Safety first at Scarborough Beach this summer

The City of Stirling and WA Police Force are putting safety first at Scarborough Beach this summer.
 
The City and police work in close collaboration to keep the community safe in the Scarborough entertainment precinct, running a joint operation on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays. 
 
WA Police Force’s Operation NightSafe leverages the City’s advanced network of 80 CCTV cameras to boost the rapid response and evidence-gathering abilities of police.
 
The City and police have also collaborated to bring the Street Chaplains to Scarborough Beach over the 2024-25 summer period.
 
Street Chaplains will visit the area on Thursday and Saturday nights from mid-November, providing unconditional crisis pastoral care to anyone in need.
 
The volunteers work in teams to offer compassionate and practical help, including resources such as first aid equipment and water.
 
Police will be enforcing new State legislation by the end of December which will allow them to perform non-invasive scans to detect knives or other edged weapons.
 
The new legislation was inspired by Jack’s Law in Queensland, created after the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jack Beasley on the Gold Coast in 2019.
 
It will give police officers the ability to perform scans anywhere, at any time in Perth’s five protected entertainment precincts, including Scarborough Beach.
 
“WA has wonderful entertainment and nighttime venues, and the new powers for police officers to use handheld metal detectors in areas like the Scarborough Protected Entertainment Precinct will enhance public safety,” Senior Sergeant Haydn Farrow, Officer in Charge at Scarborough Police Station, said.
 
“My team will remain very visible in Scarborough over the next few months keeping the community safe, and we will be using the new metal detectors as one of our tools.”
 
In addition to high-visibility patrols by police, City Community Safety Officers will be out and about in the entertainment precinct, making sure it remains a family-friendly destination.
 
Meanwhile, the City’s professional beach inspectors and lifeguards will be looking out for the community on the sand and in the water.
 
In collaboration with volunteers from Scarboro and Trigg Surf Life Saving Clubs, they are committed to making Perth’s most popular beach a safe environment for people of all ages and abilities.
 
“Scarborough Beach is a world-class destination, and we are passionate about it being family-friendly,” Mayor Mark Irwin said.
 
“The City works very closely with WA Police to keep the Scarborough entertainment precinct safe, especially over the summer months.
 
“The message is simple – anti-social and criminal behaviour isn’t accepted by the community and it won’t be tolerated by us.
 
"Between police, City staff and our incredible volunteer life savers, the community can be confident that when they visit Scarborough Beach, their safety is in great hands.”
 
Getting there
 
Getting to the beach has become easier, with Transperth introducing extra bus services on the 990 and 421 routes to help people plan their journey in and out of Scarborough. 
 
The 990 route runs from Perth Busport to Scarborough Beach, while the 421 runs from Stirling Station.
 
The City has partnered with Beam Mobility to provide 250 e-scooters in key areas, including an uninterrupted coastal stretch from Scarborough Beach to Watermans Bay.
 
A two-year tender was awarded to Beam Mobility after a trial showed reduced reliance on motor vehicles and strong community support.
 
For those travelling by car, the City is installing new parking wayfinding signage at popular coastal destinations just in time for summer.
 
The dynamic digital signage at Scarborough Beach will give motorists real-time parking updates, helping them find a spot sooner and easing congestion by identifying full car parks. 
 
There are about 1,500 parking bays in the Scarborough Beach entertainment precinct and hundreds more nearby, including at South Trigg, Abbett Park and Peasholm Dog Beach. 
 
Once visitors get to the beach, they can keep their valuables secure in the small and large lockers that are available for hire.

The lockers come with USB charging facilities and can be hired by the hour or by the day from 6.00am – 9.00pm.
 
Things to do
 
As always, there will be plenty happening at Scarborough Beach over summer, including the ever-popular Scarborough Carols from 6.00pm – 8.00pm on Sunday 15 December.
 
The carols, which raise money for Neuromuscular WA, will feature a special appearance from Santa and a fireworks finale at the Scarborough Amphitheatre.
 
Gage Roads is bringing its Beach Touch Footy social competition to Scarborough Beach on Saturday 7 December, with live music, a beach bar and prizes on the line.
 
Brazilian and Latin dance group WAZouk is hosting free sandpit beach dancing lessons at the Amphitheatre from 5.00pm to 9.00pm on Sundays.
 
The weekly Summer Sunset Markets, presented by the Scarborough Beach Association, have just switched over from Saturday afternoons to Thursday evenings for the warmer months.
 
The markets are held from 5.00pm – 9.00pm near the clocktower, offering live entertainment, delicious food and drinks, and a wide range of stalls to browse.
 
The 2025 Perth Festival will provide a fitting encore to summer at Scarborough Beach, with a free concert in the Amphitheatre from 6.00pm to 8.30pm on Saturday 1 March.
 
Indian Ocean Sounds will feature two soulful international acts – South African group The Joy and Réunion Island’s energetic Lindigo.
 
Find out more about the facilities and activities at Scarborough Beach.