The Brigadoon Of Sydney Seaside

Just like the mythical Scottish village that disappears and reappears again, Sydney too has a seaside spot that can vanish for years on end. This secret spot in Sydney is so secretive, it’s not even around for most of the year!

This picture-perfect beach is around 100 metres north of Tamarama is actually hidden for most of the year due to the tides, but when it does appear it is truly magical! Most of the time, its shoreline is made up of rocks and nothing but rocks. But, every few years, enough sand washes up that it qualifies as a beach.  It is only revealed when a specific set of sand and ocean conditions combine to reveal Mackenzies Beach, it feels like it was always there. People swim, surf, and play with their dogs on the sand.  Local myth has it that Mackenzies Bay becomes Mackenzies Beach every seven years. Its appearance is not as regular as this, but its mystery lies in never knowing when it will appear and just how long the beach will last.

How did Mackenzies Bay get its name? From the 1860s to approximately 1926 two generations of the Scottish-born Mackenzie family ran Waverley Dairy on farmlands which stretched from near the corner of Bondi Road and Denham Street east to the coast and as far south as Gaerloch Avenue, Tamarama. Waverley Dairy was the largest and longest running of all the local dairies, with the contract to supply milk to Sydney Hospital. The cows are long gone, but the point at the end of Marks Park remembers its earlier bovine life, it is named Mackenzies Point.

When the beach next appears, you will need to move fast as the sand does disappear it will once again be a summer memory. Catch it while you can.

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IMAGE CREDIT: Flickr