A Local’s Guide To North Bondi

Up the hill, just a short stroll from the comfort of QT Bondi is the bubble within the bubble – North Bondi.

North Bondi is a special place with a very tight-knit community that can sometimes feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of Hall St and Campbell Pde… but to those that live up on the hill, it’s got all the best that Bondi’s got to offer.

It’s where you can still find kids on the corner selling homemade lemonade (or homemade kombucha?) and still get a park on the street… all day… for free. The hairdresser, chemist, bottle-o and market are all independent and family owned and you still get a personalised, friendly service wherever you go.

There’s so much good to say about North Bondi, there’s no way I’m going to fit it into here, so lets start at the beginning.

The section of sand that is North Bondi is all about good wholesome fun. It’s the ‘swim between the flags, surf on foam boards and take the kids to splash around in the kiddie pool’ kind of fun. The beach is always busiest up this end and there’s no shortage of groms (little surfers) running amok. Choccy McChocface, the new ice cream van by Messina that chills there on the weekend, might have something to do with it.

For the land-lovers that aren’t too keen on getting their feet sandy, there’s the North’s crown jewel and worst kept secret… The Grassy Knoll. The free BBQ’s mean that at almost any time of the day you’ll have a latino fiesta happening and when the sun’s out, you’ve got the lush green grass to bake on and a spot to catch the best view of it going down.

Just across the road is North Bondi Fish, the high-end restaurant that is the place to be seen in Bondi. You can settle in for a classy seafood dinner or a nice relaxed lunch, or just chill on the balcony with a few cocktails and some rosé, enjoying the beachfront views.

What sits above NBF is everybody’s local, North Bondi RSL. With world-class views and what has the potential to be one of the snobbiest locations in the country, the “Arie” manages to keep up with Bondi standards while still maintaining that classic ‘diggers club’ integrity. You’ll still sign in, join the club if you live in the area and stand for a minute’s silence for the fallen at 6pm sharp. There’s still cheap food and drinks for members and you’ve got a panoramic view of Bondi Beach to enjoy the afternoon sunshine. If you’re in town on the 25^th of April, make sure you get down for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service and subsequent rounds of beers and 2up.

Next week, we make the walk up the stairs to the North Bondi community I was talking about…

words by james phillips.