Bondi Beach Archives - Page 12 of 13

Thousands ‘Strip Off’ On Bondi Beach For Skin Cancer Awareness

Photo credit: Screen capture from video by Spencer Tunick on Facebook

Bondi Beach turned into a nude beach for a day after thousands gathered for “Strip Off for Skin Cancer,” a one-of-a-kind photo shoot held to raise awareness about the condition, which can be life-threatening if not treated early. Queensland is one of Australia’s hotspots for skin cancer.

Read: Flave: New Restaurant With Plant-Based Menu By Celebrity Chef

The project was a collaboration between photographer Spencer Tunick and Skin Check Champions, a charity that helps communities who are most at risk of skin cancer by connecting them with their local GP, skin clinic, or dermatologist, or bringing specialists to the people through their free, educational pop-up skin check clinics.

Bondi Beach — Photo credit: https://sofsc.com.au/

“Strip Off for Skin Cancer” aims to challenge Australia by raising funds and awareness for its national skin check program. The idea is to flood social media with skin, encouraging people to donate to the charity’s program.

Everyone who would like to sign up may create their profile or start a team. Then, share it with as many of your mates as possible to get them on board as sponsors or ambassadors. The more Aussies sign up, the more people the charity will be able to save from skin cancer.

“We challenge you to do something brave and get your kit off for the cause (sun-safely and legally of course). Posting photos or videos doing whatever it is you love doing (in your undies / swimmers) to get people’s attention,” Skin Check Champions said.

Meanwhile, this kind of project isn’t new for Tunick, who is best known for organising large-scale nude shoots in various landmarks around the world. In 2010, 5,500 people gathered at the famous Opera House in Sydney for his shoot.

Bondi Beach Skin Cancer Awareness — Photo Credit: Facebook/Spencer Tunick

However, this was the first time in history that a nude shoot involving thousands of individuals took place in Bondi Beach. Tunick felt honoured to have this kind of opportunity, which allowed him to raise awareness in partnership with Skin Check Champions, whilst making his art.

The photo shoot coincided with the celebration of National Skin Cancer Action Week (Nov 21-27), which aims to create nationwide ‘skinspiration’ to help elevate the issue of skin cancer into the public consciousness.

One of the participants felt nervous about joining the photoshoot, but because everyone was respectful, despite the nature of the shoot, it ended up a fun and memorable experience for everyone.

Read: Bondi Beach Landmark Noah’s Backpackers Goes on the Market

To learn more about Skin Check Champions and their initiative, visit their website.

Bondi Beach Landmark Noah’s Backpackers Goes on the Market

Noah’s Backpackers, a landmark hostel in Bondi Beach, has been put on the market as a massive development opportunity for an investor to transform the three-storey building into a boutique apartment block.

Industry insiders said that the property may fetch more than $75 million with its prominent location at the corner of Campbell Parade. Its 1,087 square metres landholding has three street frontages, 260 bedrooms, and retail spaces.

Sales agent Matt Pontey of Colliers said that whilst investors familiar with the backpacking culture have expressed interest in acquiring the property, the site has a strong potential for mixed-use developers as well. He predicted that the sale could break records of prices paid on Campbell Parade.

Noah’s Backpackers was built in the 1930s and became a landmark site as the entry to the commercial area of Bondi Beach. Since the late 1990s, the hostel belonged to a family consortium who are now divesting its assets.

Beach lovers, cyclists, and hikers frequent this accommodation because of its proximity to all the essentials, including the heaps of shops and dining sites on Bondi beach. The site also gets large bookings from students and young people who want to enjoy a great experience in the suburb.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the hostel suffered outbreaks that forced authorities to cordon off the site. Needless to say, the pandemic has drastically changed the hostel and the hospitality business in general. However, with restrictions easing off Noah’s Backpackers is expected to be busy in no time, and could be busier if redeveloped.

The site has no heritage listing but Pontey hopes that its new owners will be “sympathetic to the character” of the precinct.

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.

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.

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.

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.