Words and photos by Dan d'Auvergne. Facts checked 17 October 2026.
Sculpture by the Sea is on the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk until Monday 2 November. I walked it on opening Saturday, and the walk itself is the easy part. The hard parts are timing it around the crowds and getting there without circling for a park. Here's what I'd do.
For the art itself, Art Fairs has the full photo walk: 15 works at Marks Park with every artist credited and linked, plus the Sweethearts installation. See the 15 works on Art Fairs
Whales: go early
Humpbacks are heading south past Bondi right now. NSW National Parks says the southern migration runs from July to November, and spring is when mothers come close to shore with their calves.
- 7am to 9am. I'm seeing whales from the walk most mornings at the moment, around Marks Park. It's also the only time the path is properly quiet.
- Late morning to early afternoon. Parks Australia's tip, because there's less glare off the water. It's where the 11am and 3pm suggestions you see online come from.
- Calm days beat any hour. Blows and splashes are much easier to spot on flat water.
- Where: Marks Park at Mackenzies Point, halfway along the walk. Bring binoculars, and stay at least 5 metres back from cliff edges, as NSW National Parksadvises.
The local's morning: whales from 7am, the sculptures before the crowds, a coffee, then the artist talks from 10am.
Getting there: leave the car at home
Around 450,000 people are expected over the 18 days, and parking around Bondi fills early on weekends. Transport for NSW and the organisers both say public transport is the way to go.
Pick your end of the walk
- Bondi end: start at Notts Avenue, next to Icebergs, and walk south.
- Tamarama end: start near Pacific Avenue and walk north.
- Marks Park, where most of the action is, sits roughly halfway.
- On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, foot traffic on the walk runs one way, with security directing the crowd.
By train and bus
- From the city: route 333 runs from Circular Quay to Bondi Beach via Bondi Junction, stopping on Elizabeth Street at Martin Place, St James and Museum.
- Faster option: a T4 train from Central, Town Hall or Martin Place to Bondi Junction, then a bus to the beach. On the M1 Metro, change at Martin Place.
- To the Tamarama end: extra route 381 loop buses run between Bondi Junction and Tamarama daily, 9.15am to 6.50pm.
- To North Bondi: extra route 380 buses run between Bondi Junction and North Bondi about every 10 minutes, 10am to 5pm.
- From Coogee and Bronte: route 362 runs on weekends only, with extra buses every 15 minutes between 10am and 6pm.
- Walk from Bondi Junction if you're comfortable with the distance. The organisers suggest it to skip the bus queues.
- Tap on and off with Opal or a contactless card or phone.
Getting home: catch the 333 or 380 from Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach, or the 381 or 362 from Tamarama Marine Drive.
If you have to drive
- Special event clearways apply on all three weekends (17 and 18 Oct, 24 and 25 Oct, 31 Oct and 1 Nov): Bondi Road (7am to 2pm and 12pm to 7pm, on different sections) and the eastern side of Campbell Parade (8am to 4pm). They are strict no-parking zones, even with a mobility permit, and cars get towed. If yours is towed, call 132 701.
- Notts Avenue is closed to traffic 7.30am to 6.30pm every day of the show. Kenneth Street, Fletcher Street, Marks Lane and several streets near Tamarama are closed or one-way too. See the road closure map (PDF).
- Taxi or rideshare: arrange your drop-off and pick-up away from the beach. There's a permanent taxi rank at Bondi Junction.
Go on a weekday if you can. The organisers and Transport for NSW both say weekends are far busier.
Access: the organisers publish an easy route around Marks Park for people who'd rather avoid stairs and long distances, with accessible toilets nearby. Easy walking routes and map
Free artist talks this weekend
The talks are free and run each weekend between 10am and 3pm, at the work being discussed. The day's schedule is on the blue Aqualand Artist Talks boards along the walk.
| Time | Artist | Where | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10am | Nigel Dobson | Marks Park | 37 |
| 10.30am | Procrastinatedon | Marks Park | 41 |
| 11am | Dominique Sutton | Marks Park | 40 |
| 11.30am | Malcom Bywaters | Gaerloch Ave | 69 |
| 1pm | Gleb Dusavitskiy | Gaerloch Ave | 76 |
| 2pm | Nenad Milovanović | Marks Park | 25 |
The opening weekend schedule is shown above. Check the official artist talks page for the next program before you go.
Five to find at Marks Park
A taste of what's there. All 15 works I photographed, with artist links, are on Art Fairs.
Don't walk past Sweethearts
On the grass at Marks Park are 60 pastel concrete hearts, one for every woman killed by violence in Australia so far this year. Each is carved with a line people use to excuse that violence, like He was drunk or She coulda left. It's the work that stopped me in my tracks. Flim Flam Studio made it with Women's Community Shelters, and all profits go to the shelters. sweetheartsgraveyard.com
Plan your trip
Checked 17 October 2026 against the official Sculpture by the Sea website, Transport for NSW, NSW National Parks, Parks Australia and the Sweethearts website. Whale sightings are never guaranteed and conditions change; this isn't safety advice, so follow signs and staff on the day. Photos by Dan d'Auvergne of works by the artists named, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2026.