Bondi has long been a place of deep cultural significance for First Nations people, with a history spanning tens of thousands of years—long before it was opened to the public in 1882. The Bidiagal, Birrabirragal, and Gadigal are the Traditional Custodians of the Waverley area.
While Bondi has been a popular destination for over 135 years, its cultural importance to Aboriginal people runs far deeper. Before European settlement, more than 1,500 Aboriginal people lived between Broken Bay and Botany Bay, maintaining strong connections to the land and sea. Despite the disruptions of colonisation, these connections remain central to cultural identity and practices today.
The Bidiagal, Birrabirragal, and Gadigal are the Traditional Custodians of Waverley and the broader Coastal Sydney region. Their deep spiritual connection to the land is guided by Dreaming stories that shape cultural practices and responsibilities. Unlike Western notions of fixed territorial boundaries, Aboriginal cultural landscapes are fluid and interconnected, woven through ancestral ties, ecological relationships and sacred traditions.
Land development and Government policies at the time of colonisation, led to widespread dispossession, disrupting cultural traditions, practices and connection to Country. Despite these challenges, Elders and community groups continue to reclaim, preserve and share First Nations knowledge, ensuring these traditions endure for future generations.
In November 1845, a whale beached north of Bondi Beach. Aboriginal people living in the area were the first to report this rare event to settlers in Sydney Town (modern-day Sydney CBD), highlighting their continued presence in Bondi post-European settlement. Their ongoing cultural practices persisted alongside interactions with settlers when necessary.
Historical records from the 19th century mention prominent Aboriginal figures such as Mahroot, Cora Gooseberry, William Warrell, and Thomas Tamara, who frequently moved between Sydney Town and the homes of European settlers in the eastern suburbs. Despite colonial restrictions, Aboriginal people continued to travel freely within their traditional lands—an aspect of their culture largely unrecognised by European settlers.
The Waverley area is home to 11 registered Aboriginal archaeological sites, providing evidence of First Nations people’s long-standing connection to the land and sea.
Waverley’s coastal caves and sandstone overhangs were important gathering spots where First Nations people collected seafood, leaving behind shell middens—piles of shells accumulated over thousands of years. These remains reflect the consumption of lobster (yanggaa), abalone (gurung), crabs (gariga), oysters (bidhiinja) and other native shellfish abundant along Sydney’s coastline.
A midden discovered in a rock shelter at Bondi Beach’s southern end highlights the area’s long history of First Nations occupation. As late as 1928, Aboriginal people were still collecting crabs at Bondi, continuing a cultural practice that lasted into the 20th century.
Sydney’s coastline features ancient Aboriginal rock engravings, some dating back over 2,000 years. These engravings served multiple purposes, from marking boundaries to teaching cultural lessons and identifying food sources.
At Mackenzie’s Point in Marks Park, Tamarama, a six-metre engraving of a shark with a fish inside holds deep cultural significance. According to Elder Beryl Timbery Beller, it connects to a Dreaming story about the Dharawal people’s arrival in the area and their spiritual relationship with the land and sea.
The rock engraving at Ben Buckler Point in North Bondi features engravings of a whale and a turtle, with two shields and an eel nearby. The whale (buriburi), meaning humpback whale in the Dharawal language, is a sacred ancestral figure for the Coastal Sydney Aboriginal people, symbolising their deep connection to ocean life.
The name “Bondi” originates from the Dharawal language, meaning “water breaking over rocks” or “the noise of water breaking over rocks.” This name references the powerful waves that crash along the coastline and is also linked to fighting clubs, given the loud thud sound they make upon impact.
Historical records reference variations such as “Bundi”, “Bundye”, and “Boondye”. The first known written mention appeared in 1809 in a field book by colonial surveyor James Meehan, who referred to the area as Bundi Bay.
The name is not only a descriptor of the natural environment, but also a testament to Bondi’s cultural importance. In 1899, a severe storm uncovered vast quantities of Aboriginal tools in Bondi’s sand dunes, revealing the remnants of a significant First Nations beach campsite. Many of these artifacts are now held in the Australian Museum.
The Bidiagal, Birrabirragal, Gadigal and Gweagal are clan or family groups belonging to this area, with identities deeply tied to the land, sea and language. Local Aboriginal people also identify themselves as Gamayngal or Kamayngal (people belonging to Botany Bay) or more broadly as Gadhungal, meaning ‘Salt water people’. The Dharawal language is the overarching language of the area, Dharawal is also the name of the native plant commonly known as the cabbage tree palm.
Dharawal is more than a language; it represents a deep bond with culture and identity. Despite colonial suppression, efforts to revitalise it continue. Traditionally, clans were extended family groups responsible for specific areas, and contrary to colonial misconceptions, they were highly interconnected, moving freely across their lands from Sydney Harbour to the Shoalhaven Language and Country are inseparable—speaking Dharawal signifies belonging to Dharawal Country.
The Aboriginal people of Coastal Sydney were skilled in crafting canoes, known as mudjari, used for fishing and travelling across bodies of water. These lightweight vessels were crafted from bark, lashed together with vines and shaped with spreaders, these canoes ranged from 2.5 to 5 metres in length. Designed to navigate the rough surf, they were an essential tool for both men and women in the region. Men used fishing spears (garrara) while standing, while women fished from the canoe with hooks and lines, often seated on seaweed or fern. Children accompanied them on these trips, and small fires were lit on a bed of clay in the canoes to cook fish and provide warmth.
Aboriginal people of Coastal Sydney also crafted tools from wood, bone, shell, and stone. In 1899, after a storm, thousands of Aboriginal tools were discovered in Bondi’s sand dunes, confirming the area’s historical significance. Known as “Bondi Points,” these tools were likely used for hunting and crafted from flaked ancient river cobbles. The discovery of stone axe heads and tools made from materials not found locally also indicates the extensive trade networks of Aboriginal peoples. This site, recognised as a “workshop” in the early 1900s, reveals the cultural richness and connection Aboriginal people had with the land.
In 1988, Bondi Pavilion hosted the Building Bridges concert, marking a pivotal moment in the Aboriginal rights movement. Held in support of the Bicentennial Long March for Justice, Freedom, and Hope, it raised awareness of Indigenous issues, racism and the exclusion of First Nations people from official Bicentenary celebrations. With over 3,000 attendees, the concert amplified Indigenous voices, featuring artists and activists advocating for justice and recognition.
The restoration of Bondi Pavilion honours the Aboriginal people of Coastal Sydney through the incorporation of Dharawal language names for its spaces. The central atrium is named Mirrar (‘above and sky’), and the courtyards are called Garu (northern) and Guya (southern). The Pavilion’s balcony, overlooking Bondi Beach, is named Nandiri (‘look and see’), and the ground-floor room opening to the Garu Courtyard is Yalagang (‘rejoice’). This initiative, led by the Gujaga Foundation and local Elders, ensures that the Dharawal language remains a vital part of the cultural landscape.
While Aboriginal languages were banned during much of European settlement, efforts to reclaim and revitalise them continue today. Dharawal is now taught in local schools, and the Dharawal Language and Culture App, launched in 2021, helps preserve the language and cultural knowledge.
Visitors can connect with First Nations culture through immersive experiences that celebrate both tradition and contemporary contributions. The Bondi Story Room offers an interactive digital journey through Bondi’s history, showcasing the stories of the First Nations people alongside other pivotal moments in the area’s past. Aboriginal-guided tours, storytelling events, art exhibitions and workshops provide deeper connections to Country, highlighting the enduring cultural heritage of the First Nations community.
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