Bondi History

Long before it was touched by any sunbathers or surfers, the area of Bondi Beach and its nearby cliffs and coves were formed by the eruption of a volcano. As a result of this natural phenomenon, the beach faces towards the south, allowing the waves swept in by the southerly gales to run almost unhindered between the two headlands. The original Aboriginal name, "Bondi" or "Boondi", refers to "water breaking over rocks" or the sound of breaking waves.

When Europeans first arrived here in the late 1780s, they would have come across a wild beach set in a natural amphitheatre of cliffs and hills, in the centre of which were grass-tufted sand dunes, and behind which lay a series of tree-fringed lagoons and pools where the native aborigines fished and caught wild fowl. The colonials originally thought of it as not much more than a sand dune, and too far from the Sydney Central Business District (CBD) to be of any use.

The beginnings of the suburb go back to 1809, when the early road builder, William Roberts, received a grant of land in the area. In 1851, Edward Smith Hall and Francis O'Brien purchased 200 acres of the Bondi area that embraced almost the whole frontage of Bondi Beach, and it was named the "The Bondi Estate." Between 1855 and 1877 O'Brien purchased his Hall'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. It was not until June 9, 1882, that the Government acted and Bondi Beach finally became a public beach.

Bathing was banned at Bondi till 1906 (since people did little else in the water prior to this) and the same year, the Bondi Surf Life Club was initiated. During World War II, the beach at Bondi saw barbed wire and sentries and at one point was shelled by a Japanese submarine, 5 shells being fired.

Today, Bondi is one of the most recognized beaches in Australia, with a typical summer weekend attracting more than 40,000 visitors. The annual City to Surf Fun Run held in August attracts over 63,000 participants from around the globe.

Image Source:MCKB