported by the Northern Beaches Council and was referred by the developers to Sydney North Planning Panel.
We made submissions to this panel in August 2025 urging approval only if certain conditions were met.
After a well-attended community engagement session in December 2025 the rezoning was eventually approved by the State Government in late December.
The proposal seeks to amend Schedule 1 (Additional Permitted Uses) of the Warringah LEP 2011 to facilitate hotel accommodation integrated with the existing Harbord Hotel and bottle shop. This includes a separate existing apartment block located on the corner behind the bottle shop on Undercliff Road.
While the rezoning has been approved, the final design of the proposed Stage 3 redevelopment will be the subject of a DA, most likely to be submitted during the course of 2026. While we expect this to be broadly consistent with earlier concept designs, it is yet to be formally assessed and we will assess it in detail when it is submitted.
It remains vitally important that both local residents and the broader Freshwater community have a say on this development.
Freshwater Village – Lawrence Street (10–28)
Owner considering options for development
A DA for redevelopment of the Freshwater Village Main Street shops at 10 to 28 Lawrence Street in Freshwater Village was lodged during 2025. This is a valuable stretch of commercial property that is in much need of revitalisation.
Friends of Freshwater believes that the design was well considered and has many positives. However, when we met with the developer, we emphasised the need to resolve several issues such as parking, site remediation and particularly the overlook of neighbours properties to the south where the slope of the land puts the second floor of houses at eye level with the upper floors of the development. Additionally, there was a question of access from Lawrence Street which we would not support.
In the end we do not believe these issues were adequately addressed, there was significant community opposition, and the Council Planning Panel unanimously rejected the DA.
Subsequently, The Land & Environment Court listed the matter for a conciliation conference which was held at the Property on the morning of 24 November at 9:30am. The meeting was again well attended by local residents and representatives of the Friends of Freshwater, who were all provided with the opportunity to address group.
While it was initially proposed that the Court provide its findings in the space of a few days, we have received notice that the matter had been adjourned to allow Council and the developers more time to arrive at a desired outcome.
We await to hear the outcome of these deliberations.
The new President of the Surf Club, Shanny Dyer
Shanny Dyer – Freshwater SLSC President
Shanny Dyer attended and addressed the FoF AGM. She thanked the Committee for her invitation to present and expressed her desire to work with the FoF. She expressed her opinion that The Surf Club Freshwater Room was a beautiful old building and heritage listed. Furthermore, it was a great facility and community hub.
She reiterated the new café (restaurant) to be included in the new planned development of the site is not a licensed facility.
She advised that there continues a long path for funds that still need to be raised to complete the project and before anything could proceed the Council would need to also add a new toilet and amenities block to be built in the park to replace the old toilet in SLSC that will not be accessable from outside the new Club.
Proposed new Amenities block in Freshwater Park
Artists Impression of proposed new Amenities block in Freshwater Park
Consistent with approvals last year of the Development Application for modifications to the main buildings of the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, the Norther Beaches Council will now develop a new amenities block in the park behind the surf club.
After a period of consultation this proposal has now been finalised largely as exhibited to the community. It includes the usual shower and toilet facilities for males and females, together with disabled access, family oriented facilities, external showers and surf-racks to briefly leave boards. We remain concerned there is no increase in facilities, however land space is limited.
The project is now with the Council’s Capital Projects team for delivery. Tenders are expected to be issued in the coming months with construction scheduled to proceed over winter and spring.
The Ongoing Issue of the old Diggers Carpark Remediation
File picture – Mounties Carpark – Crown land used for staging new site development
The ongoing issue with the Eastern carpark site previously the Diggers carpark has been a long drawn out saga.
Kristyn Glanville, local Curl Curl Ward Councillor, as advised FoF that the Mounties need to submit a formal DA for any work that is done to return this to open space.
Kristyn advised that Council is in support of a concept for landscaping and to extend surfers walk.
An Outcome for Pilu
The DA for Pilu was approved but with the conditions in relation to certain hours. Residents who live nearby advised that the noise was minimal and this had been supported by a noise measurement device that had been placed on the balcony of one of the neighbours directly behind the restaurant.
File picture of Pilu Restaurant
Placemaking Grant: Aboriginal Artwork in Pocket Park.
Didier, the installer, Denver Beavan, then Angus Guthrie and Kyle Nettleton the artist
Sneak Peak – Indigenous artwork installed at Pocket Park behind the Aboriginal Heritage Office.
We are delighted to let you know that a new public artwork by Indigenous artists Kyle and Chantelle Nettleton has been installed in Pocket Park behind the Aboriginal Heritage Office on Lawrence Street, Freshwater, near the corner of Lawrence and Oliver streets!
The artwork was commissioned by Friends of Freshwater and funded through a Placemaking Grant we obtained from the Northern Beaches Council, together with funds contributed to our Public Art account by our members.
The artwork is entitled: Sandstone Country.
It has been created to showcase the many elements of Sandstone Country around the Northern Beaches and the strong, ongoing connection Freshwater has with Aboriginal people. A dedication ceremony will take place later this quarter to officially open the installation.
The picture of the artwork is included here but hardly does it justice! So if you are passing near the corner of Lawrence and Oliver do yourselves a favour and have a look!
Drop into the Aboriginal Heritage Museum to take a look at the remarkable collection of Indigenous artifacts and history on display there, then take a stroll into Pocket Park behind the office and admire the new artwork! You won’t be disappointed!
Soldiers Avenue of Honour
The Avenue of Honour with its regeneration some 12 years ago with committee members including: Wendy Machon, Christine Frith, Peter Harley, Ken Covey to name a few continue to champion for better recognition of our past service people.
With continued Grants we have been able to install many bronze plaques to remember the soldiers who fought in WW1. Each plaque costs $5,000.00 to be made and so far 24 have been installed. But now they are wanting to focus on WW2.
The top half of Soldiers Avenue between Oliver St and Harbord Rd is for WW2 soldiers and those from the surf club including William Knox, Mackie Campbell, Edwin (Megsie) Madigan, Lieutenant Will Messenger. They were the founders of Harbord Diggers Club.
The plan is to recognise them with a footpath plaque each with a brief history and biography of each.
We are indebted to Wendy Machon for all her research on the soldiers.
Vandalism at Freshie Community Garden
Branches deliberately pulled off till breakage
The damaged tree
The Freshie Community Garden, nestled between Crown Road and Queenscliff Road, has long been a peaceful haven for our local community. However, recent acts of vandalism have left our volunteer gardeners disheartened.
In October, the garden’s avocado tree was severely damaged and had to be removed. After years of careful nurturing, the tree was finally set to bear its first harvest—a milestone the gardeners had been eagerly anticipating.
The destruction continued in November when branches were deliberately broken from other trees in the garden. These senseless acts have undone countless hours of volunteer work and damaged a space created for everyone to enjoy.
Our community gardeners are dedicated volunteers who generously donate their time to maintain this beautiful green space. Their efforts benefit all residents, and we hope the community will help protect what they’ve built.
If you have any information about these incidents, please contact friends@freshie.org.au
Let’s work together to preserve this cherished community asset.
Sue Heins (Northern Beach Council Mayor) addressed the FoF AGM and spoke about many issues related to Council funding, budget, road repairs and general issues in the Freshwater area.
One issue that came up was the delays in repairs to the Freshwater Park Children’s Play Area which has since been completed.
Concerns were raised re the removal of the playground at the end of Moore Rd. We are happy to report that despite the delay and limited funds, it is now open and functional. We do note, however that it directly abuts the wet area which is not ideal and it remains to be seen whether this will be an issue going forward.
Empty Playground space at the end of Moore Rd – Jan 3 2026 now completed
