Homepage Latest News Archives

Avalon Residents Seek NCAT Standing in Careel Head Road Liquor Licence Review

Photo Credit: DA2024/1091

For residents around Careel Bay, the next stage of their challenge to an approved Dan Murphy’s packaged liquor licence is about whether they will get the chance to make their case at all. An NCAT hearing in September will determine whether the Avalon community applicants have standing to pursue a full review.

The Careel Bay Residents Association and Palm Beach and Whale Beach Residents Association have lodged material addressing their standing before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, after months of opposition to the proposed outlet at 1–3 Careel Head Road.

An interim hearing is listed for 7 September 2026 at John Maddison Tower in Sydney. The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority, represented by the NSW Crown Solicitor, and Endeavour Group have a right of reply before the matter returns to the Tribunal.

For the residents involved, that procedural question comes before any of their concerns about the licence itself can be considered. Unless standing is established, their substantive challenge will not proceed.

Careel Head Road shopping site in Avalon Beach — Photo Credit: DA2024/1091

A 100-Metre Line Around Careel Head Road

At the centre of the immediate dispute is a 100-metre boundary around the proposed premises.

The associations say they were advised that section 13A(5) of the Liquor Act 2007 could affect their ability to seek review because none of their current co-applicants lives within 100 metres of the site.

Residents contend that the neighbourhood effects they want considered do not end at that boundary. Their concerns include traffic, safety and amenity on surrounding streets, while part of the land falling within the 100-metre area is described by the groups as playing fields and public roadway rather than homes.

The associations have also identified reform of the fixed-distance rule as a longer-term objective, arguing that eligibility should better account for residents affected by a packaged liquor outlet beyond the immediate radius.

Residents Say Some Households Missed the Notice

How residents first learned of the liquor licence application has become another part of their standing case.

The groups say there was no letterbox drop and that notice of the application was instead displayed in a shop window at the Careel Head Road site. They say the notice invited submissions without referring to a 100-metre cut-off.

The Careel Bay Residents Association later carried out its own letterbox exercise. It reported that 20 per cent of households within the notification area said they had not been notified of the application.

For the association, those households form part of the argument that residents who say they missed the original application process should still have an opportunity to put their concerns before the Tribunal.

Careel Bay shopping strip on Careel Head Road — Photo Credit: DA2024/1091

What Residents Hope to Have Heard

If NCAT finds that the applicants have standing, the focus can shift from who is entitled to seek review to the merits of the licence approval.

The community groups intend to raise the location of the packaged liquor outlet within the same redevelopment as a 60-place childcare centre, its proximity to youth-focused facilities and playing fields, and concerns about traffic, safety, alcohol availability and harm-minimisation measures.

They also intend to argue that the surrounding area is already served by several liquor outlets and that there is insufficient evidence of unmet community demand.

Northern Sydney Local Health District previously raised concerns that the development could increase young children’s exposure to alcohol and alcohol marketing.

Residents also want NCAT to examine statements in the applicant’s Statement of Risks and Potential Effects concerning positive community impacts and alignment with community needs and aspirations. The groups say the applicant acknowledged that residents and stakeholders had not been consulted before the application was lodged.

Those matters will not be determined at the September standing hearing.

Local Donations Support the NCAT Challenge

The effort has also drawn financial support from the community as the associations prepare for the proceedings.

A GoFundMe campaign had raised $2,900 towards a $3,500 target from 33 donations. Contributions ranged from smaller donations to a listed $500 contribution.

The associations say the money will go towards legal advice, expert evidence and submissions concerning community amenity and public health, along with filing and Tribunal costs.

An update posted on 8 August said the groups had lodged their standing documentation and were awaiting the responses permitted before the September hearing. Any money left unspent was intended to be donated to the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

Licence Follows Earlier Avalon Development Approval

The dispute centres on the redevelopment of the former Careel Shopping Village at 1–3 Careel Head Road.

The approved three-storey development includes the Dan Murphy’s outlet, three specialty retail spaces and a 60-place childcare centre. Development consent for an amended design followed a NSW Land and Environment Court conciliation process, with the childcare entrance and lift separated from the liquor store premises.

About 100 submissions were received when the original development application was exhibited in 2024, with concerns including the combination of uses, traffic and flooding.

ILGA later approved the packaged liquor licence. Its decision noted there were no police objections and no identified local crime hotspots for alcohol-related non-domestic assault, malicious damage or disorderly conduct, while finding the proposal would increase convenience and choice.

For the associations and residents who have continued their challenge, the next decision remains a more basic one: the NCAT hearing on 7 September will determine whether they have standing to put the substantive Careel Head Road liquor licence case before the Tribunal.

Published 12-August-2026

Avalon Residents Revisit Bilgola Bends Tradition After Signs Disappear

Photo Credit: Google Maps

For generations of Northern Beaches residents, the Bilgola Bends signs have marked birthdays, weddings, homecomings and other personal milestones along Barrenjoey Road between Newport and Avalon, but the disappearance of many ageing displays has reopened debate over how the tradition should be maintained.

The handwritten and painted messages have appeared along the winding stretch for decades, with signs known to have been placed there since at least the 1970s.

Over the years, they have celebrated engagements, anniversaries, declarations of love, family occasions and returning travellers. Some residents have recalled reading them while growing up in the area, while others remember putting up signs for their own family milestones or seeing them on trips towards Palm Beach.

For those residents, the signs became a familiar feature of the drive through the Northern Beaches.

Bilgola Bends Signs Prompt Mixed Reactions

Support for the tradition has not removed concerns about how long individual signs remain in place.

Recent community discussion included complaints about signs that had faded, fallen to the ground, turned around or remained beside the road long after the occasion they marked.

Some residents said older signs had become untidy or contributed to litter along the bends. Others raised concerns about nails and staples being left on power poles.

Even among those who supported the tradition, a recurring view was that people who put up signs should remove them within a reasonable period.

Residents described enjoying newer messages while objecting to displays that remained for months or years. Others recalled the signs as part of the area’s character and a familiar feature when travelling north.

The discussion has therefore centred not only on whether the signs should remain, but also on how the tradition is looked after.

community tradition — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Mystery Remains Over Recent Removal

The latest disappearance of signs has added another element to the long-running discussion.

Ausgrid said it had not directed workers to remove signs from the Bilgola Bends and had received no official public complaints about them. The electricity distributor also said attaching signs or posters to power poles is illegal.

NBC said its cleansing team had not removed them, while Transport for NSW, which maintains Barrenjoey Road as a state road, also denied taking them down.

Who removed the signs remains unclear.

There has been an earlier documented removal. A photograph from July 2011 showed a ranger from the former Pittwater Council taking down a sign from the bends.

Tradition Continues Near Avalon

Despite the recent clean-up, the roadside custom has not disappeared.

At least three new signs appeared near the roundabout at the northern end of the Bilgola Bends in the past week.

Their return follows decades of residents using the stretch between Newport and Avalon to mark occasions that might otherwise have remained private, while the continuing debate has focused on ensuring old signs do not remain long after those moments have passed.

Published 5-August-2026

Avalon Housing Changes Could Allow More Dual Occupancies, Boarding Houses

Avalon residents are being urged to examine proposed planning changes that could affect larger residential blocks and selected properties near the town centre. The draft rules would introduce local standards for dual occupancies and allow boarding houses and hostels to be considered on mapped land within 400 metres of Avalon centre.

Draft planning rules move to exhibition

The changes form part of Northern Beaches Council’s draft Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, which are on public exhibition until Sunday, 30 August 2026.

The two documents would replace four planning systems inherited from the former Manly, Pittwater and Warringah councils. Council says the aim is to create clearer and more consistent rules across the Northern Beaches while addressing housing demand, local character and environmental constraints.

New lot-size standards for dual occupancies

Under the draft LEP, an attached dual occupancy on R2 Low Density Residential land would require a minimum lot size of 800 square metres. A detached dual occupancy would require at least 900 square metres.

Detached dual occupancies would also be limited to corner sites or properties with two street frontages under the exhibited proposal. However, state housing policies may override local standards in designated areas.

A dual occupancy places two homes on one parcel of land. The dwellings may share a wall, as in a duplex, or sit in separate buildings.

The proposed lot-size standards would not provide automatic approval. Each development would still require consent and assessment against relevant planning controls.

Those controls may cover landscaping, setbacks, parking, tree retention, privacy, bushfire risk, building scale and neighbourhood amenity. Site-specific environmental and hazard constraints may also affect what can be built.

Boarding houses proposed near selected centres

The suburb is also one of five Northern Beaches centres proposed for a Housing Diversity Area. The nominated centres are Avalon, Newport, North Narrabeen, Freshwater and Belrose.

Within those areas, boarding houses and hostels could be considered on selected low-density residential properties within 400 metres of the relevant centre. The proposal applies only to land shown on the official maps and does not extend across the whole suburb.

Council has linked the selected centres to access to shops, services, infrastructure and transport. It says the proposal would provide a wider range of accommodation and housing choices in locations considered suitable for additional development.

Boarding houses and hostels remain separate planning uses and would require development consent. Applications would need to address matters such as privacy, traffic, parking, waste collection, landscaping and the effect on nearby homes.

CHECK PROPERTY MAP

Wider controls reach beyond housing type

The broader planning framework would also introduce floor-space-ratio controls across low-density residential areas. These controls limit the amount of floor space that can be built in proportion to the size of a property.

Further provisions would cover stormwater, waterways, biodiversity, landscaping and geotechnical hazards. The draft DCP would provide more detailed design guidance, including parking, setbacks, overshadowing and privacy.

Council maintains that most parts of the Northern Beaches would experience limited change. However, the practical effect will vary between properties because zoning, lot size, frontage and mapped constraints differ from site to site.

Residents urged to check property maps

Residents should check Council’s interactive property map and the formal exhibition documents before making a submission. The map identifies proposed zoning, additional permitted uses and other property-based controls.

Submissions can be made through Northern Beaches Council’s Your Say consultation page until 11.59 p.m. on Sunday, 30 August 2026.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Published 29-July-2026

Sand Dune Vandalism at Northern Beaches Prompts Call for Council Crackdown

Photo Credit: NSW Landcare Gateway

Escalating sand dune vandalism at Northern Beaches is pushing community groups and local councillors to demand stronger action, after years of night-time parties left a trail of broken glass, discarded furniture and bonfire remnants across some of Sydney’s most beloved coastal reserves — including at Avalon, Narrabeen and Freshwater.

The Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches, based at the Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club at 50 Ocean St, has formally called on Northern Beaches Council to address what it describes as ongoing anti-social behaviour and environmental damage in the dunes. The group runs the local Adopt A Beach program, which coordinates community clean-up efforts along the coastline.

Program manager Jude Furniss said the damage extends well beyond litter. Volunteers have documented revellers pulling out the timber stakes used to support newly planted native seedlings — part of the council’s own dune restoration work — and throwing them onto bonfires. North Avalon, Mona Vale, Narrabeen and Freshwater have all been identified as trouble spots.

So far in 2026, Adopt A Beach volunteers have hauled more than 300 kilograms of bottles and cans out of the dunes, alongside bulky items including chairs, sofas, a barbecue, tents, clothing and even discarded surfboards. Furniss described the behaviour as showing “disrespect” for fragile ecosystems that support native plant and animal life.

“As much as we want places for different parts of the community to gather, they also need to respect the environment,” Furniss said. “Take your waste with you — don’t show disrespect for our natural environment.”

Greens councillor Kristyn Glanville has lodged a council motion seeking options to tackle the problem within six months. The motion calls on council staff to investigate an awareness campaign — potentially including social media — to raise public understanding of why the dunes matter. Cr Glanville noted in council agenda papers that the dunes provide habitat for local wildlife and contribute to the scenic character of beachside neighbourhoods.

“Options to respond to this issue could include education, signage and monitoring,” the motion states.

Northern Beaches Council has already erected warning signs at some beaches, including Freshwater, advising people to stay out of dunes currently undergoing regeneration.

It is worth noting where the legal responsibilities lie. Lighting fires on beaches and in sand dunes is prohibited, but enforcement sits with the police rather than the council. The council can, however, issue fines of $110 under the Local Government Act for failing to comply with dune protection notices or “No Entry” signs. For dumping rubbish or leaving hazardous material such as glass and charcoal, the state’s Protection of the Environment Operations Act applies — with on-the-spot fines of up to $1,000 and court-imposed penalties of up to $25,000 for serious offences.

The Surfrider Foundation says the problem is being driven largely by younger beachgoers, and that education will need to be part of any solution — alongside tougher enforcement.

Published 13-July-2026

Sextortion Scams Hit Close to Home as Avalon Teen Among Local Victims

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Two Northern Beaches teenage boys — including a 17-year-old from Avalon Beach — have been targeted in sextortion scams within a single week, prompting a warning from Northern Beaches Police Area Command for parents and young people to be alert to the growing threat online.

The incidents, both investigated by local police, follow a pattern that authorities say is becoming increasingly common. A scammer makes contact through a social media platform while posing as a young woman, builds a romantic conversation, and eventually persuades the target to share intimate images. Once that material is in the scammer’s hands, the mask drops — and the demands begin.

In the first case, on 3 July 2026, a scammer reached out to the Avalon Beach teenager via Instagram. After the conversation turned sexual, the boy shared private photos, at which point the person on the other end revealed himself to be a man. He demanded $500 and threatened to send the images to everyone in the boy’s contact list. The boy was directed to pay via Amazon gift card, but Amazon flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it. As the scammer continued pressing for money, police were called and officers attended the teen’s home — listening in as the conversation continued. Based on what was heard, police believe the offender was located in Texas, in the United States.

A second incident followed just two days later, on 5 July. A 17-year-old from Beacon Hill had been in contact with someone he believed to be a girl on social media, before the conversation was moved to the encrypted messaging app Telegram. After intimate images were exchanged, the scammer demanded $300 or threatened to forward the images to the boy’s contacts. This time, it was the teen’s parents who stepped in — blocking the offender and alerting police before any payment was made. Officers believe the person behind this scam was operating out of the Philippines.

In both cases, the boys reported the incidents to police and blocked the scammers from making any further contact.

The timing of these local incidents coincides with growing national concern. Australia’s online safety regulator received more than 3,300 reports of sexual extortion last year, with young men the most targeted group. A separate eSafety report covering the second half of 2025 found Instagram and WhatsApp were mentioned in more than 1,300 sextortion complaints during a six-month reporting period, with offenders commonly using those platforms to contact victims before requesting intimate material. The Daily Aus iTech Post

Research jointly conducted by eSafety and the Australian Institute of Criminology found one in three adolescents had experienced sextortion, with more than half having that experience before they turned 16. Head Topics

The Australian eSafety Commissioner defines sextortion as a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video unless their demands are met. Police and the eSafety Commissioner advise anyone targeted to stop all contact immediately and not to pay any money or provide further images.

If you or someone you know has been affected, support is available:

Kids Helpline (for those under 25): 1800 551 800
Lifeline (for those 18 and over): 13 11 14 — by call, text, or chat

Further information and guidance on responding to sexual extortion is available through the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner website.

Published 13-July-2026

Dan Murphy’s Gets Final Approval for Avalon Beach Store

DA2024/1091

A new Dan Murphy’s bottle shop will go ahead at Avalon Beach after gaining liquor licence approval. The decision locks in a $7.2 million redevelopment of the Careel Head Road site, ending a fierce community debate that began in 2024.

The site previously housed the Careel Shopping Village, home to Cranzgots Pizza — known locally as “Cranny’s” — which served generations of Avalon families, surfers and soccer players for 27 years before closing to make way for the development.

The approved plans

The approved three-storey building will house three specialty retail tenants alongside the anchor Dan Murphy’s, with a 60-place childcare centre on the first floor for children up to five years old. The Dan Murphy’s will operate as a boutique cellar-style store rather than the brand’s standard large-format outlet.

Following a conciliation process, the NSW Land and Environment Court granted development consent for the amended design, which provides a childcare centre entrance and lift entirely separate from the bottle shop’s premises.

Community concerns

About 100 submissions were received when the original DA went on public exhibition in 2024, with concerns spanning the mix of uses, traffic at the Careel Head and Barrenjoey Roads intersection, and the site’s position in a low-to-medium flood zone below the AHD 4.9 flood level.

NSW Health’s Northern Sydney Local Health District submitted that the development would increase young children’s exposure to alcohol and alcohol marketing.

Public submissions pointed out that Avalon Beach already has access to five bottle shops, along with licensed clubs and hotels, as well as a large Dan Murphy’s at Mona Vale. One submission compared the proximity of the two uses to “children’s TV with gambling ads.

The site sits within 30 metres of Hitchcock Park and approximately 150 metres from Careel Bay Playing Fields, home to the Avalon Soccer Club.

The reasons behind the decision

In approving the liquor licence, the ILGA noted it received no objections from police and found no crime hotspots in the suburb for alcohol-related non-domestic assault, malicious damage or disorderly conduct.

“We are satisfied on balance that the proposal would benefit the local and broader communities by providing increased convenience and choice,” the decision stated.

Dan Murphy’s is operated by the Endeavour Group, which said it prioritised responsible service of alcohol and would ensure operations aligned with community expectations and safety standards.

The next stage

Developers will kick off the project by tearing down the old shopping village, targeting a late-2026 finish. For further updates on the project, residents can monitor it by clicking here.

Published 9-July-2026

Busways Founder Richard Rowe’s Long-Held Avalon Oceanfront Home Heads to Auction

Photo Credit: LJ Hooker Avalon Beach

The sprawling oceanfront estate of late transport legend Richard Rowe is set to change hands for the first time in over five decades, offering a rare glimpse into one of Avalon’s most exclusive and tightly held coastal enclaves.

Perched in a quiet cul-de-sac, the property at 2 Surfside Ave stands as a local icon, occupying a position that few people ever get to own. The home features a six-bedroom layout designed to capture sweeping 180-degree views across the entire stretch of Avalon Beach.

Constructed by the Busways founder himself back in 1973, the double-brick residence has served as a private family retreat for generations, maintaining its character while offering an uninterrupted connection to the shoreline. With a self-contained studio and expansive terraces, the home was built to balance large-scale family living with the relaxed lifestyle that defines the northern beaches.

Beyond the house itself, the appeal of the site lies in its rare accessibility. While many oceanfront homes in the region require a steep trek, this residence provides level access from the street, making the journey to the local surf break, ocean rockpool, and village centre a simple walk of just over 100 metres.

According to Jonothan Gosselin of L.J. Hooker Avalon, the local community has long recognised the property for its unique privacy and sun-drenched orientation. It remains one of only four homes that can claim a true oceanfront position on this specific stretch of the coastline.

The house serves as a physical record of the life of Richard “Dick” Rowe, a man who transformed Australian transport. After starting his career at age 17 with a single five-seater bus serving the route between Rooty Hill and Plumpton, Rowe grew his business into the largest family-owned bus company in the country.

He maintained his connection to this coastal home from the year it was built until his passing at 100 years of age. As the property prepares for a new chapter, it marks the end of an era for a home that stood witness to the rise of one of Australia’s most successful private transport networks.

The auction for 2 Surfside Ave is scheduled for Tuesday, 14 July.

Published Date 06-July-2026

New Nest Structure Brings Hope for Threatened Ospreys in Avalon

Northern Beaches has given a pair of threatened eastern ospreys a helping hand by adding branches to a purpose-built nesting platform at Avalon, with early signs suggesting the birds have already begun settling into their new home.

Read: Osprey Nesting Platform Installed in Avalon

The branches were recently placed on top of the 23-metre-high nesting pole at Hitchcock Park to create a basic nest structure and encourage the birds to establish a safe breeding site. Within a week, community members reported seeing an osprey pair using the platform, raising hopes the birds may remain through the breeding season.

The encouraging development comes months after the nesting platform was installed in late 2025 to provide an alternative to hazardous nesting locations such as construction cranes on development sites.

Northern Beaches said it was delighted to receive reports and photos from the community confirming an osprey pair had started making themselves at home just a week after the branches were installed. While it is still early in the breeding season, there is optimism the pair will lay eggs and successfully raise chicks at the site.

A safer place to nest

Osprey at Hitchcock Park (Photo credit: NBC/Lesley Gregory)

The eastern osprey is a fish-eating raptor that seeks elevated coastal nesting sites with clear views over its fishing grounds. Some osprey pairs have established nests on construction cranes and other unsuitable structures, creating safety risks for the birds and challenges for nearby worksites.

The platform at Hitchcock Park was designed to provide a secure nesting location above the tree canopy and away from human disturbance. When the project was announced in late 2025, Northern Beaches said the platform had been carefully positioned following advice from biodiversity specialists, with the aim of supporting the recovery of the threatened species in the area.

The eastern osprey is recognised by its dark brown upper plumage, pale head and underparts, and the distinctive black stripe that runs through its eye to a dark patch behind the ear. During breeding, the larger female typically lays two to three white eggs marked with brown blotches and incubates them for about 40 days. Young birds remain with their mother until leaving the nest at around nine weeks.

The nesting platform is intended to provide a safer place for breeding while reducing the risks associated with nesting on construction cranes and similar locations.

Community invited to help

Local residents have already played an important role by reporting sightings of the osprey pair, helping confirm that the birds had begun using the platform.

Northern Beaches is encouraging anyone who observes birds at the nest to share their sightings by emailing biodiversity@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au. Community observations will help monitor the success of the project and build a better understanding of how the platform is used over time.

Read: Award-Winning Piemaker Still Baking at Avalon Beach’s Careel Bay Shops

If the pair remains and breeds successfully, the platform could provide valuable insight into whether purpose-built nesting structures can support eastern ospreys on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Published 27-June-2026

Avalon Public School Turns 75: A Diamond Jubilee in Avalon Beach

Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

Avalon Public School is marking 75 years in Avalon Beach, with its Diamond Jubilee carrying the school’s story from its first pupils and early classrooms through to alumni memories and present-day celebrations.

The anniversary year will continue with an Open Day on Thursday, 17 September 2026, followed by the Avalon Public School fete on Sunday, 20 September 2026.

The fete will run from 10am to 3pm at Avalon Public School, 11 Old Barrenjoey Road, and will be open to past students, current families, local residents, friends of the school and visitors.

The event will include rides, laser tag, sideshow alley, a petting zoo, live music, a silent disco, an art auction, tombolas, games, food trucks, a community barbecue, market stalls, craft stalls and a photo booth.

Avalon Public School anniversary fete — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

Local sponsors and partners have also been announced, with the P&C inviting people to contribute memories, ideas, volunteer time, sponsorship and other support.

These events form part of a broader anniversary program that brings together generations of the Avalon community, linking present-day celebrations with the school’s long history.

From Newport Pupils to a New Avalon School

Avalon Public School was established on 26 May 1951, but its beginnings reach back to the year before.

In August 1950, 66 pupils who had been travelling to Newport Public School from areas north of Newport became the first pupils of the new Avalon school.

Early Avalon school building — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

By late 1950, the first school building was in place. Doss McGuire, the headmaster’s wife, taught Kindergarten to Year 3 in one half of the building, with teacher Bonnie Kissen also part of the school’s early story.

The school’s first attendance book recorded some of the children who moved from Newport Public School to Avalon, marking the start of a local school community that would continue to grow through the decades.

Avalon pupils on opening day — Caption: Pupils march along Old Barrenjoey Road towards Avalon Public School on its official opening day, 26 May 1951. The procession passed through the shopping centre, including the site now occupied by Woolworths near Avalon Parade. The teacher pictured is believed to be Mr Jim Lane.
Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/*Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

Early Days on Old Barrenjoey Road

The school’s official opening followed on 26 May 1951, when pupils walked south along Old Barrenjoey Road through the shopping centre towards the school.

At that time, the route passed parts of Avalon that have since changed, including the former Avalon Milk Bar and General Store site near Avalon Parade.

Avalon Public School pupils — Caption: Avalon Public School’s first building in late 1950, after 66 pupils from Newport Public School became the first students of the new Avalon school. Doss McGuire, the headmaster’s wife, taught Kindergarten to Year 3 in one half of the building, with teacher Bonnie Kissen standing behind her.
Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/*Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

The first years were shaped by simple buildings, wet weather challenges and steady growth. Heavy rain had delayed the assembly of the first demountable in 1949, before the school’s first classrooms became part of daily life for local children.

By around 1952, the first two school buildings were established, along with a flagpole gifted by A.J. Small. The school grounds also included the beginnings of an open-air theatre and an activity room used by performers.

Traditions That Carried Forward

The school’s early life was not only about classrooms. By the mid-1950s, school events were already becoming part of Avalon Public School’s identity.

In 1956, school captain Jim Small lit a flame during the school’s own version of the Olympic Games, adding another moment to the school’s growing record of assemblies, performances and shared activities.

Caption: Around 1952, Avalon Public School’s first two buildings were established, with the flagpole gifted by A.J. Small in place. The beginnings of the open-air theatre can be seen above the first classroom roof, with the Activity Room, also used as a dressing room for performers, further to the right. Sanders Lane had only recently been formalised.
*Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

Those traditions have continued into the anniversary year, with current students working on poems for a special 75th anniversary edition of We Sing a Song, a school tradition that was also recreated for the 50th anniversary.

A K–6 assembly has also marked the milestone, featuring teacher performances, a combined choir performance and school captains as comperes.

Alumni Memories Return to Avalon Public School

The anniversary has invited past students and families to share memorabilia, photographs, stories and keepsakes, adding personal memories to the school’s formal records.

Former students are also being featured as part of the celebrations, including Katja Davis-Raiss, Class of 2003, founder of Katapult Performing Arts. Her alumni feature connects her time at Avalon Public School with dance, leadership, friendships and memories of a Year 6 musical.

Avalon Public School Alumni — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

Other alumni listed as part of the anniversary material include Bec and Sam Watson, Mathias Macallister, Simon Herfort, Sam Verrils, Jim Colley, Zac Meatchem, Morgan Webster and Tim Cruickshank.

Students, staff and P&C members have also formed the school crest and the number 75 as part of the anniversary program. The moment was captured in a timelapse video by Tim Seaton, a former Avalon student.

From its first pupils and early buildings to its alumni memories and September events, Avalon Public School’s 75th anniversary places the school’s history at the centre of a year of celebration in Avalon Beach.

Published 25-June-2026

Former PM Backs Campaign Against Proposed HMAS Penguin Sell-Off

Residents in Clareville are being urged to pay attention to a growing campaign against the proposed sale of land associated with HMAS Penguin, with part of the naval facility’s broader footprint extending to Sydney’s northern beaches.

Read: Paddle Up at Clareville Beach in Avalon

The issue gained fresh momentum after former prime minister Tony Abbott addressed a packed public meeting in Mosman, where community members gathered to discuss the future of the Middle Head naval base and neighbouring angophora forest.

Mr Abbott used the forum to voice strong opposition to plans to divest part of the Defence site, arguing local communities should be prepared to campaign vigorously to keep the land in public hands.

While much of the debate has centred on Middle Head, the proposal has broader implications for residents interested in the future of Defence land around Sydney Harbour and the northern beaches, including facilities linked to HMAS Penguin’s operations.

The Commonwealth identified HMAS Penguin for partial divestment as part of the 2023 Defence Estate Audit, which reviewed military properties across Australia and recommended the disposal of a number of sites considered surplus to Defence requirements.

According to Defence, key capabilities based at HMAS Penguin, including clearance diver training and specialist underwater medicine services, would remain in operation. However, campaigners say important questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the exact boundaries of any future land sale.

A major focus of community concern is an area of angophora forest adjoining the base at Middle Head. Campaigners argue the bushland has significant environmental and heritage value and should remain protected from future development.

The Headland Preservation Group has launched an open letter calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Environment Minister Murray Watt and independent MP Zali Steggall to exclude the forest from any divestment plans.

Community opposition has steadily grown since details of the proposed sale emerged earlier this year. Public meetings, advocacy efforts and letter-writing campaigns have sought to persuade decision-makers to reconsider the proposal.

Mr Abbott’s intervention has added a high-profile voice to the debate. Drawing on examples of past grassroots campaigns that protected parts of Sydney from redevelopment, he encouraged residents to remain active and engaged as discussions continue.

Read: Get To Know The Early Residents Of Hilltop Road In Avalon

Defence Minister Richard Marles has argued that disposing of some Defence land could ultimately improve public access to areas that are currently restricted. Campaigners, however, remain unconvinced and continue to push for long-term protection of the forest and surrounding landscape.

For residents of Clareville and across the northern beaches, the debate highlights broader questions about the future use of publicly owned land, environmental conservation and the preservation of sites with longstanding links to Australia’s defence history.

The final extent of any HMAS Penguin land sale has not yet been released, meaning the future of the affected areas remains uncertain. Until further details emerge, community groups say they will continue lobbying and building public support for their campaign.

Published 21-June-2026