100 years on and the lifeguards keep walking
Image: Lawrie Williams / Photo: Edwin Monk
“The entire beach rose to its feet when the alarm siren went off. It just reminded me so much of being a kid down there when the shark alarm would go off and everyone would be standing trying to catch sight of the shark”.
A crowd of over 50 000 people had been brought to their feet on last New Year’s Day at Bondi Beach, but for long-standing former lifeguard Lawrie Williams, the memory had meant so much more.
As the current Bondi Beach Place Management Services Co-ordinator, Mr Williams’ affinity for Bondi began when he first joined the North Bondi Surf Club in 1971, working for 20 years as a lifeguard.
“I’ve had an association with the beach now for 42 years … There’s not a person I’ve met or worked with as a lifeguard that hasn’t looked back on what they thought was the best career they had [and] said … the best job … was on the beach,” he said.
Mr Williams will be holding a series of free walking tours next month, looking at the Indigenous and European history of the beach and delving into Bondi’s Bohemian past.
The walks will explore such sites as the Bondi Lifeguard Tower, the Bondi Pavilion, the Bondi Pool, inside the Bondi Tunnels and a visit to Indigenous ceremonial ground towards the Northern side of the beach.
“One of the things I enjoy about doing these walks is: there’s a lot of buildings that aren’t there anymore,” said Mr Williams.
“What you’ve got to try to do is bring history alive and what I like doing is actually using my own experiences dating back to 1978 to tell stories through those years.”
The tours include an array of colourful lifeguard stories and access to exclusive facilities, looking at some of the fascinating history and art within Bondi Beach.
Councillor Angela Burrill said Waverley Council are in the process of hiring a heritage planner who will be working on heritage assessments of Art Deco in the Bondi Basin.
“We’re hoping that working with local art deco groups that we can include more celebration of our Art Deco architecture on Lawrie’s walks. The Public Art Committee have Art Deco on their agenda and are keen to work towards holding a community celebration event for Art Deco in the future,” said Ms Burrill.
With 2013 being the centenary year of celebrations for the Waverley Council Lifeguard Service, Mr Williams said having to deal with a diversity of issues – from saving lives to tackling antisocial behaviour on the beach – was what set lifeguards apart.
“You’ll never get rich being a professional lifeguard, but you’ll always be rich with the experience,” he said.
Lawrie’s Bondi History Walks will run from 10am to 12 every Wednesday and Sunday in July, with bookings available online or by ringing Waverley Council at (02) 8362 3428.
