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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.

Bondi Pavilion in Bondi Beach to Undergo Restoration for $26 Million

Photo Credit: Alvin Proimos/Flickr

The Waverley Council has submitted a proposal to restore and undertake heritage conversation works on the Bondi Pavilion in Bondi Beach.

The plan has been lodged in early April and it’s currently awaiting a decision. It replaces the controversial $38-million renovation project that was submitted and then withdrawn in 2018.

Locals opposed the first plan citing that the changes will over-commercialise Bondi Pavilion. The revised proposal, however, will cover the following restoration works:

reinstatement of the original terracotta Spanish roof tiles
improvement of the toilet facilities with showers, change areas and accessibility features
restoration of the Gatehouse entrance
installation of “shell space” for tenancies in the eastern wing
installation of a tourism and welcome centre box
division of the Bondi Story Room into three spaces
addition of spaces at the art gallery
revamping of the theatre seating and technology improvements
renovation of the High Tide Room, Ocean and Seagull Room, and pottery studio
landscaping of courtyards
the building of new access roads

*Photo Credit:* *Michael Coghlan/Flickr*

“It is the cultural and social heritage of the building that people mostly think about, but it also has architectural merit as well,” Mayor John Wakefield said in the press.

“[But] it’s worn out now, there’s no doubt about it, particularly the toilet and showering facilities,” he added.

Restoration work on the Bondi Pavilion is expected to start in February 2020 and the plan is currently on public exhibition. To track the progress of the restoration project, check the Waverley council DA tracking tool using Reference Number DA-105/2019.

This project is part of Waverley Council’s plans to improve Bondi Beach’s recreation and entertainment centre in the next four years so that future generations can still benefit from the facilities.

Mum’s Campaign to Upgrade Bondi Beach Playground Gains $300,000 in Funding

Photo Credit: Talia Golan/Facebook

A mother from Bondi Beach heavily campaigned for Waverley Council to upgrade the Bondi Beach Playground beside the pavilion.

Talia Golan, who frequents the area with her 2-year-old son, asked for the improvements after noticing that most of the equipment are rusty or have missing parts.

Ms Golan said that rusty playground equipment in disrepair may have splinters and shards that could harm the children. The rope holding up the sunshade also needs to be replaced since it’s not tied to a stable and appropriate pole.

The Bondi Beach gated playground also has a section for bigger children. This area needs new pavement as well since the current ground is uneven and has been causing kids to trip or stub their toes.

The gates around the playground are also rusted. There is a boat on the sand that serves a bench but its woodwork has been chipping off.

“This a serious tetanus hazard,” Goldman wrote in her petition addressed to the Waverley Council.

“The current play components aren’t even suitable for ages 1-3yr, (which makes up majority of the kids playing there), as there are no steps for crawling and walking toddler to develop their fine motor skills.”

*Photo Credit:* *Pheng Hong Tan/Google Maps*

Two weeks after Ms Goldman posted her petition, members of the Waverley Council responded to her request. Council Member Gabrielle Upton confirmed that the Council received a $300,000 NSW Government Grant to fix the Bondi Beach gated playground.

“I shared this fantastic news with local mum Talia, Councillors Leon Goltsman, Sally Betts, and Angela Burrill who all know what a difference the funding will make to the well-loved area,” Ms Upton said.

*Photo Credit:* *Gabrielle Upton/Facebook*

According to Ms Golan, the Council has also voted and unanimously agreed to fix the Bondi Beach Playground after the Bondi Pavilion renovation.

The medium-sized Bondi Beach Playground is a popular feature in this recreational spot. Currently, the playground has two normal swings, two baby swings, a hammock swing, climbing rigs for big and small children, a baby slide and a sandpit area with seesaws and stepping stones.

Bondi Beach’s Latin American Festival Turns 40 This March!

Photo Credit: Helen Wei/Instagram

The celebration is on for Australia’s oldest Latin American Festival held at the famous Bondi Beach. This Sunday, the 17th of March, join the colourful party as Sydney marks the festival’s 40th year.

The fiesta starts at 11:00 a.m. with a vibrant and spirited parade. It will be a treat for families with kids who will enjoy watching the performers.

*Photo Credit:* *Lucas Carter/Instagram*

The parade will be followed by activities featuring traditional dance performances, free dance lessons, food exhibits, and shopping. The Bondi Beach Pavillon will be turned into a South American village, where guests can find a number of vendors selling specialty Latin American food and products.

Live bands performing at the foyer of the Pavillon will provide the music throughout the festivities. There will also be a special area where guests may spend an afternoon learning how to do the salsa, cha-cha, or the merengue from expert Latin American dance teachers.

Some of those Confirmed to perform at the Bondi Beach Latin American Festival 2019 are:

*Photo Credit:* *Rhythm Brazil/Facebook*

The party continues at 8:00 p.m. with more live music, face-painting, and arts & crafts showcase. Follow the Bondi American Latin American Facebook Page for the updated details on what to expect at this year’s event.

The Bondi Beach Latin American Festival is hosted by the Waverly Council.

Artist Submissions Now Open for 23rd Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi

Photo Credit: NAPARAZZI/Flickr

The annual Sculpture by the Sea even in Bondi has opened for submissions for its 23rd year. Interested artists may already file for their intent to join the exhibit that will happen from 24 October to 10 November 2019 at the coastal walk in Bondi.

The application is open to Australian and foreign artists who could win various awards, cash prizes, scholarships, and subsidies.

Among the potential prizes include:

The Helen Lempriere Scholarships for three Australian artists at $30,000 each
The Clitheroe Foundation Mentorships for two budding Australian artists at $15,000 each
A Dick Bett Memorial Invitation and $5,000 for a Tasmanian artist
The Aqualand Sculpture Award for $70,000 for any participant
An Australia Council for the Arts subsidy for $5,000 to $10,000 to four artists
$10,000 each for an Israeli and a Danish artist
The Wallace Foundation New Zealand Sculptor Award and NZ$8,000 for a New Zealand artist
$2,000 for each artist for the installation equipment

Four key people will form part of this year’s curation panel. They are Dr Malcom Bywaters of the School of Creative Arts in the University of Tasmania, Dr Michael Hill of the National Art School in Sydney, Wendy Teakel of the School of Design at the Australian National University, and Sculpture by the Sea Chinese Curatorial Advisor Anni Ma.

*Photo Credit:* *Robert Montgomery/Flickr*

Sculpture by the Sea accepts all forms of mediums of sculptures from artists of any age. Originally mounted by David Handley in 1997 at the Bondi Beach, the movement has spanned annual events at the Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia and Aarhus in Denmark.

The three-week outdoor exhibit during spring stretches from Notts Avenue to Bondi Campbell Parade to the Coogee coastal walk and all the way to the Tamara Beach. There’s also an indoor exhibition at Mark’s Park coming from Gaerloch Avenue and Fletcher Street. Some 500,000 visitors check out the sculptures every year.

The application will close on 22 April 2019.