Bondi History | Bondi Tunnels & Groynes

Bondi Tunnels & Groynes

There’s some fairly major construction happening on the Promenade right now, and the following paragraph on the Council sign caught our eye:

“The tunnels were built in 1928 to provide pedestrian access under Queen Elizabeth Drive to the beach. One of the tunnels also provided women access straight from the same to the women’s bathroom / change room. They extended far into the beach as groynes. These groynes were demolished as a security measure during WW2.”

We were intrigued, and so Melanie did some research:

The growing popularity of the “new healthful pastime of surf bathing” led to the building of dressing sheds and then the Bondi Pavilion in 1928.

The Bondi Citizens’ Publicity League (we’ve talked about them in a previous post HERE) spruiked the Pavilion in 1930 thus:

“Never in the history of the world has Nature been assisted by the foresight and wisdom of man, to the degree represented by the Colossal Beautification of Bondi Beach which is rapidly adding to the fame of Australia.”

And so was born the ancient art of Bondi overstatement and hyperbole.

The tunnels and groynes that jutted out onto the sand were used for modesty, providing access from dressing sheds in the Pavilion to the beach, one tunnel for men and one for women. The groynes also used to stop sand drift. (NB: We can’t stop saying the word “groynes” … a word that we have only just learned!)

By October 1928 the project was sufficiently completed to allow people to use the new facilities. The Council placed the advertisement shown above, outlining the attractions of Bondi: “Where Life is Better.” (There they go again.)

The groynes were destroyed in 1942 after the outbreak of war with Japan, to safeguard against alien invasion. Somewhat comically, the amount of explosives required was overestimated and significant damage was done to the Pavilion and buildings on Campbell Parade. (Groyne strain?)

Use of the tunnels started to decline in the 1950s when increased use of private transport coupled with the advent of the nylon swimsuit meant that the bathers could change without having to use the sheds.

The change sheds were demolished in the late 70s as part of Waverley Council’s cultural programme for Bondi Beach.

Finally, the current Bondi lifeguard tower is built upon the foundation of the southern groyne. So now we have jocks on groynes.

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Archival photos courtesy Waverley Library Local History Collection