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NRL Legend Andrew Johns Allegedly Stalked at Bronte Beach, Man Charged

NRL legend Andrew Johns was allegedly stalked by a 27-year-old man while surfing at Bronte Beach and subsequently in his local suburb of Bronte, leading to the man’s arrest and charge by NSW Police.

Mr Johns, 49, first encountered the alleged stalker on 29 March 2024 while surfing at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Police reports state that the man followed Johns into the water and stared at him for an extended period.

After Mr Johns left the beach and returned home, he noticed the same man pacing outside on the footpath. The following day, the man allegedly approached Johns at a local café and continued to stare at him.

Concerned for his safety, Mr Johns contacted the NSW Police, who arrested the 27-year-old man on 31 March. The man was charged with one count of stalking and initially refused bail.

After a court appearance on 1 April at the Parramatta Local Court, where he was granted bail, further complications arose when police could not verify his Bondi address, leading to a re-arrest for breach of bail conditions.

Legal Proceedings and Court Orders

After discovering the falsity of the Bondi address, police re-arrested the man on 2 April. A magistrate at Waverley Local Court deemed that a breach of bail had occurred, remanding the man in custody. The court postponed the man’s future court dates for the stalking charges pending a mental health assessment.

In addition to the charges, the police have applied for an apprehended personal violence order (APVO) for Mr Johns’ protection. The conditions of the APVO, which the alleged stalker faced in court, include prohibitions against assaulting, threatening, harassing, or contacting Mr Johns.

Despite the ongoing legal proceedings and the personal distress caused by the alleged stalking, Andrew Johns has maintained his public role as a commentator for Channel 9. His appearance on the network’s NRL coverage has continued without disruption.

Published 16-April-2024

Heroic Rescue at Bronte Beach: A Community’s Fight Against a Deadly Rip Current

Photo Credit: Serena Woodward/Unsplash

A seemingly calm Saturday evening in Bronte Beach transformed into a desperate struggle for survival. Four swimmers, caught in the grip of a fierce rip current, found themselves fighting against the powerful forces of nature.

The drama unfolded around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, 13 January 2024. What started as a peaceful day for beachgoers quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation. The swimmers, unable to overcome the strong current, were seen struggling in the water.

A lifeguard, officially off duty but ever vigilant, noticed the distressing scene. Alongside him, local surfers, well-versed in the ocean’s temperaments, did not hesitate. They plunged into the water, battling the fierce current to reach the struggling swimmers.

The rescue was fraught with challenges. Battling the rip current required strength, skill, and determination. The rescuers worked in unison, each move critical in ensuring the safety of the swimmers.

Their efforts were not in vain. The swimmers, exhausted but alive, were brought back to the safety of the shore. Emergency services, which had been called to the scene, provided immediate medical assistance. The swimmers were then transported to the hospital, where they began their recovery.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of rip currents.

Rip Current Bronte Beach — Photo Credit: Anders Marlowe/Unsplash

A rip current, often called a rip tide, is a strong, localised, and narrow current of water which moves directly away from the shore, cutting through the lines of breaking waves. These currents can be hazardous to swimmers who get caught in them because they can drag swimmers away from the shore.

To escape a rip current, it’s important not to swim against it, as this can lead to exhaustion. Instead, try to remain calm and float or tread water to conserve energy. Signal for help if you can.

The key is to swim parallel to the shore to escape the current’s pull. Once out of the current, swim at an angle away from the current and towards the shore. Remember, rip currents are typically narrow, so swimming parallel to the shore helps you exit the current more quickly.

Meanwhile, beachgoers are advised to stay alert, swim in patrolled areas, and understand how to safely extricate themselves from a rip current: by swimming parallel to the shore and conservatively conserving energy until they can safely reach the beach.

Published 15-Jan-2024

Residents vs Businesses Over ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ Party

Photo Credit: Facebook / Ricardo Larriera

Residents of Bronte are at odds with businesses following a contentious ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ Christmas Day celebration that drew a crowd of around 10,000 to Bronte Beach.

The event left nearby streets strewn with litter, sparking outrage among residents. However, café owners argue that with better management, such gatherings could significantly bolster local businesses.

Some café proprietors expressed disappointment, stating that Christmas Day used to be a peak period, generating substantial revenue.

Dave Martin, owner of the Coogee Courtyard café, urged a change in mindset, advocating for an embrace of international visitors rather than alienating them.

**Dave Martin, owner of Coogee Courtyard**
Photo Credit: Instagram / @laspiaggiacoogee

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos acknowledged residents’ frustration over the disrespect shown towards the community space.

**Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos**
Photo Credit: Waverley Council

The council responded by increasing bins and deploying extra staff for cleanup. Yet concerns persist about logistical challenges, including the lack of adequate facilities and regulations on alcohol consumption.

In anticipation of New Year’s Eve, Masselos emphasised a zero-tolerance policy for public alcohol consumption and announced heightened staffing levels, including police, rangers, and beach ambassadors.

However, exploring the feasibility of hosting ticketed events at Bronte Park posed challenges due to the area’s layout and associated costs.

The clash highlights contrasting viewpoints within the community regarding events like the Bronte Beach Christmas gathering.

While some stress the economic benefits and call for inclusivity, others emphasise responsible conduct and effective management of public spaces.

The upcoming New Year’s celebration raises concerns, prompting local authorities to bolster measures for maintaining order and safety.

The community faces the challenging task of balancing economic opportunities with the need to preserve the area’s integrity.

The debate continues as Bronte residents grapple with divergent opinions on managing public events while maintaining the sanctity of their beloved beachside locale.

Published 4-January-2024

Off-Duty Heroes Rescue Swimmers from Bronte Beach Rip

Photo Credit: SuppliedSydney.com

Off-duty lifesavers and surfers sprung into action at Bronte Beach as four swimmers were caught in the dangerous south Bronte rip on Tuesday evening, December 19, 2023.

Responding swiftly to the urgent call, members of the public and Bronte SLSC volunteers retrieved rescue boards before rushing to aid the imperilled swimmers.

Paramedics assessed the individuals involved, confirming they didn’t require hospitalisation. Fortunately, a fifth person caught in the rip managed a self-rescue.

James Caterson, SLS NSW Sydney duty officer, emphasised the heightened danger due to the increasing number of people in distress.

The “Bondi local” Instagram page expressed gratitude to the rescuers, acknowledging their bravery in ensuring a fortunate outcome.

The south Bronte rip, notorious for its hazards, directs towards the ocean baths and has a history of posing significant threats.

This incident underscores the importance of beach safety awareness in Bronte, highlighting the valour and quick thinking of those who risked their lives to ensure the safety of others.

Published 29-December-2023

Waverley Council Completes Streetscape Upgrade at Bronte Intersection

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Waverley Council’s streetscape upgrade works at the intersection of Macpherson Street and St Thomas Street in Bronte have been completed marking a significant milestone for the community.

These works aim to improve safety for pedestrians and all other road users in the busy neighbourhood café strip. The project, funded primarily by Transport for NSW’s Get NSW Active Program 2022/2023, focuses on creating safe, easy, and enjoyable walking and cycling trips. The upgrade includes several noteworthy highlights that enhance the overall streetscape and pedestrian experience.

The improvements include the transformation of the pedestrian crossing on MacPherson Street, elevating it into a raised pedestrian crossing. Additionally, the extension of the kerb on St Thomas Street makes crossing the road more accessible and convenient for pedestrians.

The project also included new garden beds, adding a touch of natural beauty to the area, and creating a more pleasant and inviting atmosphere for residents and visitors alike.

Furthermore, the project addresses important infrastructure concerns by repairing stormwater infrastructure. This vital aspect ensures the long-term functionality and resilience of the upgraded streetscape, providing effective drainage and minimizing the risk of flooding.

Recognizing the importance of future lighting improvements, the upgrade has also made provisions to accommodate these enhancements. Well-lit streets create a safer environment, particularly during nighttime hours, and further promote pedestrian and road user safety.

Mayor Paula Masselos of Waverley passionately underscored the Council’s unwavering dedication to fulfilling the community’s aspirations and fostering Waverley as an exceptional hub for living, working, and conducting business.

With thousands of people passing through this intersection daily on their way to Bronte Beach and Waverley Cemetery, the upgraded streetscape ensures their safety and enhances the overall experience.

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Member for Coogee, Dr Marjorie O’Neill, acknowledged the significance of the upgrade in facilitating convenient pedestrian movement.

She said that the safer and more accessible streetscape would alleviate parking challenges, encouraging community members to walk to and from Bronte’s high street.

“The new garden beds and stormwater improvements will also make McPherson Street a nicer place to sit outside and have a coffee,” Dr O’Neill said.

“It is fantastic to see these works delivered with funding from the NSW Government, which is committed to delivering the infrastructure that will make our communities safer and easier to walk in.”

Published 10-July-2023

Locale: Bronte Cafe Lives Up on Mission to Stick to Local

Photo Credit: Locale/Google Maps

The dynamic pair of Nick Bardetta and Ash Quigley-Bardetta, who ran Pilgrim at a stunning beachfront spot in Bronte for two years, have transformed their old cafe into Locale, a casual and family-friendly eatery where visitors can enjoy completely locally-sourced food options.

In replacing Pilgrims, the Bardettas decided to overhaul the menu for Locale and go with a simplified list, where every food comes from around the area. For instance, Locale uses meat supplied by Bronte’s Lucas Meats and gets the produce from the Flemington markets. The pastries are prepared by Luxe Woollahra, whilst the specialty coffee and other drinks are also certified local from Pablo and Rusty’s.

Chef Kevin Chung refined the menu to reflect Bronte’s laid-back vibe with options like a filling breakfast burrito (with avocado, bacon, roasted tomatoes, halloumi, mushrooms, hummus and eggs), a light but still flavourful buttermilk pancakes, poke bowls, fried chicken burger topped with Swiss cheese, and prawn linguine.

As a family based in Bronte for many generations, the couple wanted to stick to Locale’s mission to support other Bronte-based businesses and uphold its strong community ties to give what the locals want.

To match the quality and freshness of the food and drinks, Locale’s new sun-drenched interior — with large open windows, clean white tables, wood benches and woven chairs — deliver a chic and comfortable atmosphere. Here, diners can enjoy a hearty meal right after swimming in the beach and getting sand on their feet.

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Follow Locale on Instagram for updates or visit their official site for opening hours, order delivery and pick-up.

The best bacon n egg roll I’ve ever had! And amazingly good coffee. Friendly, warm and fun staff. Could use cushions on their bench seats 🙂
Olivia Miller

“Located just minutes away from the Bronte beach. Staff was kind, place was spacious and inviting. I loved the decor and atmosphere. Menu includes special items that you don’t normally find in other counterparts. We ordered the breakfast burrito and breakfast tacos, they were both wonderful, full of flavours, great portion sizes. Coffee by Pablo and rusty was amazing. One of my favourite sydney cafes The only critic is everything is done via your phone e.g., ordering, making the whole dining experience ‘cold’ and odd. We felt uneasy not getting the chance to saying thanks to the team as we left.”
Joyce Lau

“Best vanilla milkshake in Sydney. Meine Tochter loves it and asks regularly to visit this friendly local cafe in Bronte. The super strong iced latte is a crowd pleaser too with 4 shots! Staff are friendly, fast and efficient.”
Jean-Paul Buhagiar

Published 1-April-2023

Investigation Underway Following Reports Of Dog Baiting At Marks Park

An investigation is currently underway at Marks Park in Tamarama, following reports of suspected dog baiting in the area.

Read: Bronte Surf Life Saving Club and Community Facilities Upgrade Planned

Waverley Council, who already deployed rangers to patrol the park, started the inquiry after three dogs died within hours of falling ill in separate incidents after walking at Marks Park in February 2023.

“At this point, we have not been able to obtain information about the type of suspected baiting that has been reported, but our inquiries are continuing,” Waverley Council stated.

Photo credit: Hound Health Bondi – Hydrotherapy & Wellness Clinic

There’s signage put up in the area to warn dog walkers about the recent incident. Council also asked pet owners to stay vigilant when exercising their dogs and monitor their dogs for any signs of illness.

“If Council is able to obtain a sample of the suspected bait, then we can have it analysed to establish its contents and report it to police and the RSPCA.”

Residents took to social media to share their experiences about the suspected cases of dog poisoning at the popular cliff top park.

In an Instagram story, one local shared that a friend’s dog passed away just a few hours after visiting the park. The dog was young and healthy so the owner was clueless about the exact cause of her dog’s death.

Another puppy who visited the park also died just a few days after the first incident happened. It was confirmed that the young dog was poisoned but the owners did not have an idea what caused it.

Dog-baiting involves setting poison baits for dogs in an appealing treat. The initial symptoms of poisoning in dogs include vomiting, agitation, and diarrhea.

“Dog-baiting is not a common problem in Waverley but is devastating when it does occur,” Council stated.

Meanwhile, Council said they will be posting alerts on social media and will continue to patrol the park.

Read: Family, Friends Mourn Bronte Teacher Killed In Nepal Plane Crash

Dogs are permitted off-leash in Marks Park between 4.30 p.m. and 8.30 a.m. daily, however, owners may wish to keep their dogs on-leash if they have concerns.

Family, Friends Mourn Bronte Teacher Killed In Nepal Plane Crash

Family and friends are mourning the loss of Myron Love, a Bronte local and teacher at Bronte Public School, who was identified as one of the victims of the deadly Nepal plane crash on Sunday, 15 January 2023.

Read: Bronte Surf Life Saving Club and Community Facilities Upgrade Planned

The 29-year-old teacher was travelling through Asia when he boarded the ATR 72 Yeti airlines flight in Kathmandu. Aside from being a teacher, he was well known for being an avid traveller and cycling enthusiast.

Authorities confirmed there were no survivors at the Nepal plane crash, leaving 72 dead when it crashed whilst attempting to land at a new airport in Pokhara. The crash was dubbed as the deadliest aviation accident in Nepal in 30 years.

Photo credit: Old Andreans Association/Facebook

In a statement, his family said Mr Love had always been their rock for many years. He will always be remembered by his loved ones as someone who lived his life to the fullest. They are also requesting for peace and privacy whilst they grieve and deal with the tragedy.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School, where Mr Love previously studied, extended their condolences to his family and friends.

“Myron will be remembered by those who knew him for his kind heart, infectious energy and as someone who lived his life to the fullest,” the Old Andreans Association wrote.

“He was well known within the St Andrew’s Cathedral School community and will be sorely missed by his friends, family and peers.”

Easts Cycling Club also paid their respects to Mr Love who was their former beloved member.

Meanwhile, the Australian Embassy in Nepal said they continue to work closely with Nepal’s authorities on recovery and identification processes, and to provide support to Mr Love’s family.

Read: A Glimpse of the Rich History of Tamarama Beach

“The Australian Embassy offers heartfelt condolences to the family of Myron Love. We are deeply saddened by the loss of an Australian and other lives in the #YetiAirlinesCrash,” the Embassy wrote in a Facebook post.

Bronte Surf Life Saving Club and Community Facilities Upgrade Planned

After being deemed “no longer fit for its purpose,” the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club community facilities may soon be up for redevelopment.

The proposed upgrade marks a new milestone as the plan enters the Development Application stage, following Council’s decision to endorse the final concept design (Option 4) for assessment by the Sydney Eastern Planning Panel.

The Club is now seeking to redevelop the site to include a balance of female and male facilities, family change rooms and accessible amenities, adequate facilities for more than 200 lifesaver trainees per year, fit-for-purpose lifeguard and lifesaving facilities, among other improvements.

Proposed Building-Site Plan of Bronte Surf Life Saving Club and Community Facilities upgrade| Photo credit: Waverley Council / epwgate.waverley.nsw.gov.au

The Club has also decided not to proceed with the original concept designs, opting to use one of the alternate designs instead, based on numerous community feedback that pointed out several flaws in the original design. These include the amenity block being too far from the water and the excessive size and height of the originally planned building.

Alternative design concepts were proposed which incorporated several changes including a raised floor for storm and flood mitigation, the addition of a northern courtyard, enhancing the accessibility of its entrances, accessible cube designs, and improved lifeguard and council facilities layout.

Proposed Building-Axonometric View | Photo credit: Waverley Council / epwgate.waverley.nsw.gov.au

Council also increased its funding contribution to the Club by $2.9 million, upping its total contribution to $7.5 million, successfully negotiating an updated Heads of Agreement to effect this change.

View from Beach Area | Photo credit: Waverley Council / epwgate.waverley.nsw.gov.au

“We acknowledge the hard work the club has put into developing their own concept designs which it presented to stakeholders and the community in April this year for feedback,” Waverley Mayor, Paula Masselos, said.

“The concept design endorsed by Council responds to the feedback we received about the designs initially presented to the community, and we invite the community to provide formal feedback about the DA.”

Visit this page to view the application.

LGBTQIA Memorial Unveiled in Tamarama’s Gorgeous Coastline

Overlooking the beautiful Tamarama coastal path which links to Bondi and Coogee is “Rise,” a newly-installed LGBTQIA memorial for victims and survivors of hate crimes of the 1970s to the 1990s.

Designed by John Nicholson of Urban Art Projects (UAP), this memorial was six years on the planning board with Waverley Council, UAP, and ACON, the organisation working to uplift LGBTQIA communities in Australia. The site was specifically chosen because the cliffs and the surrounding areas are “the sites of horrific acts of violence towards LGBTQ people,” according to the Bondi Memorial.

Officially launched on 4 June 2022, as the world celebrates Pride Month, the LGBTQIA memorial comes with six sculptured stone layers to represent each of the coloured bands on the Pride flag.

The layers look like staircases to represent the spirit of those who have risen despite the history of violence against the community. Embedded in the memorial are the names of the lives lost.

“John Nicholson and UAP’s design responds beautifully to the project’s guiding principles of remembrance, diversity, inclusion, justice and acceptance,” Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos said in a statement.

“Having a permanent catalyst for the ongoing building of an inclusive, accepting and resilient society will ensure that this dark history will never be repeated.”

Rise’s Biggest Donor

The project was also possible through the donation of Stephen Heasley, an Australian-American, and his partner Andrew Borg. The couple donated part of the lawsuit payout they received against Vistaprint, the company they hired to print their wedding invitations and programs.

Instead of printing what the couple wanted, Vistaprint sent them pamphlets with hateful quotes commonly used in conversion therapy treatments. The couple regarded this act as a “gay hate mail” and sued in 2018.

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The court sided with the couple and asked Vistaprint to donate US$100,000 to LGBTQIA charities in U.S. and Australia. Stephen and Andrew gave $64,000 for Rise.

Stephen loved the idea of the memorial because, as a younger man, he used to visit Marks Park on the Tamarama coastline to jog, soul search and reflect, and listen to the sound of the ocean while figuring out what he can do with his life.

A Time for Healing

To complete the project, Waverley Council also contributed $100,000 whilst ACON acquired the rest through fundraising drives.

“For decades, our communities have endured the pain and trauma of these horrific acts of violence. We know that many gay men and trans women were killed, tortured or assaulted across Sydney, including along the city’s coastline and eastern suburbs. These events have left a sorrowful legacy that continues to be felt today,” ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said.

“This memorial will serve as a monument to the victims and survivors and help heal the trauma these events have caused for their families and loved ones, as well as broader LGBTQIA+ communities and many local residents.”