- More than 15,000 revellers took to Bronte Beach last year
- Waverley Council has urged partygoers to avoid the area
Thousands of revellers have been urged to steer clear of one of Australia’s most famous beaches on Christmas Day as partygoers vow to descend on the sand for a massive celebration.
Bronte Beach, in Sydney‘s eastern suburbs, is a hotspot for festive activities, with thousands of Aussies and tourists swarming to the area each year to mark the public holiday.
Jaw dropping footage from Christmas Day 2024 shows the shoreline teeming with people as sunseekers flocked to the area to embrace the waves during the summer heat.
But Waverley Council has taken the extraordinary step of begging would-be beachgoers to stay away from Bronte as authorities grapple with safety concerns due to ongoing construction work.
‘Roughly half of Bronte Park is currently off limits to the public while the development of the new Bronte Surf Club is underway,’ the council said.
‘Temporary fencing has been erected in much of the area.
‘This means there is a drastic reduction in open space and only narrow channels available to move around.
‘The serious compromise to crowd flow is a safety concern on any day, let alone one that is prone to significant overcrowding.’
Waverley Council has begged beachgoers to avoid Bronte this year due to safety concerns
Thousands of people packed Bronte Beach on Christmas Day last year (pictured)
More than 15,000 people turned up to an unauthorised gathering dubbed ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ or ‘Backpacker Christmas’ at Bronte Beach last year.
The event left the shoreline covered in debris and broken glass as beachgoers left the area without taking their rubbish.
The council said crowds of that size are ‘hugely challenging at the best of times’, and due to antisocial behaviour and crowd control issues witnessed last year, they had undertaken community consultation about how to better manage the impacts.
As a result, the council said enhanced measures will be in place, there will be increased crowd management and supervision measures, and greater presence of police and security personnel.
‘This year, that kind of crowd is simply not safe and Council’s message to those hoping to pay at Bronte is clear,’ they said.
‘A zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour will be enforced and alcohol and glass will be confiscated when detected.
‘Bronte is not a good option and brings significant personal risk.
‘Do not come.’
The council said there is ongoing construction work in the park which is off limits to the public
More to come.
