Us Perthians love a good day down by the beach. It keeps us sane in the sweltering summertime when the thermometer hits the high 30s, and heck, even 40s. We enjoy a swim down at Cottesloe as much as the next person, but we’re guessing you’d rather not come face to face with a huge shark, presumably named Bruce, too. Well cheers to that, because the eco shark barrier has been reinstalled.
The Town of Cottesloe made the big call to put up the barrier, which keeps both you and the locals (the sea creatures) in mind.
The marine fence spans from the surface all the way to the seabed, ensuring the extremely unlikely scenario of you getting monched doesn’t happen. It extends about 140 metres from the shore into the sea and then another 170 metres across to the artificial groyne (the big rocky thing that sticks out to the left of Cottesloe Beach).
It’s also made from 100 per cent recycled materials which can move with the water, in contrast to nets; the new design ensures that it doesn’t affect smaller marine life.
In addition, the materials used to make the barrier gather less algal growth, provide heaps of buoyancy, and has a high UV rating, which means less strain on the barrier – we love a resilient bae.
And to make matters even better, all the connecting modules and cross connectors are far stronger than the original design, to withstand greater natural conditions and physical impact.
The barrier was used for the first time in 2019, and has been seasonally installed ever since between the months of October and March. But blessed be, the council is considering keeping it afloat for longer in the future.
See you down at Cott for a shark-free dip.