Most people walk from Bondi to Bronte, but reverse the route for the reward of famous restaurants, gourmet picnics and lockers to stash your belongings, at the end.
Walking from Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach (Bondi to Bronte, as it’s known to Sydney locals) takes approximately an hour one way, over 2.5 kilometres or 1.55 miles.
Most people do it starting at Bondi and waking to Bronte, but if you start at Bronte and end at Bondi, you can enjoy a luxurious swim at both ends, store your belongings in a locker while you’re eating, and reward yourself with a Bondi seafront picnic (pack your own cutlery) or dine in style at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar.
Named for Horatio Nelson
Set off from Bronte Beach with tea or coffee at The Bogey Hole Café with its original Cadbury’s Cocoa advertising from the turn of last century. The beach is named for Horatio Nelson, who was the Duke of Bronte. It also has the world’s oldest surf lifesaving club, formed in 1903.
If you want to spend the whole day at Bondi Beach you can also walk back to Bronte Beach for sunset dining, before heading home.
Bronte Beach Baths
People have swum here since there was a bogey hole on the sand (the indigenous Australian name for a swimming place), but the baths were built in 1887.
The Australian Crawl swimming stroke was first seen there. The man who pioneered it was Alick Wickham, from the Solomon Islands, where it was commonplace. Bronte coach George Farmer nicknamed it ‘the crawl.’
Repeat history and crawl your way across Bronte Baths.
Bronte Beach Sandstone Cave
This may have been used by indigenous people and is near the stairs at the north end of the beach.
Wartime Bronte Beach
During the war, the beach was protected against Japanese invasion by barbed wire and searchlights.
The Bogey Hole Café, Bronte Beach
The Bogey Hole is one of a small number of cafes and restaurants on Bronte Road. You’ll find it at number 473 Bronte Road, right opposite the beach. Bogey Hole Cafe
Tamarama
As you walk from Bronte to Bondi, you’ll see Tamarama Beach; the small spot known as Glamarama to Sydneysiders, and also Dramarama because of the high number of rescues which happen in the surf, performed by the Tamarama S.L.S.C. (Surf Lifesaving Club).
Bondi Icebergs Lockers
At the end of your walk from Bronte Beach, you will see the world famous Bondi Icebergs’ Club pool. Admission is $10 with $5 more for a locker. If you don’t swim, you can still store your belongings and have a drink at the poolside The Bergs Cafe which is open from 7.00am. Or, if you want to dine in style at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar upstairs, the swimming pool’s shower and changeroom is the place to freshen up and change (though just be warned they don’t have hairdryers so you may want to bring your own).
Bondi Icebergs’ Club Swimming Pool
It’s the most photographed pool in the world. At the end of your walk, the famous views over Bondi Beach and the swimmers, below, are also your reward. The Icebergs are the Bondi Beach locals who race every weekend right through winter. Rivals include the Cronulla Polar Bears and Clovelly Eskimos.
The Tasman Sea
That’s The Tasman Sea at Bondi Beach. Check the water temperature and quality at Beachwatch, daily.
The Harris Farm Markets Picnic
Create your own picnic from Harris Farm Markets located in The Hub on Hall Street, which has organic fruit and vegetables, sushi, gluten free bread, great cheese – and everything you want – in a bag. If you forgot your cutlery, you can wing it. Wander down to Bondi Beach Park, next to the sea and enjoy the view.
Icebergs Dining Room and Bar
Mick Jagger, Alexa Chung, Sienna Miller and Oprah Winfrey have all dined here. Nigella Lawson has blessed its menu with a long look, too. Booking is smart. So is the dress code. But that’s why you checked in your clothes and got changed downstairs at Iceberg’s Club Swimming Pool. Here’s the link to book
Bill’s
Bill Granger’s restaurant is best-known for its breakfasts and brunch and open from 7.00am. Bill’s food is another Nigella Lawson favourite. Ricotta Hotcakes? Why not, if you completed the Bondi-Bronte backwards. Bills doesn’t take bookings for breakfast or lunch, so timing is everything. Arrive right on the dot of 7am or rock up at 11:30am to hopefully avoid queuing. Check out the menu and more information here.
Bondi Pavilion
Spending the whole day here before heading back to Bronte Beach for the return walk? Showers, change rooms and lockers are also available at Bondi Pavilion, on the beach. An all-day large locker is $15.This is also an excellent venue for everything from Tarot workshops to comedy. Find out what’s on at the Bondi Pavilion website.
The Bronte Beach and Bondi Beach Bus Routes
Take the 333 express bus from Sydney (City) to Bondi Beach. While the 379 bus will take you to Bronte Beach – jump on either at Bondi Junction or at North Bondi.
333 Bus Route – Sydney – North Bondi
379 Bus Route – North Bondi – Bronte Beach
An Uber is approximately $20-$30 from Sydney (City) to Bondi Beach or Bronte Beach
Photographs: Shutterstock/Holiday Goddess
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