We’re upgrading pedestrian access at South Bondi Park to improve safety, accessibility and the visitor experience along this popular section of the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.

The project responds to increasing pedestrian demand, site constraints and long-term geotechnical risks identified following a landslip in 2025, helping to ensure safe and reliable access through South Bondi Park into the future.

Waverley Council is upgrading the staircase and upper footpath connection between the Bondi Promenade and the southern amenities building at South Bondi Park.

The works will improve pedestrian access, enhance safety and accommodate increasing visitor numbers along one of Sydney’s most popular coastal walking routes.

The lower footpath area will be removed and rehabilitated with native landscaping, while a new, wider pedestrian connection will be constructed between the promenade and the southern amenities building, providing a safer and more accessible route through the area.

As part of the project, Council will also undertake feasibility and design investigations to explore:

• Opportunities to expand the existing lookout area adjacent to the southern amenities building.
• The potential for a future step-free connection between the amenities building and the Icebergs precinct.

The proposed works are shown in the South Bondi Park Access Upgrades Diagram available in the document library on this page.

Why The Lower Footpath Will Remain Closed

The existing lower footpath will remain permanently closed. The path can no longer safely accommodate current pedestrian volumes and cannot be widened due to site constraints, including a major sewer line to the west and the cliff edge to the east. The closure also supports the long-term management of geotechnical risks identified in the area following the recent landslip in 2025.

Following the landslip event, Council implemented safety measures and engaged specialist geotechnical consultants to assess site conditions and recommend long-term remediation options.

Temporary fencing, access restrictions and ongoing monitoring remain in place to ensure public safety while investigations, design development and remediation planning continue.

Like many of Waverley’s coastal parks, South Bondi Park is located on sandstone cliffs that are naturally affected by weathering, erosion and groundwater movement. These conditions require ongoing monitoring and management and can occasionally result in landslips or rockfall events.

Next Steps

Council is progressing detailed design and approvals for the project, including approvals required under Section 60 of the Heritage Act. Once approvals are in place, Council will undertake a procurement process to engage a contractor and finalise the construction program.

Subject to approvals and procurement timeframes, construction is currently anticipated to be undertaken in 2027.

Council will provide further updates to the community as the project progresses and once a construction program has been confirmed.

Bondi Beach, Park and Pavilion Plan of Management

The South Bondi Park Access Upgrades implement actions identified through the extensive community consultation undertaken as part of the Bondi Park, Beach and Pavilion Plan of Management, adopted in 2021.

The Plan of Management provides a long-term framework for the use, maintenance and improvement of Bondi’s public open spaces.

Relevant actions and guiding principles from the Plan of Management are summarised in the Bondi Plan of Management - Key Idea Diagram available in the document library on this page.