My life in Coogee
A personal portrait of life in Coogee — the morning swims, the art deco streets, the food, and why this quietly extraordinary beach suburb got under Paul’s skin and never let go. (5 min read)
Coogee is the love of my life but it was not always thus. She’s not as flashy or popular as her big sister Bondi or refined like her cousin Balmoral. But she has depth and character and a beguiling beauty. As I got to know her, I realised there could be no other for me.
The sunrise is different every day in Coogee, as is the arc of water that embraces our precious beach. As I dive into the iconic ocean pool at the southern end of the beach and float on my back each morning I am at one with the ocean and emerge from this loving blue with sparkling eyes and a deep sense of peace and renewal.
The mornings at Coogee are for the quiet people, united in their respect for nature and the fraternity of silence. As the day proceeds, the crowds swell and chatter and do their own thing in the water and the energy changes. But at day’s end, balance is restored and this is when I love to swim in the rock pool at the northern end of the beach.
There can be a lot of people visiting Coogee, especially on Fridays and weekends in summer. There are young backpackers from all around the world who are magnetised to the beach, the pub and cheap cafes that locals know to keep away from.
It took a while for Coogee to tell me her stories. Some are amusing, some are heroic and others are dark. There are a few fragments of the ancient times, a strong thread of spirituality, a long embracing and then shaking off of British influence and then the emergence of confident multicultural voices and flavours. She is proud of her heroes but not boastful. Indeed, staying “under the radar” is what stops Coogee becoming a generic holiday resort.
Coogee is now an expensive place to live. The “gentrification” of the village has brought many blessings, including the restoration of precious art deco buildings and the formation of a cluster of superb cafes that surpass elsewhere in the eastern suburbs – we locals know why the famous coastal walk from Bondi ends in Coogee.
But when Coogee becomes too crowded I like to walk the coast track to Bronte or Maroubra. I also love walking and swimming in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park at La Perouse – which is a brief drive from Coogee. There is a very strong Aboriginal community at La Perouse and a local museum which preferences an Indigenous perspective. There are traditional owners who will generously share about their country.
As a kid, my dream was to live at the beach and work in the city. This is the life I created in Coogee. On a good day, I can go from beach to boardroom in 20 minutes. And it takes just little longer to get to the State’s gallery, museums and library. While the mega-mall at Bondi Junction is a 10 minute drive away, I prefer my local grocer and supporting a handful of beautiful local stores and galleries showing local artists.
I have travelled a lot and thought carefully about what I want on my holidays and this has informed my approach to welcoming and guiding others. I want travel experiences that help me to understand a place, rather than generic, superficial experiences. I want to know, metaphorically, what goes on behind the façades of people’s homes and I want to end my holiday with a real sense of the people and their history. That’s what I aspire to offer people who have breakfast with me in Coogee.
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© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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