“Winter in Sydney is like summer in London, but without the rain.” I remember reading that somewhere before I moved from London to Sydney (for the first time) in 1999. Okay, it’s an exaggeration, but on a winter’s day such as this one, with cloudless skies and temps of 20deg Celsius, it’s hard to argue!
One of my favourite things to do on a day like this is walk by the ocean. I live only a 10-minute walk from Bronte Beach, so it’s often where I start off.

An empty life guard station.
The walk from home to beach takes me along Bronte Gully, a small slice of regenerated wilderness following the path of a stream down the hill to the beach. In summer, it’s a cool, shady respite from the heat.

Bronte Gully – the pond above the waterfall.

Bronte Gully – the waterfall.
Surfers and swimmers must share the beach with seagulls.

Seagulls on the edge of the shallow pool formed by rocks.

The seagulls don’t seem very bothered by the surf breaking behind them.

I love the simple contrasts of blue, green and white in this photo.
At the south end of the beach is the swimming pool, washed by the waves. Walking along the shore to the swimming pool, you’ll find rock pools, their trapped waters reflecting everything around them.

Trapped water reflects sky and rocks.

Striated rocks below the edge of the swimming pool.
The swimming pool looks out to the ocean, and on days with less calm waters the waves crash over the sides and onto the swimmers.

An infinity of water, in the pool and in the ocean.
And, of course, Bronte is one of Sydney’s prime surfing spots.

Surfers in their wet suits look like seals bobbing in the passing swells.
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