Darley Road safety, Gordons Bay access investigations ordered

Residents on Darley Road and visitors to Gordons Bay will be the focus of two investigations ordered by Randwick City Council, including an assessment of whether about 12 metres of uneven rock platform can be smoothed and levelled at the coastal water entry.

The Darley Road investigation covers the section between Carrington Road and Avoca Street. It follows residents’ concerns about pedestrian safety and will consider traffic-calming measures, signage and a possible reduction in the speed limit.

At Gordons Bay, the investigation will examine options for improving the water entry and exit point from the Victory Street side. The existing footpath has served the community for more than 20 years and is used by swimmers, snorkellers, kayakers, surfers, scuba divers and other visitors.

The proposed rock-platform work would extend beyond the end of the existing footpath for about 12 metres. It would be assessed at the current path’s width, or wider where practicable, in response to concerns about the uneven surface and the entry’s exposure to southerly swells during low and mid tides.

The Gordons Bay SCUBA Diving Club raised the access concerns. Council will discuss the proposal with Crown Lands and other relevant authorities, and identify any planning, environmental, heritage and landowner approvals required before work can proceed. The assessment is also intended to support a future grant application.

The Darley Road report is due at the earliest opportunity. At Gordons Bay, council staff must complete a preliminary approval assessment and provide the club with relevant information and supporting documentation. No construction has been approved.

The investigations were ordered alongside a separate review of professional lifeguard services at Randwick Council beaches. That review will examine the need, staffing implications and costs of additional lifeguards, as well as the feasibility and cost of a trial of professional patrols beginning at 6am. A briefing is due to the October 2026 Governance Advisory Committee.