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The first Coogee shark net, December 1922

The first Coogee shark net, December 1922

By

Arthur Ernest Foster

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[a6415019 / ON 30/Box 55 No 675]

(Mitchell Library)

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Foster, Arthur Ernest

Arthur Ernest Foster was a commercial photographer at 289 Victoria Road, Gladesville between 1916 and 1947. He married Eileen Emily Hosie (d. 4 October 1977) in 1936. Arthur Foster died, aged 79, in 1958.

State Library of New South Wales

Coogee

For local Aboriginal people, 'koojah' or Coogee, was a rich source of food, abundant with fish, wallaby and kangaroo. In the nineteenth century the area became a popular weekend destination for picnics, cricket, collecting shells along the beach and swimming. It wasn't until the turn of the twentieth century that residential development really began. Although slow to develop, today the area remains popular with locals, tourists and weekend visitors alike, reflecting the historical nature of Coogee itself.

Beach Culture

Animals

Swimming

Coogee

Eastern beachside suburb which has long been a destination for seaside recreation for Sydneysiders and tourists. Its name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning 'stinking place', probably from the smell of rotting seaweed washed up on the beach.

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Coogee Beach

Popular beach in the eastern suburbs.

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Coogee shark net

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Shark net which was built after the construction of Coogee Pier. It cost 6,750 pounds to build and stretched halfway across the bay and was attached to one of the pylons of the pier. The opening coincided with the unveiling of Giles' Ocean Baths and new surf sheds and attracted a crowd of 135,000 people. Within four months, the number of bathers had reached 800,000. Floodlights were installed and night surfing attracted 20,000 to 30,000 a night. The net fell into disrepair during World War II and was dismantled.