Bondi Road is a 2-kilometre-long (1.2 mi)[1] major road through the Sydney suburb of Bondi, Australia.

Bondi Road

Royal Hotel on Bondi Road
Bondi Road is located in Sydney
West end
West end
East end
East end
Coordinates
General information
TypeStreet
Length2.0 km (1.2 mi)[1]
GazettedAugust 1928[2]
Major junctions
West endSyd Einfeld Drive
Bondi Junction, Sydney
 
East endCampbell Parade
Bondi Beach, Sydney
Location(s)
Major suburbsBondi

Route

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Bondi Road commences at the intersection of Syd Einfeld Drive, Oxford Street and Old South Head Road in Bondi Junction and heads in an easterly direction as a four-lane, single carriageway road through Bondi, until it turns into Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach.

History

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Trams to Bondi

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Terraced houses, Bondi Junction

Bondi Road was once serviced by electric trams. From 1902 to 1960, services to Bondi, Bondi Beach and North Bondi ran via Bondi Road or Bellevue Hill. Services from the CBD commenced at Circular Quay (via Bridge and Elizabeth Streets) or Railway Square (via Elizabeth and Liverpool streets). From Oxford Street, the line travelled through to Bondi Junction, where it joined Bondi Road. On the descent to Bondi Beach, trams entered Campbell Parade via an under pass at a point where Bondi Road was too steep, first by turning right into Denham Street, then left into Fletcher Street and Rowland Avenue, where the under pass was once located[3] (now developed into apartments at 331A Bondi Road).[4] A feature of this line was the large three-track terminus cut into a hillside at North Bondi, which opened in 1946. The under pass and cutting have now been filled in; part of it is now public reserve and apartments. The tunnel entrance is still visible at the apartments.[5][6]

Road classification

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The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924[7] through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the state government through the Main Roads Board. Main Road No. 172 was declared along this road on 8 August 1928, from Bondi Junction to the beach (and continuing westwards along Oxford Street to the boundary with the City of Sydney);[2] with the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929[8] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to Main Road 172 on 8 April 1929.

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993[9] updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Bondi Road retains its declaration as part of Main Road 172.[10]

Description and points of interest

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Federation cottages

In the first two hundred metres from Oxford Street, there are several examples of the Federation cottage. This was the Australian version of the Queen Anne architectural style, and was the most popular housing style in Australia between 1900 and 1910.[11]

 
Bondi Waverley School of Arts
 
Terraced home with wrought iron balcony
 
Federation cottage
 
St Patrick's Catholic Church

Terraced homes

On the north side of the road there is a strip of terraced houses in the Victorian style, with characteristic wrought iron balconies. This contrasted with the woodwork that was preferred in the Federation era.[12]

Waverley Council Chambers

On the south side of Bondi Road are the Waverley Council Chambers, the headquarters of the Waverley Municipality. The present building incorporates the earlier building designed in the Federation Free Classical style. The first chambers—a smaller building in Gothic Revival style—were demolished.

Waverley Park

Immediately behind the Council Chambers is Waverley Park, which includes a war memorial, play area, tennis courts and oval. The war memorial commemorates the men and women of the Waverley area who served in World War Two. It was dedicated on Anzac Sunday, 1956.

Bondi Waverley School of Arts

This building is situated on the north side of the road and was built in 1914. Run by Waverley Council, it functions as a community centre and is also used by the Waverley Woollahra Arts School. It is an example of Victorian influence in architecture and has a state heritage listing.[13][14]

Shopping Strip

East of Bennett Street is a shopping strip that includes older shops and dwellings in a mixture of Federation and Victorian styles, plus conspicuous influence of the Arts and Crafts style. There is also a group of three Federation cottages.

Post Office

On the corner of Bondi Road and Ocean Street is the post office, which dates back to c. 1907. The building was constructed in the Arts and Crafts style that was popular in the Federation period and has a state heritage listing.[15]

St Patrick's Catholic Church

Located on the corner of Bondi Road and Wellington Street, this church was built in 1929–30. The site was originally occupied by a cottage that was used by Sisters of St Joseph from 1896. Later, a new convent, church and school were built on adjoining land. The church is heritage-listed.[16]

Royal Hotel

The Royal Hotel is located on the corner of Bondi Road and Denham Street. It was built in 1901–02. In February 1907, the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club was formed at a meeting in this hotel, making it the oldest surf life-saving club in the world.[17]

Major intersections

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LGALocationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
WoollahraWaverley boundaryBondi JunctionWoollahra boundary0.00.0Syd Einfeld Drive (northwest) - Bondi JunctionWestern terminus of road
Old South Head Road (northeast) - Vaucluse, Watsons Bay
Oxford Street (southwest) – Bondi Junction, Paddington
WaverleyBondi Junction0.30.19Council Street (south) – Waverley
Waverley Street (west) Bondi Junction
Bondi Beach2.01.2Francis Street - Bondi Beach
Campbell Parade - Bondi Beach, North BondiEastern terminus of road
  •       Route transition

See also

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  Australian Roads portal

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Bondi Road" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Main Roads Act, 1924-1927". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Bondi Road Tram Overbridge". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage.
  4. ^ Gregory's Street directory, 1955, page 20, ref B5
  5. ^ "Remnants of the Bondi Trams". Bondi Beach Home Page. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  6. ^ "The tram to Bondi". Secrets of a Sydney past. 3 February 2008. Archived from the original on 17 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  8. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
  9. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  10. ^ Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  11. ^ A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture, Apperly (Angus & Robertson) 1994, p.99
  12. ^ A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture, p.108
  13. ^ Council's Listing on State Heritage Site
  14. ^ Waverley Council Site Archived February 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Council's Listing on State Heritage Site
  16. ^ "Waverley Heritage Register". Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  17. ^ Royal Hotel Site Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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