What parking at Bondi actually costs
By Visit Bondi Beach Editorial Team · · Updated
Part of our Parking guide.
This page is about what parking at Bondi actually costs you: which car parks and meters sit closest to the sand, how the council's pay-by-plate system works, when the meters switch off, and whether a permit is worth it. If you would rather not pay at all, that is a different question with its own answer - see free parking at Bondi Beach, which covers where the unrestricted streets are and when to arrive.
- Closest paid
- Queen Elizabeth Drive (~500 bays)
- Meter hours
- 7am–7pm, seven days
- How to pay
- Pay-by-plate, or PayStay app
- Free after
- 7pm, when meters switch off
- Backup plan
- Park Bondi Junction, 333 bus down
Paid parking, closest to furthest
When I've got beach gear, kids, or it's just too hot to walk, I pay. Roughly in order of how close they sit to the sand:
- Queen Elizabeth Drive car park - Waverley Council's own metered car park running right behind the beach, with around 500 bays. It's the closest and most convenient, and the first to fill on a nice day, so treat it as an early-morning play.
- Campbell Parade meters - the paid on-street bays opposite the beach. Handy for a quick visit, but time-limited and the priciest per hour, so they suit a coffee-and-a-swim rather than a full beach day.
- The Notts Avenue / Icebergs (south) end - metered street parking down toward the pool. Limited and sought-after, but a lovely spot to land if you time it right.
- Side streets a block or two back - often overlooked once the beachfront meters are full; check the posted rate and time limit at the sign before you leave the car.
The council's beach meters are pay-by-plate - there's no paper ticket. Enter your number plate at the machine, or (far easier) pay from your phone through the PayStay app; the meters also take the NSW Park'nPay app. They run 7am to 7pm seven days a week and switch off after 7pm, so an evening swim is one of the few times the beachfront comes free. On rates I won't bake a dollar figure into this page: Waverley reviews meter prices and charges more for beach-adjacent bays in summer than for streets further back, so check the current rate on the council's parking page and budget a daily total before you go.
Accessible parking and the busy-day plan
On cost, the accessible bays are the one place the rules bend in your favour: a valid Mobility Parking Scheme permit gives concessions on the time limits in metered and timed bays, so the meter maths that governs everyone else largely does not apply. The designated bays sit around the beachfront, including near Queen Elizabeth Drive and the Bondi Pavilion. Locations and current works change, so confirm with the council or the Pavilion before relying on a specific spot.
And on a perfect summer Saturday? Don't fight it. Drive to Bondi Junction, park there, and jump on the 333 - the "Bondi Link", Sydney's busiest bus route, which runs 24 hours and connects Circular Quay to North Bondi via the Junction. On a hot weekend that short ride down Bondi Road genuinely beats doing laps for a beachfront bay. Tap on with an Opal card or contactless, and check Transport for NSW for live times.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coins for the parking meters at Bondi?
No. Waverley Council's beach meters are pay-by-plate and take no cash at the machine - you enter your number plate, or pay from your phone through the PayStay app or the NSW Park'nPay app. If you extend from your phone you never have to walk back to the car.
Is a Waverley beach parking permit worth it?
If you are down here most weeks, probably. The permit gives unlimited time in the metered bays on Queen Elizabeth Drive and Park Drive without feeding the meter. Anyone can apply, but residents, ratepayers, local teachers and active Surf Life Saving members pay a lower rate. Fees and eligibility are set by the council, so check the current terms on their beach parking permit page.
What hours do the Bondi meters run, and how do I pay?
The beachfront meters operate 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, and switch off after 7pm. They're pay-by-plate - enter your number plate at the machine, or pay from your phone using the PayStay or NSW Park'nPay app. Rates are set by the council and are higher for beach-adjacent bays in summer, so check the current figure on Waverley's parking page.
When should I arrive to actually find a spot?
Before about 9am, or after 7pm once the meters switch off, on busy weekends and holidays. The 9am–3pm window is the hardest; if you're arriving then, plan on a paid meter, the South Bondi streets, or the Bondi Junction park-and-ride.