Whatever are they doing to Bondi Beach?

In the lead up to the Olympics, Bondi Beach is in the spotlight. Australia's most famous beach has been given the dubious pleasure of hosting the beach volleyball competition at the forthcoming games. In theory it sounds like a great idea - beach volleyball on the beach. But the reality is not quite so appealing: a giant 10,000-seat stadium is growing like a cancer on the sand, and the beach is inaccessible in parts.

In the lead up to the Olympics, Bondi Beach is in the spotlight. Australia's most famous beach has been given the dubious pleasure of hosting the beach volleyball competition at the forthcoming games. In theory it sounds like a great idea - beach volleyball on the beach. But the reality is not quite so appealing: a giant 10,000-seat stadium is growing like a cancer on the sand, and the beach is inaccessible in parts.

Initially, Waverley Council (the local authority) didn't want the stadium, much less the upheaval that comes with its construction: "A pretty dumb idea," is how it was described by the mayor, Paul Pearce. But the council didn't have much choice. The use of a Sydney beach for beach volleyball was part of the initial Sydney 2000 bid document, and Manly, the other possibility, was soon ruled out because the beach wasn't wide enough and it lacked the required facilities for "back-of-house" use.

Negotiations between Waverley Council and the Olympic Co-ordination Authority (OCA) resulted in guarantees that the beach would be used from May to October only, when the beach is less busy than usual. Sweeteners include A$1m towards much-needed renovations of Bondi's famous beach pavilion and public amenities. But it's a token amount compared with the A$20m being spent on the temporary stadium for a sport that will probably be dumped from the Olympic list after the 2000 Games. As many Sydneysiders have noted, the money might have been better spent on a permanent structure elsewhere.

"It's a total waste of money," said Sydneysider Jules Kirby, who had come from the other side of town to check out the stadium. "Bondi is an Australian icon. It's majestic, and people come to enjoy the whole sweep of it. Now, they will only see short strips of beach with this monstrosity in the middle."

Bondi evokes a sense of ownership among Sydneysiders. More than 12,000 people signed petitions objecting to Bondi being turned into an Olympic site, and last month many buried themselves in the sand in front of bulldozers when the works were about to commence.

The petition cited issues ranging from "risk of drownings from changed beach form and disruption of professional lifeguard services" to "misleading and deceptive conduct by the Olympic authorities" and "precedent for further development pressure on Bondi Beach".

Several commentators questioned the legality of commandeering public space for a commercial sporting event. Ita Buttrose, the high-profile editor of the Wentworth Courier, a local newspaper, claimed that the beach was being "raped". High tides and stormy winter swells on Bondi Beach have added to the controversy. Earlier this month Waverley Council was forced to erect warning lights and signs along the fence that surrounds the construction site to stop people walking between the stadium and the sea. Waves were crashing into the fence and sand beneath it was being washed away.

"The council had to act," said council representative Paul Andersen. "There is a likelihood of someone being injured with the fence being there." According to Mr Andersen, the OCA failed to recognise the possibility of these big swells and high tides. "If you look at the tide charts, this could happen twice a month for a period of five to six days right through the games." But Milton Cockburn, media spokesperson for the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (Socog) refutes this: "We made it quite clear that, subject to normal beach profiles, there would be full beach access at all times. But we can't control nature."

The last thing the troubled OCA needs is a public safety issue at Bondi. There are still plenty of people who remember "Black Sunday", 6 February 1938, when Bondi became a death trap. Three massive waves crashed on to the beach in quick succession, dragging around 250 people out to sea. Five people drowned, but had it not been for the rapid action of lifeguards on the beach, the casualty list would have been much higher.

The dissenting voices of last month's protest are fading as the construction continues. The expected commercial spin-off has many local restaurant and cafe proprietors rubbing their hands with glee.

"I don't know if the residents feel the same, but the traders are quite pleased," said David Corsi, owner of the award- winning Hugo's restaurant, an elegant yet informal eaterie. "The amount of business will depend upon whether or not the streets get blocked off. It's a bit of a wait-and-see situation." Local resident David Drevon has lived in Bondi all his life and was a surf lifeguard on the beach for 14 years. "Sure, there's a bit of disruption, but it's terrific for Bondi," he said. "I gather the tickets to the beach volleyball are selling fast and I'm sure half the reason is because of its location. The protesters appear to be people who have made Bondi their home in the past 10 years. We old-timers are happy to have anyone on the beach."

The word "bondi" comes from the Aboriginal word for the sound of the surf. Rock engravings on the golf course a short walk from the northern end of the beach are evidence of an indigenous presence many centuries ago. However, those who claim land rights over the beach today are a mix of true-blue Anglo-Aussies who've never lived anywhere else, Jews and Italians who settled here in the 1950s and 1960s, working travellers and British and Irish expats.

Visit Bondi on a fine day and the chances are you'll find muscular lifeguards patrolling the breaking waves and swimmers dodging wet-suited surfers and their boards. Super-fit septuagenarians with skin the colour of milk chocolate and the consistency of dried prunes jog through the shallows.

The promenade behind the beach is dotted with in-line skaters, mothers pushing strollers and teenagers riding miniature aluminium scooters. Russian immigrants play dominoes at foreshore picnic tables.

This tableau of beach-loving humanity hasn't altered since the Colosseum- like stadium started rising above the golden sand. Come September, added to it will be the world's best beach volleyball players and several thousand spectators. It looks like it will be beach business as usual before, during and after the Olympics. So thinks Luke Wilson of the Bondi Surf Company sports shop: "The surfers will get to the waves, stadium or not."

Getting there

British Airways (tel: 0845 7733377) and Qantas (tel: 0800 747 767) offer return flights from London to Sydney (via Bangkok or Singapore) from £ 745. Air New Zealand (tel: 0208 741 2299) flies to Sydney via LA, with return fares from £ 702.

Where to stay

The three-star Ravesi's on Bondi Beach (tel: 0061 29365 4422) has rooms and suites from A$115.50 for a double.

Further information

Useful websites for general information on shopping and accommodation include www.citysearch.com and www.sydney.sidewalk.com.au. The official Olympics site is www.olympics.com/eng. The Australia Travellers Guide includes information on the Olympics (tel: 0906 863 3235, all calls cost 60p per min). Sportsworld is the official tour operator to the Olympics (tel: 01235 554844; email: travel@sportsworld-group.plc.uk).

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