Maroubra Junction

Back in the day we’d wander down to Pacific Square with sand still in our hair and a plan: Peters Meats for something heroic on the barbie, a quick detour to Freshpoint Markets for olives the size of your fist, then a seaside detour to Maroubra Beach where, gloriously, you didn’t have to elbow a Bondi crowd for a sun patch.

Our weekend ritual used to look like that. Peters Meats in Pacific Square was the place to level-up the rump—Rangers Valley black onyx striploin was practically a local ritual—and the Fish Market at Pacific Square used to sort out whatever seafood emergency the week had given us. If you had kids, Kokoroya on Anzac Parade used to be the small miracle: decent Japanese feed and a tiny play area that bought you five precious minutes of silence. JAI Martial Arts was over the fence from Pacific Square for mini-kicking practice. And yes, Maroubra Junction Vet used to hold court at 2/102–106 Boyce Rd when your fur baby decided to be dramatic.

We’ve had our moments: beaches were shut during the pandemic after rules were ignored, and there was that police investigation into an illegal Maroubra party that made the papers. Not our proudest headlines, but they’re part of the lore now.

The town was slated for a facelift too—streetscape upgrades for Maroubra Junction and Matraville were due to kick off in July 2025, promising a tidier shopping strip and safer crossings for families who actually like to use the footpath. And if you’re into coastal cardio, there’s talk of that revamped coastal walk from Maroubra to Malabar that everyone went mildly obsessed with on socials.

Who would hate it here? If you need a CBD commute that’s shorter than a 20‑minute bus ride, if you crave Bondi-level crowds and non-stop nightlife, this won’t be your scene.

Who will love it? Families, surfers who prefer a quieter kilometre of sand, shoppers who remember the old fish market and the butcher who knew your name, and anyone who thinks a local pub like The Bay Hotel or the Glasshouse Hotel is basically community therapy. We’re a bit rough around the edges, carry a bit of local history in our sand, and we like it that way.