Coogee Media

Trenerry Reserve
Many Coogee locals enjoy walking along the cliff-face pathway in the park at the southern end of Coogee. The park overlooks the ocean and Wylies Baths with magnificent views over Coogee Beach and beyond. The park is known as "Trenerry Reserve". Although it was first dedicated for public parkland in May 1872, in 1972 it is named after local identity, Roy Trenerry, and the reason why is another fascinating piece of Coogee's local history.

Trenerry Reserve, Coogee

Swimming Teacher
Vivian Roy Trenerry (preferred to be known as "Roy") was born in Brisbane in 1902. He moved with his family to the local area and as a youth attended nearby Christian Brothers' Waverley College. He became a school teacher and as a member of the Randwick Coogee Amateur Swimming Club, developed a keen interest in teaching children to swim. He taught thousands of youngsters to swim at the Coogee pool, including noted swimmer Ron Casey who went on to become a controversial conservative media commentator. The Sydney Sun noted in 1950:

"Likes his job : Randwick school teacher Roy Trennery never tires of being among the children. He starts teaching children to swim every day at 6am at the Coogee pool before commencing classes at the Rainbow Street school. An instructor with the FSAAA "learn to swim" organisation, he spends most of his holidays teaching youngsters of the district to swim. Coogee surf club has made him an honorary member so that he can have amenities for dressing and showers."

Roy Trenerry with Coogee Public School, State Swimming Team, 1935

Volunteer Defence Corps Service
Too young for service during World War One and too old by the time World War Two started, during the Second World War, Trenerry was a member of the Volunteer Defence Corps, sometimes referred to as the "Home Guard" or "Dad's Army". The Corps undertook defence related activities on the home front so that younger able-bodied men could take up active military service. Trenerry was assigned at some stage to spotting the infrequent enemy aircraft that ventured over Sydney (think of the midget submarine attack of June 1942) and was stationed in his spare time atop the Department of Education building in Kippax Street in the City.

Perhaps a more substantial contribution to the war effort, at that time, was his work in teaching RAAF airmen how to swim.

In the post-war era, Trenerry was a Department of Education Truancy Officer, and one of the students he came across from time to time was, ironically, the Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser (1937- ), "skipping school" as we used to say.

Rita Trenerry in 1926

Trenerry Family
Roy Trenerry had ambitions to be an accountant, but illness steered him to becoming a primary school teacher, qualifying from Sydney Teachers' College. He met a David Jones employee, Rita Irene Florence Alterator (born Scone, NSW in 1906) through an acquaintance. They married at St Nicholas Anglican Church, Coogee in 1926. The mixed Catholic Anglian marriage caused some consternation among their families. After a stint teaching in rural areas, the couple returned to Sydney and settled in Coogee, buying a block of four units at 28 Carr Street (named "Calmsley"), and lived in the building. Just down the road at the bottom of Carr Street is the Ross Jones Pool.

Ultimately, Roy and Rita had seven children. Three of the girls, Yvonne, Vivienne and Barbara sang as the Trenerry Sisters during and after World War Two and also regularly appeared at Coogee's Stones Milkbar, doing an Andrews Sisters-like routine. Vivienne (later Vivienne McCready) became a well-known Coogee identity being closely associated with Coogee (McIver's) Women's Baths.

28 Carr Street Coogee where the couple settled with their family

Keen Lawn Bowler
Long a keen sportsperson, in addition to swimming, he was involved with Rugby Union, and was an avid lawn bowler and member of the Coogee Bowling Club. He died on the bowling green on the 28th March 1972, aged 69. His wife Rita died at Maroubra in 1999, aged 93.

Trenerry Reserve
Shortly after Roy Trenerry's death, his son Alan Trenerry approached Randwick Council Council’s to suggest the establishment of a memorial to his father. As a result, the Council decided to name the park "VR Trenerry Reserve" which was altered by the Geographical Names Board to simply beTrenerry Reserve and was adopted by November 1972.

The Reserve has stunning views over Coogee Beach and beyond and many take advantage of its 24 hour off-leash dog exercise area. In the south-western corner of the park is a fenced-off area, a swampy reed filled haven for all sorts of small animals and aquatic creatures such as frogs. Rivulets run down over the rocky landscape and under the boardwalks of the southern extension of the Eastern Suburbs Coastal Walkway.

The Reserve has often be used for filming. In 1983, for example, a major Australian film Molly, about a singing dog and a circus, was shot here. Then in the early 1980s, for example, a large wooden platform was constructed over the rock shelf on the eastern side of the Reserve to simulate the landing deck of an aircraft carrier. It was for a television ad for an insurance company which replicated a fighter aircraft landing on the deck and crewmen rushing to pull a small child out of its way. It was a visual metaphor for the idea that the insurance company would keep you safe. It seemed like a lot of trouble to go through to get the effect of a ship in the ocean, but it looked effective on the screen.

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