Smoking on all eastern suburbs beaches is now banned, after Randwick City Council last night (28 October 2014) resolved to prohibit smoking on its 10 beaches to help reduce the risk of passive smoking and decrease cigarette butt litter.    

Randwick City Council joins a number of other council areas who have already banned smoking including Waverley Council, Mosman Council and Manly Council.

The decision will see the progressive installation of signage across Gordons Bay, Clovelly, Coogee, Maroubra, Malabar, Little Bay, Little Congwong, Congwong, Yarra Bay and Frenchmans Beaches.

Randwick Mayor Ted Seng said the smoking ban will be accompanied by an information campaign on the dangers of smoking and the health and environmental risks associated.

"Smoking brings with it detrimental risks to our health and our environment," he said. "In Randwick City we want to ensure that we do everything we can to protect our residents and our beautiful, natural landscape.

"Millions of people visit our stunning beaches each year and it can be quite unpleasant and a health risk for families and children to be sitting down wind of groups of people smoking.

"Additionally the number of cigarette butts that end up on our beaches and in our waterways is disturbing.

"I acknowledge that this ban isn't going to be easy to enforce, and we know that other councils who have introduced the ban have struggled to enforce it. But our main priority is to look after our natural environment and create a safe and pleasant place for residents and visitors. The ban sends a strong message and the signage will encourage the community to self-regulate," Mayor Seng said. 

The ban will come into effect once the signage is installed. Every effort will be made to have the ban in operation in time for the 2014-15 summer period. A report will be brought back to Council on the matter.