The sun rises over Safety Beach, a popular holiday spot on the Mornington Peninsula, and the early bird rush for prime real estate has already begun. A man crouches as he pitches a marquee, digging deep into the sand to keep it secure before hopping onto a jetski and riding out into the bay. But this isn't just any beach; it's a place where tensions are running high over the issue of cabana sprawl.
Safety Beach resident Adam, who asked not to use his last name, lives opposite the beach and finds the reservation of spots frustrating – particularly when beachgoers then leave broken umbrellas and tents behind at the end of the day. "People are coming in very early, they are setting up on the beach, they are then leaving for several hours," he said. "When it starts to impede on the local residents and takes away their ability to be able to set up, I think it becomes problematic."
This isn't an isolated incident. Holidaymaker Helen Nelson said the same thing happens further down the peninsula at Rye. "They’re just back to back to back to back and there’s no space for anybody just to come and put a towel down," she said. "They bring all their tents down, like it’ll be multiple families set up and then go home and then come back at lunchtime. That’s not on."
However, not all beaches are affected by this issue. Campers Adam Thompson and Jason, who asked not to use his last name, haven’t encountered concerns about overcrowding or abandoned shelters at Capel Sound. The pair set up multiple marquees for five families who holiday together, with up to 30 people seeking shelter from the sun at once. "There’s more younger groups of people that are down Safety Beach way, where this is probably more family orientated," Thompson said. "There’s never really been anyone who can’t get in or can’t get a spot."
Despite the issue, there’s nothing unlawful about claiming a spot on the beach and returning hours later. However, it is a long-running annoyance for many locals and beachgoers. Acting superintendent Tim Hayward of Victoria Police’s specialist response division, which includes the water police, hasn’t encountered issues around cabana use this year, but doesn’t like it when people leave their shelters vacant for hours. "It’s rude, but I haven’t had any reporting matters," he said.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Anthony Marsh said beach behaviour was overall better this year but residents continued to raise the cabana issue with him. He emphasized that people aren’t annoyed by them in general, just when they are left empty. "I’ve always held the view, and I think most Australians hold the view, go and use the beach, have a great time, but it’s a public asset – you can’t reserve it," he said. "If you want to go and use the beach, that’s fine, but you don’t get to claim a stake and come back when it suits you."
The issue of cabana sprawl has sparked debate and controversy, with some arguing that it's a long-standing annoyance for many locals and beachgoers. University of Melbourne senior lecturer and skin cancer educator Sophie Paquet-Field said cabanas and marquees were effective forms of sun protection, but too many people failed to rotate them as the sun moves, use inferior quality imported products or leave their feet in the sun. She hopes Australia will move towards providing free communal shelters on beaches to promote sun protection. "That would really entice people to use them and perhaps they will be less angry if they’re empty, because they know that they can access them," she said.
The controversy over cabana sprawl has also been linked to the increasing popularity of Victorian beaches. According to Life Saving Victoria, visits to patrolled Victorian beaches reached a 15-year high, with some 5.4 million visits in the 2024-25 financial year, up from 3.75 million the year before. This has led to concerns about the impact of cabana sprawl on beach access and fairness, with some arguing that it's unfair for a few people to claim a stake on the beach and come and go as they please.
As the debate over cabana sprawl continues, it's clear that there are differing opinions on the issue. While some argue that it's a long-standing annoyance, others believe that it's a matter of access and fairness. The question remains: how can we balance the needs of beachgoers and locals while also promoting sun safety and environmental sustainability?
