Cabanas have commandeered many Australian beaches, but local councils are telling grumblers they’re here to stay.
More commonly seen on beaches overseas, cabanas (essentially open-air shelters) are appearing more often on our beaches – and some aren’t happy about it.
Some lifesavers have warned cabanas restrict their movement around beaches, putting beachgoers at risk.
Others have complained cabanas simply take up too much space on the sand.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce recently pooh-poohed the increasing use of cabanas on Channel Seven’s Sunrise.
‘Just become detritus’
“They just become detritus all over the beach and it spoils it for other people,” he said.
“To be honest, just wear a shirt, wear a hat and once you’ve had enough get out of the sun completely [and] leave.”
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Despite the naysayers, councils don’t appear to be considering taking measures seen in the US, where councils in states like North Carolina, Alabama and Maryland have placed restrictions or outright bans on the use of cabanas at public beaches.
A spokesperson for Waverley Council, which has oversight over Sydney’s Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches, told TND it’s important to think about sun safety, especially given that skin cancer is estimated to have become the third most-commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia last year.
The spokesperson said the council hasn’t experienced any problems with beach tents and cabanas that would warrant restrictions on their use, but will continually monitor beach safety and respond accordingly.
“We do ask that people remain respectful of others when visiting our beaches, and if a particular section of the beach is busy, consider setting up in a less-crowded spot so everyone can enjoy the view and have safe access to the water,” they said.
“We all know how crowded our beaches get during summer, but Bondi Beach, for instance, is a kilometre long, so there is plenty of room for everyone to find a spot.
“We ask that people ensure their shade structure is safely secured, especially in summer when winds tend to pick up along the coast in the afternoon.”
Here to stay
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said “cabanas are here to stay”, with space not a problem on the area’s 55 kilometres of open beaches.
He said cabanas are also more secure than the traditional umbrellas with screw-in poles as they don’t need pegs or ropes to be secured.
“They look great with all their colours and provide fantastic shade for families spending half a day or so at the beach,” Mr Tate said.
“The best news is that beachgoers are being even more sunsmart and our lifeguards report there are no issues about cabanas blocking their line of sight.”
Cabanas are also not seen as an issue by the Northern Beaches Council in New South Wales, and a spokesperson for Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Council said no concerns have been raised regarding the use of cabanas on its beaches.
Staying safe in the sun
A skin cancer advocate joined some social media users in hitting back at cabana naysayers.
Cancer Council skin cancer committee chair Professor Anne Cust told ABC bringing portable shade during a visit to the beach is a good idea, but people keen for a day of sun and surf should still take additional precautions.
“Portable shade or existing structures are a really good way to protect yourself from the dangers of UV radiation,” she said.
“[Beachgoers] definitely need to be using other forms of sun protection because they’re still getting exposed to some UV radiation and, of course, they’re not spending all their time under the cabana.”
The Cancer Council recommends following its famous slogan, ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide’, to stay safe under the Sun’s harmful UV rays.
