Description of the attraction
Bondi Beach is perhaps the most popular beach in Sydney, located in the suburb of the same name, 7 km east of the Central Business District. The word "bondi" is of aboriginal origin, and according to one of the versions it means "water breaking on stones."
In 1851, Evard Smith Hall and Francis O'Brien purchased 200 acres of land in Bondi, which included almost the entire beach. Between 1855 and 1877, O'Brien bought his stake from Hall and turned the beach and the surrounding area into a place where anyone could have a picnic or have fun. As the site grew in popularity, O'Brien increasingly thought about limiting public access to the beach. However, the City Council intervened, and in June 1882 Bondi Beach officially became public.
For most of the 20th century, the Bondi Beach area was home to the working class. After the Second World War, Jewish immigrants from Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Germany came here.
Today, the kilometer-long Bondi Beach attracts tourists from all over the world all year round. In 2004, the Australian Rescue Service assigned it several categories on a 10-point risk scale - from 4 in the northern part of the beach to 7 in the southern part due to dangerous reverse currents near the coast. The southern part is only open to surfers. Safe swimming areas are marked with yellow and red flags.
During the summer months, sharks appear in the waters around Bondi Beach - tourists should be especially careful. Sometimes whales and dolphins swim by, and not far from the coast, you can occasionally see small penguins. There are numerous cafes, restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops along the beach. There is also the Bondi Pavilion - a cultural center consisting of a theater, gallery, art studio, etc. It hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
In 2008, Bondi Beach was listed as a National Property in Australia.
