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Eastern suburbs resident Gloria Barton has enrolled her son in surf lessons for the past five years.
But, instead of learning at Bondi, or at a neighbouring beach, her 14-year-old travels for an hour to Dee Why on the northern beaches.
Gloria Barton and her son, Cale, would like to see more than one operator allowed to run surfing lessons at Bondi Beach.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
It’s not by choice. Barton has pleaded with her son’s instructors to teach at a local beach, but they say their hands are tied.
“It’s not the end of the world, but from a parent’s perspective, you want your kids to learn at the beaches they live at,” Barton said.
“It’s important for kids from a safety perspective to learn at their own local beaches – where are the common rips, rocks to avoid, or parts of the beach to steer clear of in certain conditions.”
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Waverley Council’s licensing restrictions mean Let’s Go Surfing has been the only surf school allowed to teach students at Bondi Beach for the past three decades.
Surfing instructors Dan O’Connell and Conrad Patterson, who run Dee Why Salty Surf School, are embroiled in a back and forth with the council to change this.
The duo believe a second surf school licence would promote fairness and healthy competition, resulting in cheaper lessons.
“We don’t have an issue with the surf school; we have an issue with the system,” Patterson said. “We’re just blown away that it’s been going on for so long. It’s very much like a David and Goliath situation.”
The surf school operator at Bondi, Let’s Go Surfing, offers two-hour group lessons for $140. The same service costs $100 at Maroubra Beach, managed by Randwick Council, where Let’s Go Surfing also runs classes. A private lesson is $250 at Bondi and $175 at Maroubra.
While no more than 20 students can be taught on Bondi Beach at any time for overcrowding and safety purposes, O’Connell and Patterson say those spots should be shared between two schools.
“It seems like a pretty obvious solution to break up this monopoly or try things a little differently,” O’Connell said.
A confidential council report obtained under freedom of information laws acknowledges more competition could make lessons cheaper and improve equity of access to public land.
However, it notes potential conflict between operators, additional pressure on the use of the beach, and more frequent interventions from council lifeguards as potential drawbacks, recommending council either continue with one licence or trial two surf schools for 18 months.
Let’s Go Surfing conducts lessons at Bondi Beach.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
While Waverley Council considered the possibility of granting a second licence at its May 20 meeting, less than two months later, councillors discussed the motion in a closed-door meeting, ultimately voting to maintain a sole operator.
Waverley Council did not respond to requests for comment.
A Let’s Go Surfing spokesperson said they were “proud to have delivered surf education at Bondi for nearly 30 years”.
“Council has twice looked at this issue and decided that one surf school licence is the best model for Bondi,” they said. “We respect and support their role in making that call.”
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