Fairfield City Council has announced it will be putting on free bus trips for locals to head out to the Manly, Bondi and Cronulla beaches on Sundays.
The initiative, which will run on Sundays in January and February, aims to encourage more families and visitors to soak up the sun and explore more areas.
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“There is a perception that people who live near the beach, their local councils and the State Government don’t want people from the west to visit the beaches,” Fairfield City mayor Frank Carbone says.
“There are too many barriers to access, with taxes, tolls and parking fees. The beaches belong to everybody and this summer I want to make sure Fairfield locals can enjoy the beach without breaking the bank.”
Carbone says driving from Fairfield to Bondi including fuel, tolls and parking can cost more than $100, which is often too much for families to fork out for a day at the beach.
“There would be families in Fairfield City who have never been to the beach. I want to give them the opportunity to enjoy the beach like everyone should be able to,” he says.
“The summer break can also be a lonely time so this is an opportunity for people to get out and meet new people while having a beach day to remember.”
While Fairfield locals are enjoying Bondi, the Fairfield council will also transport people from Bondi to Cabramatta for their own taste of south-east Asia in south-western Sydney.
“People from the west and south-west have been locked out of iconic beaches which belong to everybody, so Council is giving them the opportunity to enjoy iconic places in their own city,” Carbone says.
“There would be people from Bondi who have never been to iconic Cabramatta, so we want to give them an opportunity to visit Cabramatta, enjoy a south-east Asian feast, see the Pailau Gates and soak up all the atmosphere Cabramatta has to offer.
Carbone has also challenged the state government and beach councils to drop tolls and parking fees on Sundays so people from further away are not disadvantaged by the costs.
“The people who travel the furthest, need to stay the longest to make the most of the day, so they shouldn’t be disadvantaged by the high cost of tolls and parking,” he says.
“I have written to the Premier and relevant departments and local members to waive public transport fees on weekends in January for people from western Sydney travelling to beach areas like Manly, Bondi and Cronulla.
“We don’t have enough public swimming pools in western Sydney so let’s make it easier for people to access the world’s biggest swimming pool – the Pacific Ocean.”
For more details, visit https://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/Whats-on/Events-Workshops-and-Social-Calendar/Community-Events/Fairfield-goes-to-the-beach-and-the-beach-can-come-to-Fairfield
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