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Why Bondi-Born Fishbowl Is Changing Its Name to Thisbowl

The next chapter for a Bondi Beach-born food brand will begin with a name that does not mention fish at all. Fishbowl is becoming Thisbowl, with its founders saying the change reflects a business that has evolved considerably since its first store opened in the suburb in 2016.

Read: Bondi Beach Bowl Craze Hits New York as Thisbowl

The rebrand is beginning at the newly renovated Bondi Beach store, before the Thisbowl name is rolled out across the Australian network by mid-October. The business has grown from its original Bondi shop into a national chain and a presence in New York.

The reasoning behind the change is rooted in the menu. Fishbowl originally offered three protein choices: kingfish, salmon, and tuna. A decade later, salmon is the only seafood protein still available, while chicken and beef account for a larger share of orders.

Photo credit: Google Maps/Thisbowl – Bondi

That has made the original name less reflective of the menu, according to the founders. They say the word “fish” can lead prospective customers to assume the restaurants are primarily seafood venues, including instances where customers at the Manly store reportedly expected fish and chips.

Thisbowl is intended to give the brand a broader identity. Rather than pointing customers towards one particular ingredient, the new name is designed to reflect a menu that has expanded considerably since those early seafood-focused days.

The change also comes with some continuity. The hand-drawn logo will remain, while the founders have acknowledged that some regular customers may continue calling the restaurants Fishbowl. The business has previously used variations including Fishbowl Poke and Fishbowl Sashimi.

From a tiny Bondi store

Fishbowl was founded by Nathan Dalah, Nicolas Pestalozzi, and Casper Ettelson, three university students who were looking for fast food that was fresh, tasty, healthy and affordable. Their first Bondi Beach store measured about 26 square metres, and the founders set out with a broader ambition to change the culture of fast food.

According to Thisbowl’s website, the founders wanted to challenge the idea that fast, accessible and affordable food had to come at the expense of taste, nutrition or authenticity. That vision became the foundation for a business that has since expanded well beyond its first shop.

The company now says it has more than 60 restaurants across Australia and has expanded into New York. Its stated identity also combines food with interests including design, music, art, movement and community.

A name for the next chapter

The move to Thisbowl is intended to give the business a name that reflects that evolution. The founders have described the new identity as open-ended, allowing the brand to represent its current menu and future direction rather than remaining tied to seafood.

Read: Now Open! FSH MKT for Takeaway Meals in Bondi from the Fishbowl Group

The rebrand is also bringing the story back to where it began. The renovated Bondi Beach location is where the new identity is being introduced, marking another stage in the business’s story a decade after its first store opened there. Fishbowl was the name that launched the brand, but its founders say Thisbowl better reflects the menu and direction of the business today.

Published 26-September-2026

The Retirement Mistake That Is Easiest to Make Years Before You Retire

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Vitaly Gariev

By Mark Taylor – Chartered Accountant, Certified Financial Planner and Founding Partner of Stirling Warton Taylor

Retirement is one of those things most of us know is coming but are quite happy to leave sitting somewhere in the distance.

Then the years move faster than expected. The mortgage is still there, the cost of living has gone up and suddenly the questions become much more immediate: When can I actually afford to retire? How much will I need? And will what I have accumulated last as long as I do?

There is good reason to be asking those questions earlier. Australians are living longer, which means retirement savings may need to support us for considerably longer than previous generations expected.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures put life expectancy at birth at 81.1 years for men and 85.1 years for women. Thirty years ago, the corresponding figures were around 75 and 81.

For someone hoping to retire in their 60s, that makes planning for 20 years or more without a regular salary a very real consideration.

And plenty of Australians aren’t quite sure when that retirement will begin. The latest ABS retirement data shows 806,000 people intend to retire within the next five years, including 294,000 within two years. Yet 40 per cent of people who intend to retire don’t know when they will actually leave the workforce.

The average intended retirement age is now 65.6.

Retirement by the numbers

65.6 years

Average intended retirement age

806,000

Australians intending to retire within the next five years

40%

People intending to retire who don’t yet know when they’ll leave the workforce

$55,900

Approximate annual ASFA comfortable-retirement budget for a single homeowner aged 65–84

$78,600

Approximate annual ASFA comfortable-retirement budget for a couple aged 65–84

So, how much is enough?

It is probably the retirement question I hear most often, and unfortunately there isn’t a magic number.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia’s Retirement Standard currently estimates that a comfortable lifestyle for a homeowner aged 65 to 84 costs about $55,900 a year for a single person and $78,600 for a couple.

ASFA’s corresponding savings benchmark for homeowners retiring at 67 is around $630,000 for a single person and $730,000 for a couple. Those calculations assume retirees draw down their capital over time and receive some Age Pension support.

Those figures are useful as a reference point. They aren’t, however, a target that can simply be applied to everybody.

A person entering retirement with their home paid off is in a very different position from somebody still paying a mortgage or renting. Then there are all the other variables: travel, health, helping children or grandchildren, hobbies and, quite simply, what you expect retirement to look like.

There is no one-size-fits-all retirement strategy. The appropriate mix of superannuation, investments, income and growth assets will depend on the individual — their circumstances, goals, time horizon and tolerance for risk.

That is why I prefer to start with the life somebody wants to fund, rather than immediately reaching for a particular dollar figure.

Starting earlier gives you more room to move

This is where time becomes particularly valuable.

Thinking about retirement well before you get there can give you more opportunity to build superannuation progressively, reduce debt and consider how your investments and other assets fit together. There may also be legitimate tax concessions and strategies worth considering along the way.

None of this means putting today’s life on hold for a retirement that may still be decades away. Nor does it necessarily mean choosing between paying down the mortgage and saving for retirement. For many people, several financial priorities will be running at the same time.

There is another reason not to leave all the planning until the final few years: retirement doesn’t always arrive on schedule.

Among Australians surveyed by the ABS in 2024–25 who had retired, reaching retirement age or becoming eligible for superannuation was the most common reason for leaving their last job, at 33 per cent. But 13 per cent had stopped because of sickness, injury or disability, while another 6 per cent had been retrenched, dismissed or found there was no work available.

In other words, the date you expect to retire and the date you actually stop working aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Starting earlier gives you more time to adjust if circumstances — or your plans — change.

Inflation is easy to underestimate

One of the quieter risks is inflation because its effect tends to creep up on us.

Something that costs $100 today is unlikely to cost $100 in another 10 or 20 years. So while protecting savings matters, simply preserving the dollar value of capital does not necessarily preserve what that money will actually buy.

The changing ASFA benchmarks give some indication of that pressure. In 2026, ASFA lifted its comfortable-retirement lump-sum estimates for the first time in three years, taking the benchmark from $595,000 to $630,000 for a single homeowner and from $690,000 to $730,000 for a couple.

The other side of the equation matters too. Pursuing higher growth can mean accepting greater volatility, and that can become particularly important when someone has retired and is drawing an income from their investments.

This is why I don’t think retirement investing is usefully reduced to a simple choice between “income” and “growth”. The right balance depends on what the money needs to provide, when it will be needed and how much investment risk the individual is comfortable carrying.

The important thing is to do something

For a lot of people, superannuation, investments, tax and retirement income can feel complicated. Put enough choices in front of somebody and it becomes very easy to put the whole subject aside for another day.

You don’t need to solve retirement in one sitting. But doing nothing because you don’t know where to begin is still a decision — and the longer retirement planning is postponed, the less time there is to make adjustments.

Start with some fairly ordinary questions. When would I ideally like to stop working? What sort of lifestyle do I want then? What debts might I still have? What assets am I building now? And do I actually understand what my superannuation is likely to provide?

For a lot of people, an SMSF may also be worth considering as part of that conversation. SMSFs can provide greater control over investment choices and retirement strategies, but they also bring additional costs, responsibilities and compliance obligations and will not be appropriate for everyone. Professional advice can help determine whether an SMSF is suitable for an individual’s circumstances.

The answers will change over time. That’s fine. Starting early isn’t about predicting your future perfectly; it’s about having enough time to change course when you need to.

The first step doesn’t have to be a major financial decision. It can simply be finding out where you stand.

Disclaimer: This column is for general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider your own circumstances and seek professional advice before making financial decisions.

Published 22-September-2026

About Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor is a founding partner of Stirling Warton Taylor and a Certified Financial Planner. He has more than 30 years’ experience as a tax agent and specialises in business services, taxation, superannuation and retirement strategies. Mark has also assisted Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office on superannuation policy.

Not sure where to start?

Stirling Warton Taylor (SWT) helps clients make sense of retirement planning, superannuation, taxation and investment decisions, with advice tailored to individual circumstances.

If you’re thinking about retirement but aren’t sure what your next step should be, you can provide some initial information to SWT and request further contact.

QR code to request contact from Stirling Warton Taylor

Scan the QR code to request a conversation with SWT or click here.

A SMSF may not be the right superannuation vehicle for you. Please seek financial advice.

Authorised to provide investment advice to wholesale investors. Representative No. 1283343.

Beyond Timbuktu Author Talk Brings a Thoughtful Night Out to Bondi Locals

Photo Credit: Great Motivation

Bondi locals do not need to go far for this one. The Beyond Timbuktu author talk is set for Waverley Library Theatrette in Bondi Junction on October 14. That makes it an easy, appealing night out for anyone who likes their culture close to home.

And honestly, that is half the charm. You can leave the beach, head up the hill, and still feel part of the same local rhythm.

A book that reaches well beyond the map

Catherine DeVrye’s Beyond Timbuktu: Journeys of Hope and Humanity sits at the centre of the night. The event description says the book moves through more than 150 countries. It also leans into kindness, courage, connection, and shared humanity.

That is a strong mix.

It is travel writing, but not the glossy kind that just lists destinations. It sounds more thoughtful than that. It asks bigger questions. What do people have in common? What do they carry with them? What do they offer each other, even in far-off places?

That is the sort of material that can stay with readers long after the event ends.

Why this one should click with Bondi

Bondi people know how to balance laid-back living with a bit of curiosity. That is why this talk feels like a good fit. It has enough worldliness to stretch the mind. It also has enough warmth to feel welcoming.

DeVrye’s book seems built for readers who want more than a quick story and a polite Q&A. It offers a wider view. It looks at people, not just places. That gives the evening some real depth.

And let’s be honest, Bondi locals are often up for that. This is a community that can do beach towels and big ideas in the same week. A smart local author event fits right in.

Waverley Library gives it a neighbourhood feel

The venue matters here too. Waverley Library Theatrette is close enough to feel local, but still special enough to mark the night out.

That is a good balance. Nobody wants an event that feels like a trek. But people also like the sense that they are going somewhere with purpose. This talk gives them that.

It also helps that library events tend to have a different energy. They feel quieter, more focused, and a bit more personal. You get the feeling people came because they actually wanted to be there. That always lifts a night.

More than a travel talk

There is something reassuring about a book that places kindness at the centre of the story. In a noisy world, that can cut through.

The headlines may shout one thing. DeVrye seems to be saying something else. People still surprise us. They still connect. They still make space for one another.

That is not a grand claim. It is a human one. And maybe that is why this event feels worth a look.

A night worth pencilling in

Not every local event needs to be loud to matter. Some just need to be thoughtful, well placed, and worth the walk or short drive.

This one looks like that sort of night.

The Beyond Timbuktu author talk gives Bondi locals a nearby chance to hear a seasoned storyteller speak about travel, kindness, and the threads that tie people together. For a community that likes a bit of depth with its local life, that sounds like a fair bet.

Published 17-September-2026

Bondi Beach Welcomes Back New Year’s Eve Celebrations After More Than a Decade

Photo Credit: Fuzzy Events

Bondi Beach NYE celebrations are set to return after more than a decade, with Waverley residents offered their own free family-friendly space beside the ticketed elrow Sydney XXL event.

The beachfront will host New Year’s Eve celebrations on 31 December 2026 across Bondi Beach Park and Bondi Pavilion, bringing a large-scale event back to the area after the planned 2025 celebration was cancelled following the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack.

While elrow Sydney XXL will form the main ticketed event, a separate Locals Lawn will give eligible Waverley residents a free, all-ages place to mark the night closer to home.

A Local Space at Bondi Beach NYE

The Locals Lawn will be set up at the southern end of Bondi Beach Park, with food trucks, roaming entertainment, family-friendly performances and activities planned throughout the evening.

An early fireworks display is scheduled for 9pm, allowing local families to take part in the celebrations without attending the 18-plus festival.

Local businesses and performers are also expected to be involved, while the program is intended to support homegrown charities and community groups.

Locals Lawn — *Photo Credit:* *Fuzzy Events*/Facebook

The local focus follows strong eastern suburbs uptake for the cancelled 2025 event. About one-third of tickets had been sold within the local postcode, while around 60 per cent had gone to people across Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Waverley residents will again receive priority access to the main event, with a locals presale scheduled to begin at 10am on 30 September.

People who held tickets for the cancelled 2025 celebration are also being offered earlier access through a separate ticket-holder process.

Two Different Ways to Welcome the New Year

Beyond the Locals Lawn, elrow Sydney XXL will run from 6pm until 12.30am across Bondi Beach Park and Bondi Pavilion.

The 18-plus event can accommodate as many as 15,000 people, with tickets starting from $189.90 plus fees.

Two full-scale themed stages will form part of the festival. The main stage will use the El triángulo de las Rowmudas, or Rowmuda Triangle, theme, built around a pirate ship, a large sea monster known as the Kraken and roaming characters including pirates and mermaids.

elrow Sydney XXL — Photo Credit: Fuzzy Events

A second stage, known as the Pink Cathedral, will also be included along the beachfront.

The full performer line-up has not yet been announced.

General presale access is scheduled to begin at noon on 30 September, followed by general public ticket sales at noon on 1 October.

For Waverley residents, the return of Bondi Beach NYE will therefore include both the large ticketed festival and a separate free local gathering, giving families and other eligible residents their own place within the beachfront celebrations.

Published 17-September-2026

Bondi Icebergs Among Sydney Sites Subject To Aboriginal Land Claims

Bondi Icebergs, the iconic pool and club at the southern end of Bondi Beach, is the subject of a long-running Aboriginal land claim over the Crown land beneath the site, as NSW faces a backlog of more than 44,000 unresolved Aboriginal land claims.

Read: Documentary Celebrates Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club Legacy

The La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council told 2GB’s breakfast program about the claim, revealing that it had lodged a claim over the Crown land beneath Bondi Icebergs. The matter remains unresolved and is now before NSW Lands Minister Steve Kamper.

The revelation came as a surprise to Bondi Icebergs, which, according to 2GB, was not aware of the claim before the radio show reported on it.

In a separate interview with 2GB following the initial report, Bondi Icebergs president Lynne Fitzsimons said the club was seeking more information because the claim had come as a surprise. She said the organisation had no comment at this stage while it worked to understand the situation.

Bondi Icebergs has operated at the southern end of Bondi Beach for generations, with its ocean pool becoming one of Sydney’s most recognisable coastal landmarks. The club and pool operate on Crown land.

How Aboriginal Land Claims Work

Photo credit: Google Maps/John Goodridge

The existence of a claim does not mean the land has been transferred or that a transfer will ultimately occur. Under the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, Aboriginal Land Councils can lodge claims over certain parcels of Crown land. For a claim to succeed, the land must meet several legal requirements.

These include being capable of being lawfully sold or leased, not being lawfully used or occupied, not being required for an essential public purpose and not being subject to a native title claim.

Claims are assessed before a recommendation is made to the relevant minister, who then determines whether a claim should be granted. If a claim is refused, the decision can also be challenged in the Land and Environment Court.

The Bondi Icebergs claim is part of a much wider group of unresolved claims across NSW. Figures cited in recent reporting put the number of outstanding Aboriginal land claims at 44,026, with more than 30 claims involving surf clubs.

Claims have also been reported over Crown land associated with surf clubs across Sydney’s eastern suburbs, including North Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly, and Maroubra.

Crown Land Laws Under Review

The Crown Land Management Act 2016 provides the legislative framework for managing Crown land in NSW. On March 17, 2026, the Crown Land Management Amendment (Statutory Review) Bill 2026 was introduced into the NSW Parliament.

The proposed reforms have three stated goals: maximising public value from Crown land, building stronger and more capable Crown land managers, and modernising legislative provisions, technology and governance practices.

The Bill remains before Parliament, with its second reading debate adjourned in the Legislative Council. It was informed by a statutory review of the Crown Land Management Act, with the review’s final report tabled in March 2026.

The proposed legislation concerns the broader management of Crown land and is separate from the determination of the Bondi Icebergs Aboriginal land claim. Aboriginal land rights representatives have opposed aspects of the proposed reforms, raising concerns about their potential impact on land rights protections.

The La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council has rejected suggestions that Aboriginal Land Councils are responsible for delays in determining outstanding claims. It said the uncertainty surrounding the Bondi site was linked to the time taken to determine claims and that it remained willing to work constructively with Bondi Icebergs while the claim was being assessed.

Read: ‘Squid Game’ Took Over Bondi Icebergs in a Thrilling Netflix Pop-Up Event

For Bondi Icebergs, the claim remains unresolved. The club is seeking more information about a matter it said it did not expect, while the determination remains with the relevant NSW minister.

Published 12-September-2026

Bondi Beach Remembers Matt Dee’s Life on and Beyond the Shoreline

Photo Credit: FTW Revolution/Instagram

Former Bondi lifeguard Matt Dee is being remembered in Bondi Beach for a life closely connected with the beach, surfing and years of work in mental health and suicide prevention.

A Familiar Part of Bondi Beach

Dee worked as a Bondi lifeguard with Waverley Council from September 2005, building a long association with the beach and the lifeguard community around it.

Matt Dee — *Photo Credit: Bondi Rescue/Facebook*

His death was announced by FTW Revolution, the organisation he co-founded, with funeral arrangements still being finalised.

The news was felt among people connected with Bondi and the wider surfing community, including fellow lifeguards and people who had known Dee through years spent in and around the water.

Bondi lifesaver — *Photo Credit: Bondi Rescue/Facebook*

Turning Personal Loss Into Advocacy

Away from the shoreline, Dee became increasingly involved in mental health and suicide prevention advocacy.

He co-founded FTW Revolution and served as its chief executive, using clothing, events and fundraising to support suicide prevention initiatives. Surfing and action sports remained closely linked with the organisation, giving the work a natural connection to communities Dee already knew.

FTW was also associated with Suicide Prevention Australia, with Dee stating that nearly half a million dollars had been raised for the organisation over a two-year period.

His advocacy was shaped by personal experience. Dee had spoken publicly about losing his brother and sister to suicide, and those losses became part of the motivation behind his work supporting greater awareness around mental health.

He also served as an ambassador for Suicide Prevention Australia, focusing on fundraising and awareness around suicide prevention and mental health.

Community Tributes Remember the Person Behind the Work

Dee’s work brought together parts of his life that had long overlapped — surfing, friendship, lifeguarding and mental health advocacy.

People who knew him through those circles remembered shared time in the water, friendships formed over the years and the encouragement he gave to others.

For some, his connection with FTW Revolution was another part of that relationship, particularly its emphasis on reaching people who may have been struggling and encouraging them to seek support.

That work gave Dee a presence beyond his role on the beach, while keeping him closely connected with the surfing and lifeguard communities that had been part of his life for years.

FTW Revolution said funeral details would be shared once arrangements were finalised.

The organisation also shared mental health support contacts following his death, including Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. Emergency assistance is available through 000.

Published 2-September-2026

$230-a-Night Campervan Listing Sparks Bondi Beach Overnight Parking Crackdown

Photo Credit: Kevin Schmid/Unsplash

A luxury campervan advertised as short-term accommodation for about $230 a night at Bondi Beach has prompted tighter overnight parking restrictions along the beachfront.

The listing drew attention to a large gap in Waverley’s beach parking fees. Eligible residents and ratepayers pay $212 for a 12-month permit, while visitors pay $2,360 for the same period. Beach parking permits allow vehicles to remain for unlimited periods in designated metered areas at Bondi and Bronte beaches and are electronically linked to a vehicle registration.

The campervan was advertised for slightly more per night than the annual permit fee charged to an eligible resident.

Permit system comes under pressure

The case has sharpened concerns about how public beachfront parking is being used, particularly when vehicles remain in the area overnight or are offered as accommodation.

Council members have raised broader concerns about campervans occupying limited spaces for long periods, including vehicles being slept in or commercially hired.

Published observations at Bondi Beach also identified lockboxes attached to some campervans. Lockboxes are commonly used for self-service access to short-term rentals, although their presence alone does not prove a vehicle is being commercially rented.

Four-hour overnight limit targets long stays

A four-hour overnight parking limit has been introduced to curb extended stays near the beachfront.

Mayor Will Nemesh backed the restriction after raising concerns about vehicles remaining in valuable parking spaces for lengthy periods. Enforcement officers are expected to work later hours and issue penalties where parking rules are breached.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/AdaumFitzawitt18

Cr Michelle Stephenson also described campervan activity as a significant problem, citing vans being slept in or rented out and several vehicles parked together in North Bondi. Cr Margaret Merten opposed the four-hour limit as too broad, warning it could also affect residents who rely on beachfront parking when spaces near their homes are unavailable.

Demand for parking rises during Bondi’s busy summer period, when the beach can attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Council staff will assess whether the new rules reduce overnight campervan stays or simply shift vehicles into nearby residential areas.

Airbnb suspends listing

The campervan listing was removed after Airbnb and the person behind the rental were contacted for comment.

Airbnb said it suspended the listing while investigating. Its Australian terms require hosts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and local requirements, and the company can take action against listings that breach its terms.

Enforcement of council parking restrictions remains with local authorities.

NSW rules exclude moveable dwellings from STRA framework

New South Wales Planning says moveable dwellings are not permitted to operate under the state’s short-term rental accommodation framework.

Waverley is addressing the Bondi campervan issue through parking controls rather than the state’s residential short-term rental rules. The six-month review will measure whether the tighter overnight restrictions reduce long-stay campervan use near the beach or result in vehicles moving into surrounding streets.

Published 29-Aug-2026

Forty Years On, Samantha Knight Remains Remembered In Bondi

Photo Credit: Australian Missing Persons Register/Facebook

Nine-year-old Samantha Knight was last seen after school in Bondi. Forty years later, Waverley Cemetery is being considered as the site of a memorial to her, while her remains have never been found.

Her disappearance prompted extensive searches and drew residents across the wider Waverley community into efforts to find her and return her safely to her family.

The search never brought Samantha home.

Samantha disappeared at about 4:15pm on 19 August 1986. Four decades later, the anniversary of her disappearance is being marked alongside plans to investigate a memorial bearing her name at Waverley Cemetery.

Samantha Knight — Photo Credit: Australian Missing Persons Register/Facebook

The Search That Began In Bondi

Samantha disappeared on the afternoon of 19 August 1986.

She was nine years old, and despite the searches that followed, no trace of her body was found.

The disappearance remained unresolved for years as her family waited without knowing where her remains had been placed.

A criminal case eventually established what had happened to Samantha, but it did not provide her family with a body to bury.

Michael Guider pleaded guilty to her manslaughter and was sentenced in 2002.

A judge found that Guider had taken Samantha to a location and given her sleeping medication, most probably with the intention of taking indecent photographs. She stopped breathing, after which he disposed of her body.

Guider received a 17-year sentence. He had already been jailed for sex offences against 13 children.

missing persons — Photo Credit: Australian Missing Persons Register/Facebook

A Conviction Without A Grave

The conviction resolved Guider’s criminal responsibility for Samantha’s death, but her remains were never recovered.

That left one of the central parts of the case unchanged for Samantha’s family: there was still no burial and no grave to visit.

Guider died at Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick on 7 September 2024, aged 73, without police having recovered Samantha’s body.

The Missed Foundation describes the experience of families whose missing loved ones are never recovered as ambiguous loss.

Its founding chief executive, Loren O’Keefe, has explained that the absence of certainty and of familiar rituals such as a funeral, burial and visits to a grave can leave grief unresolved. Memorial plaques can provide some families with another place of remembrance.

Waverley Cemetery — *Photo Credi*t: Google Maps

Forty Years On

The anniversary has now brought Samantha’s memory back into focus across Waverley.

A memorial is being investigated in consultation with her family, with a plaque at the Ivy Wall at Waverley Cemetery among the options under consideration.

The proposal has the support of Samantha’s mother, Tess Knight, and former school friends.

For Bondi, the anniversary reaches back to an ordinary after-school afternoon in 1986 that became the beginning of an extensive search.

Forty years later, Samantha remains without a grave, while the proposed memorial offers the possibility of a dedicated place where her name can be remembered.

Published 25-August-2026

Bondi Businesses Warned Over City2Surf Promotions Amid Trademark Dispute

Bondi businesses promoting events around City2Surf have been drawn into a dispute over the use of the event’s name, after several local operators were reportedly contacted over alleged unauthorised use of City2Surf trademarks.

Read: Chad Aziz Conquers 4,000-Kilometre Cross-Australia Run, Finishing at Bondi Beach

Among those contacted was Bondi cafe owner Guy Turland, who said he was warned that an event described as a “City2Surf recovery station” needed to be renamed. Mr Turland said the event was being held in connection with a fundraiser for Bondi Beach Public School’s P&C and that the promotion did not suggest his business was an official City2Surf partner.

He also said other local businesses had received similar notices, including one promoting a post-race brunch. The dispute comes as City2Surf continues to draw tens of thousands of people along its route from Sydney’s CBD to Bondi Beach. The event was established in 1971 and has become a long-running part of Sydney’s sporting calendar. City2Surf’s official history lists Heather Turland, Mr Turland’s mother, among the women’s winners in 1994 and 1996.

IRONMAN points to trademark protections

The IRONMAN Group has confirmed that some establishments were contacted over what it described as unauthorised commercial use of City2Surf trademarks.

City2Surf’s 2026 event terms state that certain uses of its intellectual property, including the City2Surf mark, require prior written consent. The terms cover activities including the use of event intellectual property in connection with products, events, merchandise, websites and services.

Those provisions provide part of the context for the dispute, although they do not establish whether any particular local promotion breached the terms or applicable trademark law. The City2Surf event was acquired by The IRONMAN Group from Nine Entertainment in 2019, when Nine announced the sale of its major sports events portfolio for $31 million.

The 2026 City2Surf was held on August 9, with organisers recording 90,000 registered participants. The 14-kilometre course runs from Sydney’s CBD to Bondi Beach, while race day brings extensive road closures and traffic changes across the route.

Waverley Council’s event information listed affected roads in Bondi including Beach Road, Hall Street, Roscoe Street, Bondi Road, Campbell Parade and Queen Elizabeth Drive.

Debate over local business opportunities

The reported notices have prompted criticism from some local voices. Cr Michelle Stephenson has questioned the decision to issue notices to local businesses and argued that businesses should have an opportunity to benefit from visitors attracted to Bondi by the race.

Athlete and author Josh Lynott has also questioned whether the event organiser and local businesses could find a more collaborative approach. The IRONMAN Group, meanwhile, said it looked forward to working with local businesses on opportunities for event engagement and other ways to support the community.

The organiser has pointed to the scale of the event, saying City2Surf brings about 90,000 runners and an estimated 150,000 people in total to Bondi and surrounding areas on race day. It also said the 2025 event generated more than $30 million for the local economy.

Those economic figures are claims made by the event organiser rather than figures independently assessed for this article.

City2Surf also has a significant fundraising component. Its official material says participants have raised more than $63 million for charities since fundraising totals began being recorded in 2008.

Read: Ever Walked Bondi to Manly? Now You Can Run it

For Bondi businesses, the dispute highlights the competing interests surrounding a major branded event. The City2Surf name and related event branding are covered by intellectual property protections, with the event’s 2026 terms imposing restrictions on certain uses without prior written consent.

The dispute has raised questions about how trademark protection can sit alongside the interests of businesses operating around an event that has been held in Sydney for more than five decades.

Published 22-August-2026

Bondi Pavilion ARTEXPRESS Brings NSW Student Art To The Local Gallery

Photo Credit: Bondi Pavilion

Bondi Pavilion ARTEXPRESS will bring selected HSC Visual Arts works from across NSW into the heart of Bondi, giving the local community free access to the annual student exhibition.

Statewide Student Art Comes To Bondi

The exhibition, running from 29 August, gives Bondi Pavilion visitors the chance to view exemplary works created for the previous year’s Higher School Certificate Visual Arts examination.

ARTEXPRESS is an annual program celebrating the standards achieved by NSW Visual Arts students. Works presented through the program are nominated by HSC markers, with the exhibition featuring a range of art forms and works recognised for the strength of their ideas and technical execution.

HSC Visual Arts — *Photo Credit: Art Gallery NSW*

For Bondi, the exhibition places a statewide student arts program inside a local public cultural venue, with no admission charge throughout its run.

The Bondi Pavilion Art Gallery will host the exhibition until 25 October and will be open from 10 am to 5 pm.

A Gallery Platform For Young Artists

ARTEXPRESS gives emerging artists an opportunity to present their HSC work beyond the examination process and in front of a public audience.

The exhibition also allows visitors to engage with the ideas and creative processes developed by students during their Visual Arts studies, while the broader ARTEXPRESS program extends into online resources.

Virtual galleries allow HSC bodies of work to be viewed in detail and include marker commentary and student interviews. The 2026 digital program also features teacher analysis of selected bodies of work and interviews in which students discuss the influences and processes behind their work.

Bondi Pavilion ARTEXPRESS Adds An Accessible Local Option

The Bondi Pavilion listing identifies accessible toilets, a level-access entrance, mobility access and mobility parking at the venue. Participation support can also be requested through the ARTEXPRESS team.

Bondi Pavilion is one of several NSW galleries hosting ARTEXPRESS during 2026, alongside venues in Sydney, Gymea, Maitland, Broken Hill, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo and Hawkesbury.

Its inclusion gives Bondi its own stop within the statewide exhibition program, bringing works by NSW HSC Visual Arts students directly into the local gallery.

ARTEXPRESS is a joint collaboration between the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Education Standards Authority, with the Bondi Pavilion event produced by Waverley Council.

The Bondi exhibition will run from 29 August to 25 October, from 10 am to 5 pm, with free entry.

Published 21-August-2026