The grass at Bondi is the new sand
By Visit Bondi Beach Editorial Team ·
Part of our Know before you go guide.
The grass above Bondi's promenade has quietly become as sought-after as the sand. On a warm weekend the lawns at the northern end and above the promenade fill with towels before the beach does, because grass gives you flat ground, no sand in anything, a backrest, somewhere to put a pram and a shorter walk to coffee and toilets. It is free, it is first-come, and the good spots go early.
For years the grass was the overflow - where you went when the sand was full. That has flipped. Walk down on a Saturday in October and the lawns are packed shoulder to shoulder while there is still room on the beach below, which would have looked strange a decade ago and looks completely normal now.
- Cost
- Free, no booking, first-come
- Best for
- Prams, picnics, dogs on lead, anyone avoiding sand
- Fills
- From mid-morning on a warm weekend
- Shade
- Limited and contested - the trees go first
- Facilities
- Toilets, taps and free electric BBQs at the north end
- Bring
- A rug, a hat and something to sit against
Why the grass won
- No sand. Not in the bag, not in the car, not in the baby. This is most of the reason.
- It is flat and firm, so a pram stays where you put it and a wheelchair can actually get there.
- You are a few steps from the promenade - coffee, toilets, taps and the walk home - rather than a hundred metres of soft sand away.
- There is usually a wall or a slope to lean against, which beats lying flat on sand all afternoon.
- Dogs can be with you on lead on the lawns and the path, where they cannot be on the beach itself.
- On a windy day the sand is miserable and the grass is fine. Bondi gets a lot of windy days.
Where the lawns are
There are three distinct patches and they suit different days.
| Where | What it suits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| North Bondi foreshore | Families, BBQs, prams | The busiest. Playground, skate park, children's pool and the free electric barbecues are all here |
| The grassy knoll, north end | Sunset, groups, music | Raised, so you look down the beach. The Sunday drum circle gathers here into sunset |
| Lawns above the promenade | Sunbathing, a quick stop | A long strip backing onto Campbell Parade. Closest to coffee, and the first to fill |
| Marks Park, towards Tamarama | Quiet, views, a longer sit | Up on the headland on the coastal walk. More space, no facilities beyond toilets, and real exposure to sun and wind |
Getting a spot
There is no booking and no marked areas - you put a rug down where there is room. On a warm Saturday that means arriving by mid-morning if you want the shade or a particular view, and earlier again if you want the barbecues at the north end, which are free, cannot be reserved and go first. On a weekday, or any time outside the middle of the day, you can turn up and sprawl.
The rules, roughly
These are Waverley Council parks, and the signage at each entrance is the authority rather than anything written here. The broad shape of it: dogs are welcome on lead across much of the area but not on the beach itself, the electric barbecues are free and first-come, and charcoal and open fires are not permitted in these coastal parks. On extreme fire-danger days a Total Fire Ban can override the lot, so check the NSW Rural Fire Service before you plan to cook.
What to bring
- A proper rug rather than a towel - the grass is often damp underneath even on a hot day.
- Your own shade if you are staying more than an hour or two.
- Water. There are taps, but they are not where you are sitting.
- A bag for rubbish. The bins at the north end overflow by mid-afternoon on a hot weekend.
- Something to sit against. The brick walls along the promenade lawns are the best backrests on the beach and are taken accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
Is the grass at Bondi free?
Yes. All the lawns along the beachfront are public Waverley Council parkland - free, no booking, and nothing is reserved. You put a rug down wherever there is space.
Can you take a dog onto the grass at Bondi?
Dogs are welcome on lead across much of the Waverley parkland, but not on Bondi Beach itself, and they are generally kept away from playgrounds and barbecue areas. Off-leash areas exist elsewhere in the council area. Check the signs at the entrance, as the rules vary by park.
Can you drink alcohol on the grass at Bondi?
Not everywhere. Waverley operates signposted alcohol-free zones across parts of the beachfront. Read the signage at the particular patch of grass you are on rather than assuming.
Are there barbecues on the grass at Bondi?
Yes - free public electric barbecues at the northern end, near the playground and skate park. They cannot be booked and they go early on a warm weekend. Charcoal and open fires are not permitted in these parks.
When does the grass fill up?
From mid-morning on a warm weekend, and often before the sand does. The shaded spots and the barbecues go first. On weekdays and outside the middle of the day there is usually plenty of room.
Is the grass better than the beach with a pram?
Much. Prams do not roll on soft sand, which is why so many end up parked at the top of the ramp at the north end. The lawns are flat and firm and the pram stays with you.
If you are coming with small children, the north-end lawns are the ones to aim for - and our guide to the pram line on the North Bondi ramp explains the other half of that story. For the barbecues specifically, our free BBQ spots guide covers Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama.