Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Bronte walk is CLOSED in a bid to enforce social distancing

Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Bronte walk is CLOSED in a bid to enforce social distancing after crowds ignored pleas to stay home at Easter

By Karen Ruiz and Nic White For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 03:43 BST, 11 April 2020 | Updated: 04:09 BST, 11 April 2020

Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Bronte walk has been closed after residents ignored advice to stay home over the Easter long weekend. 

The Waverley Council on Saturday announced it was shutting the popular walking path after ‘careful consideration and close monitoring’ of the area.    

Despite repeated calls for Sydneysiders to stay home, dozens of joggers flocked to the 4km stroll for their daily dose of fresh air, creating a public safety issue. 

‘Unfortunately, closing the coastal walk was the only way the Council could help ensure that Public Health Orders could be maintained along the walk,’ Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos said. 

‘Council is trying to balance the needs of our community, but we need our residents and visitors to adhere to social distancing in our public spaces.’

Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Bronte walk (crowds pictured during stage 3 lockdown) will be shut down if too many people flock to it over Easter or ignore social distancing orders

With gyms ordered closed by NSW Government lockdowns, the coastal walk is typically choked with thousands of people walking or jogging every day. 

Ms Masselos acknowledged the importance of being able to exercise outdoors under these unprecedented circumstances, but encouraged residents to find new places. 

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 6,283

New South Wales: 2,857

Victoria: 1,265

Queensland: 974

South Australia: 428

Western Australia: 506

Australian Capital Territory: 103

Tasmania: 122

Northern Territory: 28

TOTAL CASES:  6,283

RECOVERED: 3,205

DEAD: 56

‘I encourage people to be a tourist in their own suburb and find places to exercise on other streets and parks,’ she said. 

‘If we all follow Public Health Orders then we may be in the position to reopen the coastal walk. In the meantime, I thank the community for their patience during this challenging time. We are all in this together.’

The council is now in the process of installing signage and barricades at access points to the coastal walk and anyone found trespassing will be subjected to fines.       

Bondi is Australia’s biggest coronavirus hotspot with at least 107 cases, and 167 in the local government area, out of 6,283 across Australia.

The move comes days after the Council had agreed to a series of crowd control measures in an effort to keep the walk open over Easter.

‘If numbers are excessive we have the capacity to close the walkway down with the staff, contractors, and equipment deployed,’ a briefing sent to councillors stated. 

Rangers had been patrolling the path handing out fines to anyone breaching the two-person rule or not staying 1.5m apart.

Council staff and 11 private security guards also monitored entrances from 6am to 6pm and keep track of entrances and crowd sizes.

Additional fencing has been installed at McKenzies Bay and about 60 new signs will be erected advising people to kept left and obey social distancing rules.

These measures will be employed on a smaller scale every day after the long weekend and the trail closed whenever crowds get out of control.

 

 

 

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