The name Coogee is taken from a local Aboriginal word koojah which means "smelly place" owing to the amount of seaweed that can collect on the beach. But daily beach cleaning by Randwick City Council staff keeps the beach in pristine condition year-round.
The beach is sheltered by a rocky island called Wedding Cake Island which makes it an ideal swimming beach for families and a calmer option than nearby Maroubra Beach.
There is a rock pool at the northern end (Giles Baths) and a man-made rock pool at the southern end of the beach (Ross Jones Memorial Baths) near the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club. Just a few minutes walk south of the beach along the Coastal Walkway are two of Sydney's most spectacular ocean pools - McIvers Baths (women and children only) and Wylie's Baths.
Coogee Beach is located on Sydney's famous Coastal Walkway which stretches from Bondi Beach to Maroubra Beach. Coogee Beach has grown from a destination for day trippers in the early 1800s to one of Sydney's most frequented beaches. Nearby you'll find bustling Coogee Bay Road with an assortment of great restaurants, cafes and ice-cream shops!
The parks and reserves around Coogee Beach are ideal for a picnic with a range of barbecues and playground equipment. Dogs must be kept on-the-leash at all times in adjacent parks and they are prohibited from the beach, playgrounds and food preparation areas. There is an off-leash dog park just five minutes walk south of Coogee Beach at Trenerry Reserve.