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Bondi Beach Primary School Rebuilds After Fire Damage

A devastating fire temporarily shut down Bondi Beach Primary School in June 2021 but in a short span of time, the school has been rebuilt with new classrooms to boot!

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell is pleased with the outcome delivered by 40 workers and tradies who were on top of the project to restore the primary school in under six weeks.

Most of the school’s top floor had fire damage, destroying at least four classrooms and the adjacent storerooms. Restorations were also completed on the roof and floor coverings, as well as the electrical wirings.

“After the devastating fire last month at Bondi Beach Public School I am so pleased to see that it has been restored to the highest standards,” Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton said.

“I want to thank both the local Bondi Beach and Bellevue Hill Public School communities, who pulled together to support the school during this difficult time.”

The school community is looking forward to returning to in-person classes at the restored classrooms once the lockdown in Sydney has been lifted. The students are currently under the Learning from Home Hub program.

Photo Credit: OMG Decadent Donuts East Sydney/Facebook

Panic gripped the parents of 71 children when the fire broke out at the top floor of the Bondi Beach Primary School. The kids, along with seven staff members, were still around for the after-hours childcare service at The Hive.

Fortunately, no one was hurt as the children were evacuated quickly as the firies arrived to contain the fire.

“In NSW, coroners have jurisdiction to investigate fires and explosions. As such the Bondi Beach PS fire is now with the coroner. The community will be provided with updates when information is made available,” Principal Gai O’Neill advised parents in the school’s newsletter.

A Fun Way to Survive the Lockdown? Do Pottery at Home!

If there’s an upside to the lockdown, it’s having more time to learn a new skill and indulge in fun activities like making pottery. Fortunately for Eastern Suburb and Greater Sydney locals, Bondi Clay has released new and special pottery kits that anyone can do at home.

The ceramics store and workshop studio, located on Flood Street, re-launched ClayKits, which includes eight pottery tools, a bag of clay (6kg), and an instructional piece of paper. The shop will deliver the Claykits for an additional rate.

Highlights

Bondi Clay relaunches Claykits for making pottery at home.
The studio has uploaded online instructional videos for these Claykits
They also conduct live classes on Instagram during this lockdown.

Now, it’s no fun for other people to read instructions from a piece of paper so Bondi Clay has prepared a video guide. The store has uploaded a library of online tutorials where Sydneysiders can actually see how easy it is to make a vase, a pot, decorative bowl. Just take your pick and start getting creative!

In addition to the online tutorials, Bondi Clay has live classes on Instagram, which will be conducted only because it’s the lockdown.

When the lockdown is over soon, Bondi Clay will start offer bisque firing services. The first kilo of bisque is on the house!

Here are the rates for the Claykits and other pottery essentials.

PRODUCT/SERVICE	COST
Claykits	$59 (tool set included)
Bisque firing	$10 per kilo (free for first kilo)
White studio glaze	$30 per kilo (with bisque firing)
Tool Set	$30.00 (no delivery, collection only)
Stonewar Clay – 12.5kg bag	$39.00 (no delivery, collection only)

Making pottery is one of the oldest art forms in the world and it’s therapeutic because the process needs a lot of focus and care as one works with their hands. Putting all that focus into a creative activity means shutting and switching off from distractions whilst moulding and making beautiful ceramics. It seems only fitting to switch off from the outside world during the lockdown to reduce anxiety and stress.

Don’t worry about making a perfect bowl or vase as pottery is all about experimenting with art, unlocking creativity, and learning something new during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, when the situation normalises in Sydney, visit Bondi Clay or sign up for actual pottery classes. The studio has around eight pottery wheels (automatic, electric kilns, and heaps of dipping paint. Spacious building tables are set up for creatives to work.

Some of the classes run for two hours whilst there are also long-term sessions that cover at least six weeks. The establishment is also an events place for birthdays, corporate events, or hens parties. Visit the official site for more details.

Volleyball Faces Potential Ban After Complaints in Bondi Beach

Did you know that volleyball might become restricted, or even outright banned across some of Sydney’s most prominent beaches such as Bondi and Tamarama?

Informal games of beach volleyball are currently under review by the Waverley Council after a series of complaints concerning the classic beachside sport.

In most cases, beachgoers would establish informal games by bringing their own balls and equipment. Players must follow an established set of rules imposed by the council, and these rules permit up to three nets and ongoing volleyball games in Bondi beach at any given time.

However, there has been a recent wave of opposition against the sport, spearheaded by a 64-year-old Tamarama resident who has opted to remain anonymous, who claimed that accidents would be inevitable with games such as these.

The leader of the opposition has mentioned their fears that children would end up getting injured over stray balls, and that players were using crown land without paying. They had also stated that balls would go as far as 30 feet if out of control, veering off course and posing a risk to passersby.

Photo credit: CC BY-SA/Dietmar Rabich/Wikimedia Commons

Despite this, there are claims that the opposition is minimal at best, however the Waverley Council has still opted to consult the community on how they should handle the issue at hand. Volleyball is still a beloved beachside activity, and one of the options proposed by the council is changing the maximum number of courts, or modifying the rules to promote safety.

The council will hold consultation until the 17th of May, after which they will evaluate the feedback given and possibly conduct further investigation on the sport and any threats it might pose to other beachgoers and locals.
Those interested in sharing their thoughts and providing their input on the matter are free to do so via the Waverley Council’s new survey.

Bondi Beach Apartment Breaks Record for Most Expensive Unit Auctioned in Australia

A penthouse apartment with a gorgeous view of Bondi Beach became the most expensive unit to ever be sold at an auction in Australia.

The four-bedroom, four-bathroom unit on Notts Avenue used to be owned by James Mayo, a former world champion yachtsman who also owns Mayo Hardware. He’s moving to an oceanfront mansion in Point Piper so he’s selling the Bondi pad he has owned for a decade.

Mr Mayo bought the unit for less than $10 million ten years ago and did a few renovations in 2020 before putting it up in the market. It was valued at $14 to $15 million but had a reserve price of $17 million as it went under the hammer.

At the auction held in mid-March, some 65 bidders showed interest despite its reserve price. Whilst some investors might consider Sydney properties as overpriced, this home is worth every penny with its stunning panoramic view of the beach and the Bondi Icebergs, as well as the apartment’s breezy and indoor/outdoor flow.

Aside from the open-plan living and dining room areas, the apartment also features a media room, oversized terraces for al fresco dining, a deck, and a gourmet marble kitchen.

According to Domain, this property had the “best position and the best aspect of Bondi.” The apartment’s final bid was at $20.1 million and was snatched up by a local.

Chabad Bondi Synagogue on O’Brien Street Up for Auction

After 33 years of service to the Eastern European Jewish community in Bondi Beach, Chabad Bondi announced that it is putting the synagogue up for auction. Once the centre of many Jewish ceremonies and rites of passage, the building on O’Brien Street became too small for the growing community.

Rabbi Yehoram Ulman said that due to the increase in their numbers, Chabad Bondi had to find an alternative space to ensure that the spiritual needs of their members are fulfilled, especially during the religious holidays.

Whilst they didn’t want to move out of O’Brien Street, the lack of space eventually became an important issue that required action.

“This decision was made with a heavy heart,” the rabbi said. “We all have tremendous connections and good memories in the shul on many different levels. We have celebrated 33 years of circumcisions, weddings bar and bas mitzvos, kiddushim for our loved ones and many more countless occasions.”

Also known as the Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (FREE), Chabad Bondi’s roots are from the former Soviet Union.

In 2019, Chabad Bondi received a generous offer from philanthropic developers to turn a part of their planned development on 105 Wellington Street into the new synagogue, after years of back and forth at the Land & Environment Court over a rejected development application with Waverley Council.

The group also received donated funds to build the synagogue’s foundation but they still need to come up with $3.5 million to complete the building. Chabad Bondi hopes to use the money from the auction for this project.

“The decision was made to be able to complete the fit-out of the new synagogue on wellington street which will replace the current premises with new memories and countless happy occasions for us and our children for generations to come,” the rabbi said.

The auction will take place at 6:00 p.m. on 9 March 2021 at the Cooley Auctions on Cross Street, Double Bay

Bondi’s Preach Cafe Voted Best Cafe In Sydney’s East

Photo credit: Preach Cafe/Facebook

The votes have been tallied, and the people have spoken. Preach Cafe has been voted Sydney’s east favourite restaurant in the 2021 Delicious Local cafe competition.

Preach Cafe, the winner for the best cafe in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, has been a mainstay at Campbell Parade in Bondi Beach since 2017. The cafe focuses on Lebanese-inspired meals with vegan, gluten-free, and meat options. The star here is their chilli eggs, which is smashed avocado, grilled halloumi, sautéed spinach, poached eggs, and chilli tomato salsa on sourdough.

Outfitted in raw and natural walls and black chairs, this cafe is every minimalist’s dream. It’s the brainchild of Fares Derbas, who also owned Nutrition Station in Maroubra. Like his now-defunct restaurant, Derbas wanted to offer healthy and wholesome food to his guests through Preach Cafe.

Best Cafe in Sydney’s East

What is it that makes a cafe the cream of the crop? Matt Preston, senior editor of Delicious said: “The best cafes have the best of everything – the best food, the best coffee beans, the best personality.”

Fares Derbas said the fact that they cater to everyone makes them stand out from the rest, given the competition and tough market in Bondi beach. Preach Cafe may have won this year’s best cafe award but they are still looking forward to being a household name in Bondi.

“We are conscious of where our produce comes from. We work with top providers to source the best ethical ingredients to create your delicious meals,” Preach Cafe stated in their website.

If you want to see it for yourself, visit Preach Cafe at 112-116 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach. They are open 7 days, from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Visit preachcafe.com/book to make a reservation or check them out on Facebook or Instagram @preach_cafe for updates.

Closed Down Bondi Wellness Centre Customers Advised to Get Tested

A trendy and popular Bondi wellness centre has been permanently shut down by Sydney health authorities after unleashing an infection scare and its clients from the last seven years are advised to see their GP as soon as possible as a precautionary measure.

In December 2020, two of Detoxologie’s clients ended up in the hospital after undergoing intravenous infusions at the centre. An investigation by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC), which received the complaints, revealed that the patients were likely given contaminated infusions from non-sterile equipment.

Whilst the risks of blood-borne viral infection spread is small, experts from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said that customers of Detoxologie from 2013 to 2020 should get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, especially if they have had invasive procedures like the infusions, facial micro-needling, blood tests for food allergies, and colonic irrigation.

Director of the Local Health District’s Public Health Unit Mark Ferson said that no cases of blood-borne virus infections were linked to Detoxologie to date. However, blood-borne viral infections can be silently affecting a person’s health for years before it becomes a full-blown disease.

Ferson also said that a positive test will help the individuals prevent passing the infection to their loved-ones. They could also receive effective treatments as soon as possible.

Before it was shut down, Detoxologie traded at the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction. It previously had a shop on Oxford Street. Investigators said that the centre resumed business after the incident in December and complied with the infection control measures.

However, in early February 2021, the HCCC said that one of its practitioners, Fay Fain, prescribed medication that was not approved for use in Australia. Ms Fain said she’s a registered nurse but there is no record of her credentials as a nurse practitioner in Australia.

Ms Fain has been prohibited from providing health services whilst Detoxologie is no longer in business.

Panama House Says ‘Saludos’ to Bondi Beach After 7 Years

Two years after moving to a bigger, upgraded venue to accommodate more patrons (and seven years since they first opened), the popular Latin American eatery Panama House on Campbell Parade has decided to close, another casualty of the pandemic.

Best known for its happy hour and bottomless brunches, Panama House moved to The Pacific on Campbell Parade in 2018, after five years on Bondi Road.

The second venue was nearly three times the size of its old site but it was where the owners perfected the exact type of Latin American restaurant they envisioned when they started out in 2013.

Co-owner Mitchell Slattery admitted they they could not hold on despite introducing innovative ways to sustain the business. The restrictions were the biggest challenges in operating such a large venue.

The restaurant turned to delivery and pick-up services for their taco box meal kits and alcohol packs as soon as the lockdown was in place. By April, Panama House also launched a virtual brunch competition to attract more patrons online.

Live guest DJs were streamed directly into the living rooms of their customers’ homes whilst they enjoyed their boxed meal deliveries.

However, Slattery said that the altered business model was able to only keep the staff paid. Panama House temporarily suspended operations by May.

But by October 2020, the owners decided to put Panama House into liquidation.

Apart from the tacos, fajitas, grilled seafood, mimosas and margaritas, Panama House also boasted of the best views of Bondi. The restaurant was very popular with the brunch crowd in Eastern Sydney.

Bondi Winter Magic Opens Its 10th Year With More Sparks!

Every year, Bondi Beach transforms into this winter wonderland for Bondi Winter Magic event, a special ice skating venue in Sydney.

On Friday, the 28th of June 2019, the skating rink will once again open to the public with more sparks than ever before.

By 12:00 p.m. the Bondi Pavilion will be transformed as the main venue of Bondi Winter Magic, as it celebrates 10 years of bringing winter fun at the beach. The skating rink will be on the forecourt of the Bondi Pavilion until the 21st of July.

*Photo Credit: Bondi Winter Magic/Facebook*

Apart from the skating floor, the 22-metre Bondi Vista ferris wheel will also mark its return. But what else is in store for visitors of Bondi Winter Magic? Take note of the schedules of events below.

WHAT	WHEN	WHERE
Art on the Streets	Sunday, 14 July 2019 Opens 9:00 a.m.	Roscoe Street Mall outdoors
Bondi History Walks	Every Sundays of the festival From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m	Meet at Bondi Pavilion Foyer 15 minutes before the walk
Bondi Feast	From 9 to 20 July 2019	Bondi Pavilion
Music on the Streets	Sunday, 28 July 2019 Opens 11:00 a.m.	Gould Street, Hall Street, Campbell Parade

Some 30 artists will be putting their work on display in Art on the Streets. For $50, you can take home a masterpiece from a talented local artist.

The Bondi History Walk is two hours long. Lawrie Williams will lead a group of 15 per tour as they discover the story of Bondi and the most interesting places to see.

With over 60 live performances from 200 artists, Bondi Feast is a 10-day celebration of music and fun. Expect acts from circus entertainers, smash cabaret artists, local theatre mavericks, as well as the regular crops of talented singers and dancers.

Music on the Streets is an event for the whole family. Performers featured at this block party are amateur and professional musicians, school choirs, orchestras, musical families, solo performers and garage bands.

Buy your tickets to any of the activities of the Bondi Winter Magic online.

Call for New Campus at Bondi Junction

Given Bondi Junction’s well-established transport links, this Sydney eastern suburb is considered to be an ideal place to build a new high school.

A great amount of demand and pressure are experienced over at existing schools within the Sydney eastern region. Population growth and increasing densification are just two of several issues that cause this pressure.

The petition to build new schools has been signed by 500 residents and has reached the NSW Parliament just last year. Now, more and more groups are putting this campaign on the state election agenda.

CLOSE East

Since 2010, lobby group CLOSE East has been very vocal about the need for a new school within Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

According to its spokeswoman, Licia Heath, planning for new schools should have happened a long time ago since the birth spike in the area in 2006. This means that these kids are now in Year 6 or have just started on their Year 7.

Library — *Photo credit: CCO Public Domain/ StockSnap/ Pixabay*

With more children entering high school, a new campus seems very fitting to ease the highly significant enrolment pressure on existing schools.

CLOSE East thinks that Bondi Junction is an ideal suburb to build a new school due to its existing and efficient transport links.

Capacity Constraints and Government Solution

Existing schools within Sydney’s eastern region are close to reaching capacity, according to the Department of Education.

Sydney Boys High School at 95 percent capacity
Sydney Girls High School at 88 percent capacity
Rose Bay Secondary College at 88 percent capacity

Education Minister Rob Stokes said all existing schools today have the capacity to cater to the needs of local communities. However, in order to meet the future demand for schools, different solutions must first be planned. Among the solutions being laid out are the proposed expansion of the Randwick Boys and Girls High School precinct, as well as turning Randwick Boys into a co-ed campus.