2021

The space we now know as the Bondi Pavilion Theatre was once a grand ballroom. In the rear corner of the theatre are three murals which offer a glimpse into what this ballroom may have looked like.

Operating as The Esplanade from the 1920s-40s, the space was a much-loved and frequented part of Bondi’s cultural scene and the site of many dances. During World War II it became ‘The Bondi Beach Club’ when Volunteer Defence Corps occupied the Bondi Pavilion hosting dance events for enlisted men.

Very little is known about the three murals. They are unsigned by the original artist and it is unclear when they were painted, although the style recalls periods from before World War II up to the 1950s.

While the Bondi Pavilion Theatre operated from 1974-2019, one of the murals was partly visible behind Perspex from the rear raked seating. During the 2020-2022 Restoration and Upgrade, two adjacent murals featuring a tap dancer and hula girl were uncovered.

The three murals were assessed by specialist conservators and a decision was made to conserve any imagery that was uncovered. Evidence-based interpretation was used to finish the works.

Over a four-month period, specialists from International Art Services carefully removed layers of paint. Using the small amount of original paint that was found, designs were traced onto mylar.

Conservators then worked to solve the puzzle of what the original work might have been, joining the elements to create a plausible interpretation of the original artworks. Structural cracks had to repaired through this process, while bronze-finished elements were recreated as gilt outlines.

Courtesy Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects.