a bondi slideshow
“Bondi” or “Boondi” is an Aboriginal word meaning water breaking over rocks or noise of water breaking over rocks. The Australian Museum records that Bondi means place where a flight of nullas took place.
On 6 February 1938, five people drowned and over 250 people were rescued or resuscitated after a series of large waves struck the beach and pulled people back into the sea, a day that became known as “Black Sunday”~
Bondi Beach was a working class suburb throughout most of the twentieth century with migrant people from New Zealand comprising the majority of the local population. Following World War II, Bondi Beach and the Eastern Suburbs became home for Jewish migrants from Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Germany. A stream of Jewish immigration continued into the 21st century.
Wikipedia
+ Glamarama and Bronte.
petebowes.com 
Is that the Grace Brothers building in one of the pics? 🙂
Yep, that’s the Bondi Junction store
Pete, well done mate! Thanks for the collection of great photos and thanks for bringing back great memories. As we used to say, “snaps my brain and blows the mind.” Keep up the good work, you have lots of followers.
Mike, the Canadian Kook
Had an enchilada with Dooley last weekend down in Sydney … he’s still making boards.
I have walked into the cavern that is the hire section, some fella ( he may have been old). It is like being offered all the true cups at the same time. Boards of all description, of course I picked a major longboard with a serious fin. It was mystical, especially when some whippersnapper says I am a good surfer, on observerving my four out of ten rides.
Talked to de Ruiter the other day. Still surfing Scotts Head and living the good life. Good for him.
I believe Terry T shirt is still snaking everybody down there, he always was a ghost in the line-up at Bondi.
Hey, Pete ! Have you ever done full-body surfing? McNear’s Beach (in the 1960’s for me). Wade and swim out to where the rollers begin to break. Lay back against the roller – and when the breakers begin to topple, tuck and roll onto the beach. Gritty — but lots of fun.
bd
I ripped, Bids, no argument.
Hey Pete,
I remember back in the 60’s watching the band of older body surfers from the baths ripping it up with their custom made hand boards, usually made from timber beer trays purloined from the bar at the Burgs or from the Astra. They were great to watch on a big day whilst sitting atop the old pool pump house.
This is even earlier, Des, I pinched it off Surfresearch – these blokes are from Merewether, about 1920.
Check the handboards.
Definitely a lost art…..I think they modeled from the famous “Tombstone range”