Awoke at 9:30 am, gearing up for a day that would include a visit to Coogee Beach and the Harbour Bridge climb. After rousing Daniel and Michele, who were eager to join me on the Coogee beach excursion, I remembered Sharon, the Dutch girl, praising the beach and enticing us with the idea of the coastal hike from Coogee to Bondi Beach. Adding to the excitement, Daniel had booked the Harbour Bridge climb for the day, giving us until around 4 pm before we needed to depart.
I swiftly prepared, as did the others. In the kitchen, I encountered Sharon, along with two German guys, Manu and Fabian, who were also joining us. Additionally, Sharon introduced two more German girls to our group, though regrettably, their names slipped my mind. Nevertheless, their presence added a small element to our story.
We gathered in the kitchen at around 10:30 am. The two German girls had five available spots in their van, and their plan was to drive to Coogee Beach. However, since we were a group of six, we unanimously decided to take the bus while the girls opted for their van. They set off a bit earlier, allowing everyone a bit more time to get ready. By 11 am, we exited the hostel and strolled to Hyde Park, utilizing the quick walkway that Jeong had revealed to us the previous evening. At Hyde Park, we caught the bus to Coogee Beach, guided by Sharon who directed us to the ticket shop and the designated waiting area.
The Hike from Coogee to Bondi Beach
The goal was to embark on a one-way six-kilometer trek from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach, offering breathtaking views of various beaches, cliffs, parks, bays, and landmarks. The journey also allows opportunities for a refreshing swim at any of these picturesque locations. I remain grateful to Sharon for this valuable recommendation to explore the coastal beauty.
Sharon had previously experienced the hike and was well aware of the stunning views it offered. Regrettably, on her last attempt, she encountered pouring rain. Therefore, she was eager to redo the hike on this fine day with great weather. The temperature was pleasantly warm, and the sky was clear with no clouds in sight.
Approximately 40 minutes later, we reached Coogee Beach. While exploring the area, Sharon attempted to reach the two German girls through text messages. As it turned out, the girls had opted for a leisurely day on Coogee Beach rather than participating in the hike. Consequently, they chose not to join us.
Michele, Daniel, Manu, Fabian, Sharon, and I formed the hiking group. Our first stop was Subway, where only Michele and I decided to indulge in a sub. I couldn’t resist getting one for myself.
We proceeded on our journey, enjoying some playful moments along the way. As we reached the first cliff beside Coogee Beach, we were treated to a magnificent view of the cliff adorned with broken rocks. At the Bali Memorial sculpture, we seized the opportunity to capture the beauty of our surroundings in photographs.
Gordons Bay
After another ten minutes, we reached the picturesque Gordons Bay, which brought back memories of my vacation in Anguilla, a Caribbean island. The water was crystal clear, and a few people were enjoying a swim. We found a bench to relax for a while before deciding to take a swim. Climbing onto the rocks, we captured the moment with Daniel’s GoPro camera.
After spending fifteen minutes in the water, I headed back to the beach and started building some sand dams. Building dams on the beach has been an activity from my childhood, often done on the beaches in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Despite Daniel and Fabian making fun of me, I didn’t mind at all, haha. I proudly demonstrated my superb dam-building skills to Michele, the Italian guy, and he showed a lot of interest. We had a great time.
While Michele and I were building sand castles, the three Germans, Daniel, Fabian, and Manu, were constructing dams on an upper part of the beach. As we peacefully built our sand castles, the Germans accumulated water in their dams. When they eventually opened their dams, a substantial stream of water hit our dam, causing it to break and flooding our castles. We all burst into laughter, and I playfully teased the Germans about their nature of destroying things. After enjoying the moment at Gordons Bay, we knew we had quite a walk ahead of us, so we decided to continue our hike.
Clovelly Beach and Waverley Cemetery
Finally, we reached a lengthy cove with a small beach, known as Clovelly Beach. If you’re interested, you can view a high-definition live video stream here. Towards the southern end of the beach, there was a petite competition pool.
From afar, I spotted Waverley Cemetery situated on a rolling hill. The sight resembled something out of a movie to me. In the Netherlands, I would never encounter a cemetery of this kind. Typically, we have small, secluded graveyards with straightforward and orderly pathways. Waverley Cemetery hosts around 90,000 burials, and as of 2015, the cost for a burial certificate with a 25-year tenure is 23,420 AUD.
Our next pause brought us to Waverley Cemetery, where Michele enlightened us on the technique of telling time by observing the sun’s position. I was mildly surprised to realize that the sun was traversing the northern side of the sky, a detail I hadn’t noticed despite being in Australia for three months already, haha.
Bronte Beach
We proceeded with our trek and reached Bronte Beach, featuring an incredible swimming pool. Regrettably, Daniel and I had to press on, as our departure time was drawing near due to the Harbour Bridge climb, and we still had the last leg of our hike ahead. Making a pit stop at the Bronte Beach restroom, we resumed our journey. On the route, we spotted a car with a lock on it, finding it amusing enough to capture in a photo.
In the next half-hour, we traversed Tamarama Beach and a beach at Marks Park. At Marks Park, we captured some last group photos, enjoying a splendid view of Bondi Beach from that vantage point. Each of us took a moment to capture some beautiful shots of the beach. After 15 minutes, we departed from the lookout at Marks Park and descended to Bondi Beach.
Final Moments at Bondi Beach
At Bondi Beach, we discovered a small convenience store, purchased a pack of Cornetto ice creams, and split the costs. I grabbed some donuts, and we all strolled back to the beach. Seating ourselves on the grass, we basked in the sun’s warmth. The temperature was delightful! After a while, at 3:50 pm, Daniel and I had to depart. The others remained on the beach, and we bid our farewells.
The bus was already waiting along the road, and I hurried toward it. Fortunately, we boarded the bus just in time—such luck! Forty-five minutes later, we arrived back in the CBD and returned to the Elephant Backpackers hostel. I intended to change into trousers, anticipating the chill on top of Harbour Bridge. Eventually, we left the hostel around 5:15 pm, aiming to be there by 5:30 pm as we needed to arrive 15 minutes early (the tour was set to start at around 5:55 pm), causing Daniel to feel a bit nervous. As we reached the CBD, his pace quickened, and within 5 minutes, we were jogging through the CBD, heading toward the Harbour Bridge.
Arrival at Harbour Bridge
When we arrived there around 5:45 pm, I was exhausted and tired. We printed our tickets and waited for the tour to begin. The Harbour Bridge night climb cost 200 AUD, and I paid Daniel the money, including two pictures for 30 dollars. You were not allowed to take your own pictures on top of the bridge, in case you would drop your camera/phone. Instead, they would take some poor-quality photos, and you could pay 30 AUD per picture (15 AUD if you pre-purchase online). Alone, there was no way in the world I would do the climb without being able to take pictures with my own camera.
Around 5:55 pm, the crew allowed us to enter the next room. We had to fill in some personal information and sign a form. After that, they required us to put all our belongings in lockers. We were given ugly blue jumpsuits for the tour. They suggested removing our pants because it would become hot, so I did, placing my trousers in the lockers. After that, we all had to go through a security gate and show our arms (for bracelets, watches, that kind of stuff). Nothing was allowed on the bridge except for prescribed glasses. The security was intense. Daniel wanted to smuggle his GoPro with him, and I wanted to smuggle my clip-on camera past the security. I received that camera as a gift from my colleagues at my goodbye party.
Rules and Directions
Ultimately, we both chose not to attempt it because they were very strict, and attempting to sneak our cameras could result in being asked to leave. Following the security check, we received information about the gear and instructions on walking across the bridge. The climb turned out to be straightforward, easy, and secure. The guidance came across as somewhat condescending.
During the climb, you’re securely tethered to the bridge and stairs at all times, ensuring there’s no possibility of falling. The bridge’s width is quite expansive, providing ample space – during my climb, I had an extra two meters on both my left and right sides. Reflecting on it, I couldn’t help but think, ‘If this bridge were in Indonesia, we’d ascend without any suits, freely take pictures, and it would be incredibly affordable.’ Unless you have a physical disability, this climb should not be considered strenuous in any way.
A Walk on Harbour Bridge
Daniel anticipated the Harbour Bridge climb to pose at least a modest challenge. A one-hour hike through a forest in the Netherlands is more demanding. It essentially involves ascending a series of stairs. We only ascended to the top of the bridge, then descended to our starting point via the opposite side of the bridge arm. I don’t mean to sound negative or spoiled, but I am quite frustrated that I wasn’t permitted to take any pictures for the 200 Australian dollars I paid.
The upside was the breathtaking views from the bridge. It felt like I could almost touch the Opera House on my right side. Additionally, the skyline behind us at this point was absolutely stunning! It provided a completely different perspective. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable about everything (we had headsets to hear him). Unfortunately, he fell short in the photography department. At about three-quarters of the stairs, he attempted to take some pictures with a cheap camera on a stand. Unfortunately, the pictures turned out blurry in the end.
Dark Humor Atop the Summit
The redeeming feature of the Harbour Bridge climb lies in the firsthand experience of the breathtaking views. Upon reaching the summit of the bridge, I felt it was the opportune moment for some dark humor. I turned to Daniel and some girls behind us and pointed at the cars driving underneath us: ‘Look at the cars driving below us. If you jump here you have a certain suicide! If the fall doesn’t kill you, a car will finish the job!’, I said. Laughter ensued, and my joke set the stage for others to join in with their own humorous remarks. ‘Only 200 dollars for a suicide, but at least some amazing views before you die’.
Following the tour, we were given the option to select two out of six photos taken during the journey (captured at designated stops). We opted for one featuring Daniel and me together and another with just me. Instead of receiving printed copies, we chose to have them saved on a CD, allowing me the flexibility to make digital adjustments, such as correcting red-eye effects, if needed.
Back to the Hostel
Although I was still a bit disappointed about not being able to take my own pictures, we strolled back to the CBD. Daniel, on the other hand, couldn’t stop talking about the incredible views and remained undeterred. His perpetual optimism made me wish I could adopt a similar mindset instead of being so cynical. I teased the Harbour Bridge climb by playfully mocking it, renaming it a “bridge walk.” When I initially planned my world journey back home, this climb was a must on my bucket list.
Ultimately, I discovered I couldn’t capture my own pictures, leading me to remove it from my list. Despite this, I appreciated Daniel’s encouragement, and in the end, I had no regrets. The images above remain the property of the bridge climb company, even with the additional payment of 15 or 30 dollars per photo. That’s just business! Only the two photos of Daniel and me were taken on this day, while the other photos were captured on different days with similar views.
In the Central Business District (CBD), Daniel and I bought a meal at McDonald’s since we couldn’t locate a Hungry Jack’s for a frozen coke. After McDonald’s, we went back to the hostel and passed the time doing nothing. It was around 2 am when I finally went to bed. It’s strange how I’m consistently the last person to sleep in the dorms. I enjoy watching Lord of the Rings or a TV show. Daniel introduced me to How I Met Your Mother, and I’m hooked now, haha.
