Shelling out for Bondi: Locals count cost of living with tourists

It’s the most iconic beach in the country, but the Sydney Council who forks out millions every year to deal with tourists says it needs help paying for cleaning up after them.

It is home to the nation’s most popular beach and adored by tourists around the globe, but Bondi is costing its local council millions each year to clean up after them.

Waverley Council is spending small fortune – $4.3m to be exact – to maintain Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama.

That’s the annual spend on maintenance, cleaning, policing and lifeguards as approximately 1.5 million tourists swarm the three iconic Aussie beaches.

The council will next week ask the NSW Local Government Conference to help it lobby the state and federal governments to offset the costs.

Even the locals have had enough paying to clean up after tourists.

Bondi local Tim Wilson with son Billy. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Bondi local Tim Wilson said visitors were usually respectful.

“The only time the beach gets trashed and things get out of hand is after big events and holidays. Council needs to provide more bins and everything would be clean. People are pretty good and respectful,” he said.

UK tourists Charlotte Lowrence (left) and Sophie Goodman with Garry the dog. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

North Bondi resident Jackson Jurd said: “It’s honestly a joke sometimes. I mean it’s standard living in Bondi that we have to pay towards tourism, so there’s no shock there, but some help from the state government would do good.”

On Christmas Day, Waverley’s beaches attract about 50,000 people.

Tourists and expats who spoke to The Saturday Telegraph at Bondi Beach on Friday said it’s the booming night-life that brought them backpacking from the other side of the world.

But it is that party scene and the bill locals are paying with their rates to deal with it that irks them the most.

Sydneysiders flocked to Bondi Beach during a spring heatwave. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“I only come into Bondi for work, otherwise I avoid it at all costs,” Bronte receptionist Ada Smith said.

“A lot of the tourists can be lovely but a lot of them also don’t really respect our clean spaces, often leaving their alcohol bottles everywhere even though it is banned.

“I think it’s unfair the rates we pay to council go towards tourism. I’m sure councils in the south and west don’t have these kind of charges. The NSW government should be paying for this, not council.”

Waverley Council argues the federal government’s anti-terrorism guidelines for high-profile locations means they are forking out ratepayers’ money to keep locals safe.

Sydneysiders flocked to Bondi Beach on October 1 as temperatures rose. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

For user-pays police to control crowds, for example, it costs them $68,270 – the bulk of it for Christmas Day and Australia Day.

Lifeguards cost the council close to $2.5m annually, while just to maintain open spaces around the beaches comes at a hefty $1.4m.

Waverley Council mayor Paula Masselos said: “Waverley Council is actively involved in promoting tourism, and we welcome visitors to our beautiful area.

“However, there are major infrastructure and cost pressures that result from intense numbers of visitors, particularly in the summer months.

“The high costs of managing the impacts of visitors to our area at the holiday period mean ratepayer funding is spent on this instead of the community programs and the infrastructure Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]