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Bondi Beach | |||||||||||||
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 Aerial view of Bondi Beach | |||||||||||||
  Bondi Beach Location in metropolitan Sydney | |||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Bondi Beach | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates:33°53′28″S151°16′27″E / 33.89111°S 151.27417°E /-33.89111; 151.27417 | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | New South Wales | ||||||||||||
| City | Sydney | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
| Location |
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| Established | 1851 | ||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate | |||||||||||||
| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 1.22 km2 (0.47 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Elevation | 21 m (69 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 11,513 (SAL2021)[2] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 2026 | ||||||||||||
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Bondi Beach (/ˈbɒndaɪ/) is a beach and the surrounding suburb inSydney, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres (4 miles) east of theSydney central business district, in thelocal government area ofWaverley Council, in theEastern Suburbs. In the2021 Australian census it had a population of 11,513 residents. Its postcode is 2026.Bondi,North Bondi andBondi Junction are neighbouring suburbs. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia, and the location of two television series,Bondi Rescue andBondi Vet.
The name "Bondi" is derived from theDharawal language, spoken by the Aboriginal clans who lived further fromSydney Harbour southwards toShoalhaven. The wordBondi, also speltBundi,Bundye, andBoondye, originates from the word for a loud thud, such as the sound of waves breaking over rocks, but is also associated withnulla nulla, or fighting sticks, which make a loud noise when they hit something.[3][4] The first record ofbondi by European-ancestry Australians was made between 1899 and 1903.[5]
Before the arrival of Europeans in thePort Jackson area, the Waverley and Bondi areas were inhabited for tens of thousands of years byAboriginal Australian peoples, who left evidence of their habitation in the form of paths, rock carvings, artefacts, and shelters. The eastern beaches were home to theBidjigal,Birrabirragal, andGadigal people.[3][6]
In 1809 the road builder William Roberts received a grant of land in the area.[7][8][9] In 1851Edward Smith Hall (arz) and Francis O'Brien purchased 200 acres (0.8 square kilometres) of the Bondi area that included most of the beach frontage, which was named "The Bondi Estate". Hall was O'Brien's father-in-law. Between 1855 and 1877 O'Brien purchased his father-in-law's share of the land, renamed the land the "O'Brien Estate," and made the beach and the surrounding land available to the public as a picnic ground and amusement resort. As the beach became increasingly popular, O'Brien threatened to stop public beach access. However, the Municipal Council believed that the Government needed to intervene to make the beach a public reserve. In mid-1882, Bondi Beach became a public beach.[10] The first tramway to the beach was established in 1884. The Waverley Council was responsible for building the first surf bathing sheds on the beach in 1903. By 1929 an estimated 60,000 people were visiting the beach on a summer weekend day. The opening of thepavilion in the same year attracted a huge crowd of 200,000.[11]
On 6 February 1938 five people drowned and over 250 people were rescued or resuscitated after a series of large waves struck the beach and pulled people wading on a sandbank into the sea, a day that became known as "Black Sunday".[12]
Bondi Beach was a working-class suburb throughout most of the twentieth century with migrant people from New Zealand comprising the majority of the local population. Following World War II, Bondi Beach, and the Eastern Suburbs became home to Jewish migrants from Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. A stream of Jewish immigration continued into the 21st century and the area has some synagogues and akosher butcher.The multicultural migration funded and drove the growth of the suburb throughout the 1990s into the turn of the century,[13][better source needed] moving it steadily from its working-class roots towards an upper/middle-class enclave[14] similar to its neighbours ofRose Bay andBellevue Hill which was listed as the most expensive postcode in the country from 2003 to 2005.[15][better source needed][16][better source needed]
Bondi Beach was long a centre for efforts to fight indecency in beach attire. The beach was a focal point of the1907 Sydney bathing costume protests, organised to oppose proposed dress standards for beachgoers. The Local Government Act, Ordinance No. 52 (1935)[17][better source needed] governed the decency of swimming costumes and was in force between 1935 and 1961, which resulted in public controversy as the two-piece "bikini" became popular after World War II.Waverley Council's beach inspectors, includingAubrey Laidlaw (wd), were responsible for enforcing the law and were required to measure the dimensions of swimwear and order offenders againstpublic decency off the beach. While vacationing in Australia in 1951, American movie actressJean Parker made international headlines when she was escorted off the beach after Laidlaw determined her bikini was too skimpy.[18] The rule became increasingly anachronistic during the 1950s and was replaced in 1961 with one requiring bathers be "clad in a proper and adequate bathing costume", allowing for more subjective judgment of decency. By the 1980stopless bathing had become common at Bondi Beach, especially at the southern end.[19]
Sydney's Water Board maintained an untreated sewage outlet not far from the north end of the beach until the 1960s when a sewage treatment plant was built. In the mid-1990s the plant was upgraded and a deepwater ocean outfall was completed to meet water quality standards.
In March 2007, Waverley Council started proceedings toevict a hermit who was living in squalor on a cliff overlooking the beach. Peter James Paul Millhouse, calling himself Jhyimy "Two Hats" Mhiyles, came to the beach during the 2000Sydney Olympic Games and became a local celebrity for his lifestyle and poetry recitals to visitors. Residents and tourists put together a "save the caveman" petition to allow him to continue residing but under certain rules.[20][21] In 2009, he was arrested and charged with the rape of a tourist.[22] While he was in custody, Waverley Council under then-mayor Liberal Sally Betts removed his belongings from the cliff.[23] In September 2011, charges against Jhyimy were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions over concerns about the reliability of the witness.[24] Waverley Council has not offered recompense for his eviction from his home or loss of belongings.
In March 2020, theGovernment of New South Wales closed Bondi Beach after several people there exceeded Australia's outdoor-gathering limit imposed to slow the spread of thecoronavirus in New South Wales.[25]
On Sunday 14 December 2025,a mass shooting occurred at Bondi Beach, allegedly orchestrated by Naveed Akram, aged 24, and his father Sajid Akram, aged 50. The attack was aimed at theJewish community in Sydney, with the perpetrators targeting a Jewish celebration on the first evening of theHanukkah festival.[26] The attack commenced at approximately 6:47 pm when the first call to emergency services was made.[27] During the attack, Sajid Akram was disarmed by Ahmed Al-Ahmed, an unarmed bystander.[28] The attack had ended by approximately 6:58 pm, after police brought the situation under control; Sajid Akram was killed, and his son Naveed Akram was taken into custody in critical condition. Two "rudimentary" and "fairly basic in terms of their construction"improvised explosive devices, which failed to detonate, were located.[29]
The attack had left 16 people dead (including alleged shooter Sajid Akram) and 43 people injured; those who died ranged from ages 10 to 87.[30][31] It was thesecond-deadliest mass shooting in Australian history, behind the 1996Port Arthur massacre, and thedeadliest terror incident in Australian history.[32][33][34]
Bondi Beach has several heritage-listed sites, including:
Bondi Beach was added to theAustralian National Heritage List in 2008.[37][better source needed]
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Bondi Beach is the northernmost ocean beach to the south ofPort Jackson and also the closest one to theSydney CBD. It is about 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) long and—untypically for beaches in Sydney—it faces south. The northern end of the beach is sheltered by a headland known as Ben Buckler Point, which is the beginning of a line of sea cliffs extending toSouth Head.[38]
The beach receives many visitors throughout the year.Surf Life Saving Australia gave different hazard ratings to areas of Bondi Beach in 2004. While the northern end has been rated a gentle 4 (with 10 as the most hazardous), the southern side is rated as a 7 due to a famousrip current known as the "Backpackers' Rip" because of its proximity to the bus stop. Many backpackers and tourists do not realise that the flat, smooth water is a dangerous rip current, and tourists can be unwilling to walk the length of the beach for safer swimming. The south end of the beach is generally reserved for surfboard riding. Yellow and red flags define safe swimming areas, and visitors are advised to swim between them.[39]
There is an underwatershark net; however, it does not stretch the entire beach, it is made up of overlapping sections.[citation needed] Many other beaches along the same stretch of the coast have similar shark nets. Pods of whales and dolphins have been sighted in the bay during the months of migration (March–May, September–November).Fairy penguins, while uncommon, are sometimes also seen swimming close to shore or amongst surfers in southern line-ups.[40]
In 2007, theGuinness World Record for the largest swimsuit photo shoot was set at Bondi Beach, with 1,010 women wearing bikinis taking part.[41]
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In 2011, Waverley Council implemented Wi-Fi for Bondi Beach users. Service is free with limits on access periods and downloads per use. The cost of setup was estimated to be between $34,000 and $50,000 with annual costs of $25,000. Local businesses as well as The Bondi Chamber of Commerce supported the notion that locals and visitors can connect with local businesses, events, and other community and council events.[42][better source needed] In 2012 the Mayor of Waverley Sally Betts said that for the 2 million visitors annually, Wi-Fi offers access to local events and business information.[43][better source needed]
Bondi Beach is represented in one of the most popular sporting competitions across Australia, theNational Rugby League competition, by the local team theSydney Roosters, officially the Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club (ESDRLFC).
Bondi Beach is the end point of theCity to Surf Fun Run which is held each year in August. The race attracts over 63,000 entrants who complete the 14 km (9 mi) run from theSydney central business district to Bondi Beach. Other annual activities at Bondi Beach include Flickerfest, Australia's premier international short film festival in January, World Environment Day[44] in June,Sculpture by the Sea in November, and the Winter Magic Festival that attracted 60,000 visitors in 2016.[45][46] In addition to many activities, the Bondi Beach Markets is open every Sunday, and a food market every Saturday, at Bondi Beach Public School. Many Irish and British tourists spend Christmas Day at the beach.
AnOceanway connects Bondi toSouth Head to the north and other beaches to the south up toCoogee.
Bondi Beach hosted thebeach volleyball competition at the2000 Summer Olympics.[47] A temporary 10,000-seat stadium, a much smaller stadium, 2 warm-up courts, and 3 training courts were set up to host the tournament.
Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club claims to be the world's firstssurf lifesaving club;[48]North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club is a federation club. Both clubs were founded in 1907. Club members invented thesurf reel and many other icons of lifesaving. Surf lifesavers from both clubs were involved in the largest rescue ever on a single day, known as "Black Sunday". Bondi holds the most Australian Surf Lifesaving Championship gold medals in R&R (rescue & resuscitation), and North Bondi holds the most gold medals in March Past.[citation needed]
TheBondi Icebergs Swimming Club origin dates back to 1929 and owes its origins to the desire of a band of dedicated local lifesavers who wished to maintain their fitness during the winter months. They formed the Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club, drew up a constitution, and elected office bearers. Included in the constitution was a rule that to maintain membership it was mandatory that swimmers compete on three Sundays out of four each month for five years.
The Bondi Skate Park[49] opened to the public in 1991 with only two skate ramps. In 2004, the council sought consultation with the skating community for input on how best to upgrade the site.[49] The end result was the construction of a bowl with a 3.7-metre (12 ft) deep end and a 1.5-metre (5 ft) shallow end, rated 4 out of 5 stars by Skateboard Australia.[50] The bowl was designed by Chad Ford[50] and built by the company Zalem.[50] The park has been hostingBOWL-A-RAMA, an international skating competition, since 2004.[51]
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Bondi Beach has a commercial area along Campbell Parade and adjacent side streets, featuring many popular cafes, restaurants, and hotels, with views of the beach.[52][53]Pacific Bondi Beach is a shopping centre that featuresWoolworths Metro,QT Hotel and 22 stores. It was built on site of the old Swiss Grand Hotel.
The Hotel Bondi is a landmark on Campbell Parade. It was built from 1915 to the 1920s and was designed by E. Lindsay Thompson. It combinesItalianate,Federation and Free Classical elements and has been described as an "important landmark building in the Bondi Beach townscape." It has a state heritage listing.[54] The Beach Road Hotel, originally opened in 1956 and was formerly The Regis and before that TheRex, is on the corner of Glenayr Avenue and Beach Road.[55][56]
Bondi Pavilion is a community cultural centre, located right on Bondi Beach, which features a theatre, gallery, rehearsal, meeting and function rooms, art workshop, and studios. Bondi Pavilion is the centre for major festival performances throughout the year. It has a state heritage listing.[57]
The main street through Bondi Beach is Campbell Parade. It was rebuilt in the 1920s to aboulevard design opening in December 1929.[58][59]
Numerous festivals and events such as the annual Miss Bondi beauty pageant have made Bondi Beach a popular destination among travellers. The beach has long captured the attention of poets includingLes Murray,Joanne Burns andBrook Emery. TheVans Bowl-A-Rama skateboarding competition is held at the Skate Bowl in February every year.[60]
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Bondi Beach has been used as a location for numerous films, television series, music videos, and a video game:
Bondi Beach is often considered to be one of Sydney's most densely populated suburbs, with a population density of 10,386/km2 in 2023.[64]According to the2021 census, there were 11,513 residents in Bondi Beach, of whom 48.7% were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were England 10.6%, New Zealand 2.9%, the United States 2.7%, South Africa 2.4%, and France 2.2%. The census recorded that 72.1% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish 4.4%, French 2.9%, Italian 1.9%,Portuguese 1.8% and Russian 1.3%. The most common responses for religion in Bondi Beach wereNo Religion 51.2%,Catholic 18.4%,Judaism 7.6% andAnglican 6.0%.[65]
Name Of Place Boondi Meaning Or Reason Why It Was Given Noise Of Place Now called Bondi
II First Three Land Grantees 2 (1st) William Roberts' grant — Survey by James Meehan — Bondi Estate Sub-divisions, 1852 and 1866 — Edward Smith Hall — Frances O'Brien and family — The Homestead.
Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) underCC BY 4.0licence.The Beach Volleyball Centre at Bondi Beach was not only one of the most controversial of all Sydney's Olympic venues but ended up being the most atmospheric during the Games.
Population density 10,386 persons per square km
Media related toBondi Beach at Wikimedia Commons
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