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Bondi - Cities, Towns and Localities |
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Located on the east coast of Sydney
in the Municipality of Waverley and stretching for about a kilometre is
Bondi. A hugely popular destination for tourist and
locals alike, with the stretch of golden sand packed during
the summer months. A favoured haven for back packers, Bondi is often
buzzing both day and night and hosts a number of large events during the
year. Bondi is Aboriginal for “breaking of the waves” and the
beach is enclosed at the north and south by headlands. Many visitors
take the famous walk from North Bondi, which makes its way south to
Maroubra. The coast walk around the cliffs and past the beaches at Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee and finally onto Maroubra,
is a distance of 12 km. It is an easy walk with spectacular views, fresh
sea air, and plenty of rest spots.
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Check out our listing of Bondi
accommodation and
Sydney accommodation. As well as our listed travel guide info, for more
attractions, tours and other information contact the local tourism visitor
centre. |
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 Book Sydney Tours and Attractions |
Ben Butler
• This is the name given to the northern headland of Sydney’s
famous Bondi. It is believed to be originally named by Governor
Macquarie, who called it Ben-Becula, because of its resemblance to an
island in Scotland’s outer Hebrides. Other stories include that Ben
Butler was a convict who lived in the rocks at North Bondi or that was
the corruption of the Aboriginal word ‘Ball-Buckalea’, as the area was
once only inhabited by the Aboriginal communities and emanates a magical
energy.On the 15 July 1912, a 235 tonne boulder was tossed from the
Tasman Sea onto the rocks and although historically it is recorded as
‘Big Ben’, ‘Flat Rcok’, or ‘Big Rock’, it is only recently been renamed
‘The Mermaid Rock’.
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 Bondi Mermaids
• On the 3rd April, 1960, the late artist Lyall
Randolph was inspired by the Copenhagen’s ‘Little Mermaid’, to sculpture
2 life-size mermaids. The mermaids were modelled after two local
swimming champions ‘Jan Carmody’ and ‘Lynette Whillier’ and sculpted in
fibreglass, filled with cement, injected with polymer resin and painted
bronze.The ‘Bondi Mermaids’ made instant international headlines, largely
due to being controversially ‘topless’. Three weeks later, Jan (one of
the mermaids) was stolen by a Sydney University student in a prank,
which unfortunately resulted in her being badly damaged. Lyall was
devastated, society shocked and amidst scandalous scrutiny, the
community banded together and paid for Lyall to lovingly repair the
damage and a year later, the ‘Bondi Mermaids’ were officially reunited.
Then in 1974, severe storms and seas claimed Lynette and Jan’s
originally damaged torso was all that remained, until 1976, when
Waverley Council relocated her to higher ground, in concern for her
safety. She then mysteriously disappeared for 10 years and resurfaced
only to be stored at Waverley Library.
On 22nd July, 1997, the Australian artist, ‘Mermaid Lizmania’
successfully proposed and received Waverley Council’s support to
preserve Jan’s remnants and to pay the long overdue tribute to the
artist ‘Lyall Randolph’ by reinstating the ‘Bondi Mermaids’ in a more
appropriate bronze medium.
On the 14th October, 1999, Jan’s preserved remnants (paid for by the
‘Friends of Waverley Library Group’) were unveiled at the new Waverley
Library, where it resides as a permanent exhibit.
Source:
Waverley Library & Community Services
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Bondi Beach Coastal Walks
• The coastal walk is one
of the most popular tourist walks in Sydney, winding it’s way from North
Bondi to South Maroubra. At the height of summer it is known to attract
over 800 people per hour. Also, just recently opened is the
Vaucluse to Dover Heights coastal walk.
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Bondi Surf
Bathers Life Saving Club
• The worlds first surf club has had a
long and proud history. Bondi invented the reel and many other icons of
lifesaving and has had the largest rescue ever on a single day - "Black
Sunday". Bondi is structured to save lives on the beach and is still a
leader in the practice and development of lifesaving. We always need
more members to patrol the beach or provide core administrative or
support duties - please think about joining our club.
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Marine Discovery
Centre
• Ph: 02 9300 0974 •
• A non-profit charitable association providing
first class marine and coastal educatio excursion programs to schools and
communities in the Sydney region. Check out their calendar.
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• New South Wales Events |
Sculpture By The Sea
• Ph: +61 2 9357 1457 • Fax: +61 2 9357 2335
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• October - November
• Billed as Australia's largest annual outdoor free to the public exhibition of
contemporary sculpture, staged along Sydney's spectacular Bondi to Tamarama
coastal walk. This annual exhibition exhibits around 100 works by artists from
Australia and overseas.
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@ BondiBeach.Com
• General information about Bondi Beach.
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Bondi
Beach Online.com
• Ph: 02 9365 5533 • Fax: 02 9300 8320 •
• A community, culture and lifestyle
website combining current info and an online business directory.
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Bondi Beach
• A site about Bondi Beach and Bondi.
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The Bondi
View
• Ph: 02 8300 5553 •
• Community Newspaper Online.
Includes information on the history of Bondi.
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bondiworld.com
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• All about Bondi. Check out the great
interactive
bondiworld map.
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CyberBondi
• Ph: 02 9365 1778 •
(Online form)
• Comprehensive site for the
Bondi-Waverley area of Sydney, listing local businesses, services,
community and tourist info.
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WaveCam
• Site is currently under maintenance. Cam operator, streaming live images across Australia, including
beaches at Bondi, Manly, Noosa, Cronulla and Bronte.
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