Today I couldn’t resist going for a walk to the beach on such a beautiful morning. When I got down to the promenade, the water was completely flat and still. There was a lovely sense of peace at the beach.
Peaceful Bondi, August 2011
When I got to the North Bondi end, I spotted a few chookies doing a bit of training!
Roosters training at Nth Bondi, Aug 2011
Had to to tear myself away and head to work, but what a great way to start the day!
Categories: Bondi
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Tags: Bondi Beach, Sydney Roosters
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2 comments
Yesterday I did the Bondi to Tamarama cliff walk. Sometimes when I do this walk, I think about the history of this area and what has been lost and what has been recorded or retained.
It was 120 years ago today that the original Bondi Aquarium was destroyed by a fire.
The Bondi Aquarium was a seaside attraction that opened in 1887 in the area described as Fletcher’s Glen. This area is what we now know as Tamarama. When the Bondi Aquarium opened, it attracted so many visitors that the tram line was extended to the end of Fletcher street to cope with the crowds.
The Aquarium provided entertainment such as merry-go-rounds, a Punch and Judy show, a shooting gallery, bowling, roller skating and tanks filled with various marine life including seals and a penguin. Dancing, fireworks and concerts were also regularly staged there.
On the 11th of July 1891, the Aquarium was destroyed by a fire, but only weeks later, it was re-built and continued to entertain Sydneysiders.
Here is a photo of the re-built aquarium. Photography by Henry King. Tyrrell Collection, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.
The Bondi Aquarium shortly after it was re-built, circa 1891
In 1906 William Anderson bought the Bondi Aquarium and transformed this seaside attraction into Wonderland City, which, at the time, was apparently the largest open-air amusement park in the Southern Hemisphere. With a rollercoaster, an airship and thousands of coloured lights decorating the area, it must have been a pretty awesome attraction for its day. We’re talking 1906 remember!
But the popularity of Wonderland City apparently didn’t last for long. Residents objected to animal cruelty and there was growing concern that the airship was becoming a safety risk. There was also ongoing conflict between local swimmers and William Anderson regarding Anderson restricting access to the beach. The publicity of these incidents fuelled a drop in visitor attendance and in 1911, Wonderland City closed.
You can read more about Wonderland City here.
The NSW Government bought the area in 1920 and established Tamarama Park. The street in Tamarama, Wonderland Avenue, was obviously named after Wonderland City.
Here are “then and now” images showing a similar perspective of the site that Wonderland City occupied. The historical image was photographed by Henry King. Tyrrell Collection, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. You can faintly see the top of the dome of the Aquarium in the top left hand corner of the picture below.
Wonderland City, Tamarama. circa 1907.
Tamarama Beach as seen from Wolaroi Crescent, July 2011.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on these seaside attractions that featured in the Bondi area over 100 years ago. Maybe you had a family member that had passed on their memories or stories about attending the Bondi Aquarium or Wonderland City? If so, please do share with us here.
Categories: Amusement Parks, Bondi, Development, History
| Tags: aquarium, entertainment, rollercoaster, Tamarama
| No comments
On one of my recent Bondi walks, I decided to check out the new development between Gould St and Campbell Parade where the old bottle shop used to be.
Gould Street, showing the street level of The Beach House apartments
There is this kind of arcade now between Gould and Campbell, which also houses the entrance to the key aspect of this development, an apartment complex known as The Beach House.
View of the walk-through looking towards Campbell Parade from Gould St, June 2011
I have to confess that as much as I’d like the brakes to be put on all the development here in Bondi, from an objective point of view, the outcome of this particular development isn’t too bad. The walk-through is a bit dark and lifeless, but the upside of the destruction of the old “Bondi Tram” part of the Bondi Hotel, means that you can now see the Bondi Hotel’s side view which was previously obstructed by the adjoining part of the hotel. This new Beach House development has allowed that side view of the building to be visible and stand-alone. You can therefore appreciate the architecture of the southern side view of the Bondi Hotel more fully now. But unfortunately, I still think aesthetically, the look of the building from Curlewis Street is affected by this new development. I’d like to hear your comments on this.
I don’t recall seeing the Bondi Hotel like this before. If anyone knows, I’d be interested to know when this side aspect of the Bondi Hotel was first obstructed by the adjoining extension of the Hotel, i.e. in what year?
There are some pics I snapped of this development exactly one year ago that I posted on the page in this blog More Development Shvelopment. You can see the paint-job done on the Hotel. I think that is an improvement.
The new walk-through from Campbell Parade to Gould Street, June 2011
The Bondi Hotel, June 2011
The Bondi Hotel as seen from Curlewis St, June 2011
Categories: Bondi, Development
| Tags: Bondi, bondi architecture, Bondi Hotel, The Beach House
| 2 comments
Inspiration to blog hasn’t been forthcoming of late. Winter chills and rainy days don’t generally inspire me much.
Over the last few months I snapped some pics of the development of the old police station in Wairoa Avenue. Here’s one of the images showing the development of the site.
Once the Bondi Police Station, now modern apartments.
A block of 1920s-30s art deco units beside the old Bondi police station is also now up for sale.
Another art deco block in Bondi to bite the dust?
I wonder what’s to become of this block? How many new apartments will it be transformed into? or maybe it will become another Bondi McMansion?
Categories: Bondi, Development
| Tags: bondi police station
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The days are noticeably getting shorter and cooler. Summertime is now over. Autumn is here and as the onslaught of tourists in Bondi is beginning to fade, so too are many iconic Bondi landmarks and institutions.
Goodbye Hakoah Club, The Boheme is movin' in 17/4/11
Many visible changes have been happening in Bondi of late, and this month sees the beginning of the end of the low-end village-like atmosphere of Hall Street and Gould Street. There’s the destruction of the Bondi Hotel bottlo and the erection of new shops and arcade in its place. And of course the rather huge development of the Hakoah Club site and its adjoining properties. These are clearly movements away from the once un-selfconscious character of old Bondi towards the now well and truly entrenched commercial, trendy, new Bondi. I wonder how many more Oportos or Nandos or McDonalds or Hungry Jacks will pop up in the months ahead? How many more parking meters and tourist dollars can we squeeze into Bondi until we can’t recognise it anymore?
Categories: Commercialisation, Development, Tourism, Uncategorized
| Tags: Gould Street, Hakoah Club, Hall Street
| 5 comments
In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Jessica Irvine described Sydney as the Elizabeth Taylor of Australian cities. “Sydney is a Sadder, Meaner, Angrier City” compared to Melbourne, which is for her, Helen Mirren.
So it got me wondering…If Bondi was a well-known person, Who would Bondi be? All suggestions welcome (especially if accompanied with persuasive evidence).
Categories: Bondi
| Tags: Bondi
| 7 comments
Today I went to Bondi Beach for a swim and some rays with my little man. It was the first international surfing competition to take place on Bondi Beach in over 20 years and a very gorgeus warm March Sunday, so it was, expectedly a busy day at Bondi.
Surf Sho, the world's biggest aerial surf event @ Bondi Beach 13/3/11
The water was superb, and I felt really blessed to live in such a lovely place, to have such freedoms and social tolerance in our community. Especially with all the tragedy and sadness around our world today.
However, there’s been a feeling of emotional intensity in the last couple of weeks. Emotions have been running high for me and many others I know. Don’t know if there’s some metaphysical reason for this but in any case, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Bondi…the endless development that I see everywhere in my suburb, the turning of this suburb into a big tourist destination, the incessant changes to the buildings and businesses and the spiralling high cost of living here. I understand that Bondi has always been a tourist destination but it just seems to me that Waverley Council is concentrating its focus on the tourist and development dollar rather than looking after its residents.
Last week there was a story in the Daily Telegraph about how Waverley’s mayor is asking taxpayers to help maintain Bondi Beach. The comments posted against this story are worth a read!
I know that some people will see this as whingeing about Bondi. After all, I choose to live here. But I choose to live here because it is my home. It is where I grew up and where I want to raise my child. But what happens when you get pushed out of your home city or suburb because it becomes so unaffordable, so crowded and overly concerned with urban development, wealth and superficiality? You either leave, as many have done, to settle in other smaller and more affordable communities or you choose to stay. Well I have chosen to stay but lately I’ve been questioning this decision. How do you weigh up your emotional ties to a place versus the practical realities of life and the inevitability of change?
Then comes the news of yet another devastating natural disaster to hit our planet causing more tragedy for so many people – the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. And it makes me realise that I really have very little to complain about…except, like many others, learning how to cope with potential forced displacement, in a world going insane!
Categories: Bondi, Local Councils, Surfing, Tourism
| Tags: Bondi Beach, surfing competition, Tourism
| 10 comments
I had the opportunity to do a few laps this morning and my heart and head were in desperate need of some salt water therapy. Didn’t feel like dealing with Bondi waves today so headed down to one of my favourite spots…only a few minutes drive from Bondi Beach, is the gorgeous harbour beach of Nielsen Park.
Nielsen Park - taken with my Hipstamatic iPhone app, 8/2/11
I was a bit surprised to find Nielsen so quiet today. Only a handful of people around and virtually no-one in the water. I got my goggles on and ventured in. The sky looked rather ominous and the water was quite cool at first. But then, after a few strokes… it felt delicious. I just felt so good swimming in there. To top it off, I never saw so many fish as I did this morning. There was a large school of them, stretching for something like 10 or 15 metres. Am not sure what kind of fish they were, but they were about 15-20cm long and pale-ish in colour.
Rain thereatened but held off. After I got out of the water the sun decided to come out for a bit and I lapped it up while I could… nothing like some sun and salt water therapy!
Categories: Locality, Swimming, Uncategorized
| Tags: Bondi Beach, Nielsen Park, swimming, Sydney Harbour
| 2 comments
Candle Stall at Bondi Markets January 2011
Every Sunday, Bondi Beach Public School hosts the Bondi Markets. Today, I decided to take a walk to the Markets. It’s been ages since I’ve been there.
As I wandered through the Markets, it really struck me today how much the Markets have changed over the years. There are now primarily up-market stalls with designer fashion, some stalls selling “contemporary vintage” wares, and jewellery stalls. I saw a few stalls selling second-hand clothes but there was very little in the way of bric-a-brac and authentic vintage. I don’t think I saw any furniture for sale at all.
When the Markets opened in 1993 until recently, there used to be a lot more variety in terms of up-market stuff, down-market stuff and everything in between. Now it seems to be more about selling a brand.
Still, I enjoyed checking out what people are making and selling, having a general mosey around the stalls and being inspired by the creativity there on a beautiful summer’s day.
Tarot Card reading still happens at the Markets, January 2011
Categories: Bondi
| Tags: Bondi, markets
| No comments
Yesterday was the last day of 2010. It was a gorgeous Sydney summer’s day, perfect for swimming and sunning, and a lovely night, topped off by another great Sydney NYE fireworks display over our magnificant harbour.
Today, it was another hot, sunny beautiful day in Sydney and many people thought that hanging out on Bondi Beach would be a great way to spend the first day of 2011. Me and offspring included. We frollicked in the sea and caught a few rays at North Bondi. Didn’t venture into Bondi central – it was pleasant enough just being at the north end. When the sun was getting a bit much, we headed home for some down-time and food.
When we rambled back to North Bondi early in the evening, we couldn’t believe how packed the beach still was, even with the sun starting to sink further down in the sky.
New Year's Day, looking towards South Bondi from north end, 6.40pm, 1/1/11
“Twenty eleven” seeems to have a greater air of certainty about it. For some reason it just has a better ring to it than “twenty ten.” It’s kind of like…”we’re not mucking around here.”
Hope it’s a good ONE.
Happy New Year!!
Categories: Bondi, Locality, Swimming
| Tags: Bondi, new year
| 6 comments
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