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Perth Now
11-05-2025
- Perth Now
Iconic Christmas event under threat as Bronte residents demand ban on backpacker party
An iconic Christmas event is under threat as residents demand sniffer dogs, bag checks and an Uber blackout to shut down the rowdy party. Every year on December 25 thousands of people flock to Bronte Beach for the 'Orphan's Christmas' backpacker event. Last year up to 15,000 people, who were largely backpackers and visitors, attended the impromptu beach party, leaving the area trashed the following day. Outrage has been building in recent years over the state of the beach, with the grass area often resembling a rubbish-strewn wasteland everyoxing Day. At a fiery public forum hosted by Waverley Council on Monday night, residents described the infamous Bronte Beach bash as a booze-fuelled 'mass urinal' and demanded urgent action to 'break the cycle' of chaos that unfolds each year, The Daily Telegraph reported. Camera Icon Rubbish left over after the hectic Christmas party at Bronte Beach in 2024. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: NewsWire Ideas, reportedly floated by residents, included banning alcohol entirely, geofencing the suburb to block ride-share pick-ups, and flooding the area with police and drug detection dogs to send a clear message that the beachside suburb would no longer tolerate unruly revellers. One man said that last Christmas, 'a thousand people' bolted up his street within 10 minutes of the drug dogs arriving. The community forum was initially designed to gather feedback on four official options ranging from continuing the event unmanaged, to implementing a paid, ticketed, alcohol-free version complete with a 1km fence at a cost of at least $90,000. However, attendees rejected all of them, proposing instead a fifth solution, to stop endorsing it all together. 'All they want to do is party, so we need to get a message out … we're not going to let them abuse our area anymore,' one resident said. Camera Icon Thousands of beachgoers were seen at Bronte Beach, Sydney, on Christmas Day, 2024: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia Alma Douglas, the chair of the association Bronte Precinct, questioned why locals had to keep tolerating the annual chaos. 'We can get rid of it. Why do we have to have it? Why are we accepting that it has to be here?' she said. Nearby resident Joel Stuhler said the official options only 'condoned the behaviour'. 'There's broken glass outside my home, vomit on my driveway, people making out outside my house, my neighbour got parked in for six hours, it's just mayhem,' Mr Stuhler said. Camera Icon Waverley locals push back against backpacker party they say turns Bronte into a 'mass urinal'. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: NewsWire One man described the laneway behind his house becoming a 'mass urinal', while a woman recounted watching someone get 'knocked out cold' in a fight and then continue drinking after regaining consciousness. At the end of the forum, Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh conceded change was needed. 'Council will look at enhancing increased communication and get the message out there that what has occurred is not sustainable and we will not accept that,' he said. Camera Icon Last year, an estimated 15,000 mostly young international travellers flooded the beach, leaving behind mounds of rubbish. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: NewsWire The public outcry follows years of local frustration over the growing size and cost of the Christmas Day event. Last year, an estimated 15,000 mostly young international travellers flooded the beach, leaving behind mounds of rubbish and sparking calls for state government intervention. Waverley Council spent $60,000 managing last year's Christmas Day party and $75,000 maintaining a police presence during the summer period. The council is now moving to formally request funding support from the NSW Government. Camera Icon Thousands of beachgoers were seen at Bronte Beach, Sydney, on Christmas Day, 2024. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia Mayor Nemesh warned the event is 'currently unsustainable' and that costs for crowd control, lifeguards, rangers, cleaners and security should not fall solely on local ratepayers. Despite this, a NSW Government spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph its position had not changed. 'Waverley Council collects significant revenue from beaches in its local government area including millions each year in parking revenue,' the spokesperson said. 'Every council in NSW manages the maintenance of its beaches including events, and Waverley Council should be no different.'
The Australian
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
How to play traditional game two-up on Anzac Day
It's a traditional Australian game that is off limits for the majority of the calendar, but on Anzac Day, you'll see it played in pubs all over the coutry. Two-up is a traditional gambling game that is strictly illegal across the country with the exception of Anzac Day. Two-up will be allowed across pubs and RSLs on Anzac Day. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone While there's evidence the game was played by convicts in the 18th and 19th centuries, the coin tossing game is best-associated with Anzac Day. The game was played by officers during the First World War, and became an increasingly popular pastime for the men in the trenches. Despite its declining popularity in the decades since, two-up has remained a much-loved tradition across RSLs on Anzac Day. Generally illegal to play across the country for the majority of the year, the only exception is April 25 every year. However, these rules vary depending on the state you live in. The game is usually illegal across the country.. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell In Victoria, people can only take part in two-up games in the seven days leading up to Anzac Day, and must only be played in an approved RSL sub-branch or a venue approved by RSL Victoria. It's a similar story in NSW, where people are only permitted to participate in the gambling game on Anzac Day, Victory in the Pacific Day on August 15, and Remembrance Day on November 11 after midday. The only exception to this rule is in Broken Hill, thanks to a special license from the NSW Government, which allows the outback town to play the game year-round. It is also illegal in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the two territories, with the exception of Anzac Day. It is also legal to play year-round in Kalgoorlie, WA, due to its historic connection with the game. The town also features the only legal designated two-up school in the country, where the game has been played since the '70s. It's a traditional betting game that's been played by Australians for centuries. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone How do you play two-up? Two-up, like other coin tossing games, is relatively simple to play, however, the rules may vary depending on where you live. Generally speaking, the ringkeeper – known as a 'ringie' – selects a player or 'spinner' to enter the game, usually by calling out, 'Come in, spinner!' The spinner will stand in the ring – a designated circle in the venue where only the spinner is allowed to stand – and hold a wooden bat, known as a 'kip' with two pennies on it. Traditionally, the game is played with pennies, as they offer the perfect weight and size ratio for easier spinning and landing. The spinner will toss the coins in the air – at least three metres – and the crowd has to bet on the way the coins will land. There are three possible outcomes: two heads, two tails or one of each, known as 'odds', with the spinner placing a bet on a particular outcome, and the crowd betting on the other. The coins must be thrown at least 3m into the air and have to fall within the boundaries of the circle to be accepted in the game. Those watching can only bet on either heads or tails, though some venues allow bets on odds, and the outcome of the game is determined by the ringie. The ringie's decision is final and the winner takes their earnings. Remember to gamble responsibly.
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Secret trick to win at two-up
It's a traditional Australian game that is off limits for the majority of the calendar, but on Anzac Day, you'll see it played in pubs all over the coutry. Two-up is a traditional gambling game that is strictly illegal across the country with the exception of Anzac Day. Two-up will be allowed across pubs and RSLs on Anzac Day. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia While there's evidence the game was played by convicts in the 18th and 19th centuries, the coin tossing game is best-associated with Anzac Day. The game was played by officers during the First World War, and became an increasingly popular pastime for the men in the trenches. Despite its declining popularity in the decades since, two-up has remained a much-loved tradition across RSLs on Anzac Day. Generally illegal to play across the country for the majority of the year, the only exception is April 25 every year. However, these rules vary depending on the state you live in. The game is usually illegal across the country.. NewsWire / Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia In Victoria, people can only take part in two-up games in the seven days leading up to Anzac Day, and must only be played in an approved RSL sub-branch or a venue approved by RSL Victoria. It's a similar story in NSW, where people are only permitted to participate in the gambling game on Anzac Day, Victory in the Pacific Day on August 15, and Remembrance Day on November 11 after midday. The only exception to this rule is in Broken Hill, thanks to a special license from the NSW Government, which allows the outback town to play the game year-round. It is also illegal in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the two territories, with the exception of Anzac Day. It is also legal to play year-round in Kalgoorlie, WA, due to its historic connection with the game. The town also features the only legal designated two-up school in the country, where the game has been played since the '70s. It's a traditional betting game that's been played by Australians for centuries. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia How do you play two-up? Two-up, like other coin tossing games, is relatively simple to play, however, the rules may vary depending on where you live. Generally speaking, the ringkeeper – known as a 'ringie' – selects a player or 'spinner' to enter the game, usually by calling out, 'Come in, spinner!' The spinner will stand in the ring – a designated circle in the venue where only the spinner is allowed to stand – and hold a wooden bat, known as a 'kip' with two pennies on it. Traditionally, the game is played with pennies, as they offer the perfect weight and size ratio for easier spinning and landing. The spinner will toss the coins in the air – at least three metres – and the crowd has to bet on the way the coins will land. There are three possible outcomes: two heads, two tails or one of each, known as 'odds', with the spinner placing a bet on a particular outcome, and the crowd betting on the other. The coins must be thrown at least 3m into the air and have to fall within the boundaries of the circle to be accepted in the game. Those watching can only bet on either heads or tails, though some venues allow bets on odds, and the outcome of the game is determined by the ringie. The ringie's decision is final and the winner takes their earnings. Remember to gamble responsibly. Gambling helplines
