Stale air smothers my skin, choking me in the stifling heat. Sweat beads on my forehead form a river torrent, distributaries cascading down my neck, spine, and across my chest. A shirt long abandoned, my slippery skin clings reluctantly to the car seat, irritable fidgeting gaining me no relief. I roll down the window to invite in some airflow, but there are no RSVPs on this hot summer’s day. All I can do is watch as the temperature display on my dashboard gradually rises. Thirty-four degrees. Thirty-five. Thirty-six.
Low-rise brick buildings, wide windows, car dealerships, and
roller doors – this isn’t the scenery I remember from past trips to Bondi. A
steady flow of traffic in the other direction adds to my confusion, each
passing car seemingly scoffing at me, engines growling as if they know
something I don't. Yet my GPS stays adamant, insisting I continue westwards
down Paramatta Road and onto the M4.
Stretching on for an eternity, the
motorway finally gives way to a sprawling carpark, stranded amongst open
paddocks. There’s no sign of
the Bondi staples— Range Rovers inching into tight beachside spots, backpackers’ vans wedged between surf racks, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons perched outside
trendy cafés. Instead, the lot is packed with Holden Commodores, Ford Falcons,
and Toyota Hiluxes, each proudly displaying Penrith Panthers stickers.
And then it hits me—like a punch to the gut. A damn typo.
One wrong letter. I’m not in Bondi, I’m in bloody Pondi.
Officially known as Penrith Beach, the site was originally a
sand quarry on Nepean Lagoon before a $1.7 million investment transformed it into
a man-made beach in late 2023. A further $2.5 million upgrade then saw it
reopen in December 2024 for an extended summer season, featuring a larger
beach, improved amenities, and enhanced water quality monitoring systems.
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| Penrith Beach |
With temperatures in Sydney’s west often soaring up to 10
degrees hotter than the coast - and many residents more than an hour’s drive
from the ocean - the new beach has been eagerly welcomed as an essential spot for
westies to cool down in the summer.
Lake Paramatta has also been recently upgraded with this in
mind. Here, 40km away in the heart of western Sydney, a small gravely beach
gently slopes into calm water, framed by 73-hectares of native bushland reserve.
Outside the beach’s designated swimming area, people float aimlessly on
inflatable donuts, drift past on swan-shaped pedal boats, and jump in from
rocky edges. Beyond the water, winding
walking trails weave through the bush for a shaded escape into nature.
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| Lake Paramatta |
Until the spots in Penrith and Parramatta opened, the only beach Western Sydneysiders could call their own was the small stretch of sand known as Simmos Beach along the Georges River in Sydney’s outer southwest. Located in the densely populated suburb of Macquarie Fields, the swim spot has long been a locals’ favourite. Since the 1970s, in particular, it has been the centrepiece of a nature reserve, regenerated with native vegetation and complete with walking trails, barbecue facilities, and picnic tables
Still, only small, the beach could never accommodate the crowds that Pondi now
can. And that’s something to appreciate. True, Penrith may be no ocean beach.
No hordes of surfers chasing grand swells — just kayaks and canoes gliding
across the still water. No rows of towels laid out for tanning—but picnic rugs,
barbies, and loaded eskies. No sneaky seagulls swooping for chips – only
ominous crows hovering above.
But despite the mix-up, I find myself drawn to its water just
the same. It’s no Bondi, but the cool,
fresh lagoon beckons me anyway. The water might not have the ocean’s waves or its
crystal-blue colour, but it’s still a relief – something to wash away the heat
on a scorching summer’s day.
Total beaches: 99/179
