Police and security to target Bronte Beach Christmas party chaos
Waverley Council will crack down on Bronte Beach's notorious Christmas party after 15,000 revellers left piles of rubbish following last year's "insane" gathering.
Police will be out in force at Bronte Beach this Christmas, after an unauthorised gathering of 15,000 people last year left a mess that made national headlines.
Following the aftermath of the wild 2024 event, this Christmas will see an increased police and security presence, as well as additional cleaning services scheduled, enhanced traffic management, additional buses and a dedicated emergency services area introduced.
Waverley Council has also organised additional toilet facilities and water stations as well as crowd management and supervision measures.
“What we saw last year, particularly the mess our community was confronted with on Boxing Day morning, was unacceptable,” said Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh.
“We strongly discourage crowds from attending.”
For many years, the small beach has become a go-to Christmas spot for predominantly international backpackers looking for a place to enjoy the holiday.
According to Waverley Council, 2024 saw 15,000 people attend the “insane” Christmas Day beach party and hundreds of piles of rubbish in their wake.
In a statement, a council spokesman said while the event is not approved or managed by council, members are committed to “mitigating the impacts on the community as much as possible”.
“Council will continue to work closely with police, transport operators, our Rangers and Parks staff, Lifeguards and surf clubs and other key stakeholders to ensure we have the most robust response in place to protect community safety, amenity and the environment.”
“From our consultation with residents and the broader community, as well as police, businesses and local groups, we know rubbish was a major concern last year,” said Mr Nemesh.
2024 saw an increase of police and security compared to 2023, however Mr Nemesh said it was “disappointing that despite our best efforts, so much rubbish and waste was still left behind”.
More than 250 additional garbage bins were placed at Bronte Beach by the local council in anticipation of the enormous event, after the rubbish and huge clean-up effort made headlines last year, but they appeared to have little effect.
Last year’s attendees took to social media, describing the Sydney beach party as “mental” and “insane”, with one tourist comparing it to Rio’s Carnival.
Industrious DJs set-up their decks and speakers on the parkland, playing music for the crowds of sunbaking beachgoers.
Bondi Lines, a platform for real-time information on night-life, reported that the event is “a staple” of Sydney’s Christmas offerings, particularly for expats.
By introducing the new measures, Waverley Council aim for the beach to be “back to normal as quickly as possible” following Christmas Day.
Mr Nemesh urged anyone planning to visit the beach around the holidays to do so in a “responsible, respectful and safe manner”.
Originally published as Police and security to target Bronte Beach Christmas party chaos
