Sydney's Shark Beach open for business after painful three-year wait

Shark Beach at Nielsen Park has reopened after a three-year wait.
Sydney Restaurant Group has expanded the 1914 kiosk with a full cocktail list and food menu.
Work on the seawall was reason for the delay with numerous construction issues over the past three summers.
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Sydneysiders have let out a sigh of relief as the beloved Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse officially reopened on Thursday, December 12.

The popular harbour beach, defined by its placid, protected waters and gentle shores, was inaccessible for the past three summers, shuttered in 2022 by the National Parks and Wildlife Service after its 1930s seawall was damaged by storm waves in July 2016. This lead to a significant level of degradation over the years.

Last month, Sydney Travel Guide reported that Shark Beach would reopen by mid-December.

And in a rare case of things happening on time, we’ve now got access to that beautiful patch of milky sand just a hop away from the popular Hermitage Foreshore track.

Given it’s always been one of the Eastern Suburbs’ most popular beaches for a swim, locals are viewing it as an early Christmas present as temperatures climb in what’s hoped to be a poster summer.

Numerous delays have extended Shark Beach’s closure over the past few years. Adverse weather and construction challenges (plus the apparent removal of 3,600 tonnes of asbestos) have continually pushed the timeline, much to the chagrin of Sydneysiders. Especially those well-heeled Vaucluse locals who have enjoyed direct access to one of Sydney’s best beaches for decades.

Sydney Restaurant Group, which also owns Ripples and Ormeggio at the Spit, has also reopened Shark Beach’s 1914 kiosk, The Nielsen, running from 7am to 7pm each day with a full all-day menu of summery cocktails, pizza and quintessential mains like beer battered fish and chips, fish burgers and handmade burrata across three distinct areas—The Kiosk, The Pavilion and The Beach Club.

Shark Beach’s new, taller seawall has been built with wave protectors to withstand adverse weather conditions and rising sea levels, while also improving accessibility to the protected beach. Given Nielsen Park is a heritage-listed section of Sydney Harbour National Park, great care was needed to work with the site’s sensitive natural, cultural and significance.

“National Parks and Wildlife Service acknowledges that the project has taken far longer than originally anticipated, with a range of significant issues impacting this complex project,” writes Destination NSW.

“We apologies for the loss of access to the site during this time and thank the community for their patience and understanding.”

Feature image: Destination NSW.