A stellar line-up of free entertainment at Coogee Live 2025 is guaranteed to make the nationally award-winning community festival an experience to remember, especially with a grant of $85,000 from Lotterywest.
The theme of this year’s two-day family-friendly beachfront event is ‘Experience’ and the grant will help stage nearly 200 activities and experiences along 1.5km of Coogee coast on 8-9 March 2025.
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said the funding injection would ensure the ongoing success of the popular event where participants were encouraged to experience the very best of what Cockburn had to offer.
“Lotterywest is a wonderful supporter of events like Coogee Live which is now in its eighth year,” Mayor Howlett said.
“This festival has become integral to our happy, curious community where people feel safe and welcome to try new and magical experiences in their own backyard.
“Stretching along our pristine coast between Coogee Beach Reserve and the Coogee Maritime Trail and Omeo Wreck in North Coogee, Coogee Live is already a massive event with a great reputation for family fun.
“Our focus is not on making it bigger but making it even better. It’s free and it’s for everyone as we bring the community together in a vibrant, inclusive celebration at our iconic beach, with something for all ages to enjoy and remember for many years.”
Lotterywest CEO Colin Smith said Coogee Live was a great opportunity to connect with family and friends.
“Lotterywest is proud to support community events that bring Western Australians together,” Mr Smith said.
“Coogee Live offers free entertainment for the whole family alongside some of WA’s most beautiful coastline in Coogee.”
Finalist for Best Australian Community Event at the 2023 Australian Event Awards and the winner in 2021, Coogee Live attracted about 26,000 attendees in March 2024.
This year’s event will feature four hubs –
Beach and Jetty Hub, Community Hub, Omeo Hub and the Ocean Kitchen Garden.
A new highlight of this year’s event will be
‘Wisdom Keepers – the Untold Stories of the Community’, featuring 10 local people with strong links to Cockburn.
The exhibition will include images by WA Portrait Photographer of the Year
Nic Duncan, a three-times finalist in the National Photographic Portrait Prize with images exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Stories about the 10 subjects will be written by short fiction writer and freelancer
Meg Anderson, a former newspaper features writer and magazine editor.
Other highlights include WA first-timers
Erth Divers, a Melbourne-based company recognised internationally as an innovator of visual theatre, guaranteed to leave passersby questioning if the talented performers emerged from the Indian Ocean or arrived from another dimension.
Children will delight in animal dress-ups and stories as they hunker down inside
Nylon Zoo’s 10m tall mega frill-necked lizard and quoll.
Fliptease will again sprinkle magic and wonder with several acts and roving performers including five bright and fun characters who create an interactive experience where colour, movement and personality come alive.
For the third year, the
Great Mermaid Migration will attract ‘merfolk’ of all ages to the southern end of Coogee Beach for a fairy tale phenomenon. Applications are now open!
In its first appearance at Coogee Live,
WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) and Noongar/Jingili rapper Zero MC will headline Saturday night’s (8 March 2025) entertainment ‘From Be-Bop to Hip-Hop’.
Rooted in Noongar and Jingili cultures, Zero MC’s powerful raps carry a deep connection to his heritage. Get ready to move to phat beats, bold brass and infectious grooves as Zero MC’s compelling stories are amplified by the powerhouse sounds of WAYJO's 18-piece big band.
Other not-to-be-missed experiences:
- Junior Hip-Hop Breakers will demonstrate their fast footwork, top rocks, freezes and power moves in the Breaking Battle, an inspiring display of breakdancing
- The Dance Collective will provide a vibrant display of Latin Fusion dance, or have a go by joining interactive workshops to learning some fun and simple moves
- See human beat-box and vocal sound effects specialist Ross Vegas in a unique show that combines the ancient art of circus and vaudeville with his self-made vocal soundtrack, all while balancing a tower of folding chairs on one hand
- Cockburn’s school of all abilities, Kelete, will feature 13-year-old singer songwriter Samira Bicknell who has released her first single on Spotify and Apple Music; Ethan Grainger whose musical vocality is reminiscent of Elton John and Billy Joel; Silverlake, a student quartet which records beautiful harmonies and thoughtful lyrics
- Kelete’s Auslan Choir will sing songs and perform them in sign language, accompanied by the talented Depak Dance Ability dancers
- Another new attraction is the Omeo Wellness Oasis presented by Frasers Property Group Australia, designed for relaxation, yoga and breath work
- Indulge in contrast therapy during one of Löyly’s Sauna and Ice Bath Recovery sessions; join the Sea Gals and Pals for a judgement-free sunset ocean dip and self-love club workshop; introduce young ones to creative movement at the Kids’ Upside Down Yoga Workshop
- The Omeo Kitchen Garden returns in 2025 in a new location featuring an all-star line-up of culinary talent including former head chef of San Pellegrino World Number 1 restaurant Noma (Copenhagen); owner of Alberta’s Busselton Ben Ing; renowned pop-up dining maestro Paul Iskov of roaming restaurant Fervor; sustainability zero-waste, nose-to-tail chef Melissa Palinkas, owner of Young George and Ethos Deli.
- Hands-on Italian cooking lessons at Enjoy Your Italian. Learn the language of la dolce vita while rolling ravioli
- Recycled-materials sculpture competition, sandcastle comp, workshops, market stalls, displays, and more.
For more information, visit
www.coogeelive.com and follow Coogee Live on Facebook [
https://www.facebook.com/coogeelive/] for updates.