Bondi Pavilion reopens after restoration with exciting community event

By EVIE MCLOUGHLIN

After a lengthy 2-year restoration, the refreshed Bondi Pavilion is set to reopen to the public with a free opening night on September 22. The anticipated reopening will be packed with live music and performances, visual art, installations, workshops, and cultural activities.

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos says that the event will be an “evening of discovery and exploration” at the iconic Bondi landmark.

“This is our beloved Bondi Pavilion, but not as you remember it. Keeping true to its original
architecture, the restoration has been designed and built to last for decades to come” Mayor Masselos said.

Sydney Band ‘Mess’ among performers

Included in the multiple influential music artists performing on opening night is the Sydney-based band Mess. The two-piece drums and guitar combo band said that contributing to Bondi Pavilion’s major reopening event is a “great experience”. 

“The band and I all loved growing up with The Pavilion and the community around it, the Bondi Wave program especially” band-member Floyd Ives said. 

Ives said that it will be a “real nostalgia trip” to see tutors and friends from the Bondi music community come together for the opening night.

“It was a great experience for us all, and a big part of our musical journeys so we’re super stoked to be some of the first to showcase the renewed musical facilities as part of the reopening.”

The $38 million dollar restoration proves the Pavilion has been an important location for residents and visitors to the famous Bondi Beach.

The Pavilion is backed with over 100 years of history, first opening for use in 1911. Upgraded facilities will ensure the building remains a community hub, established as a leading arts and cultural venue. 

Lead Architect of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, Peter Tonkin, said that the restoration of the Pavilion has been “among the most inspiring” of his career.

“The Bondi Pavilion is a fine example of how an old building located in a hostile coastal
environment can be reimagined through ingenuity and innovation in design,” Tonkin said.

Waverley Council have established the reopening as a free event, meaning the reintroduction of the Bondi local community and visitors to the historic Bondi Pavilion will be open to all.