The former Bronte tram line branched from the North Bondi via Bondi Junction line at Bondi Junction, running down Bronte Road and MacPherson Street to Bronte Beach. A feature of this line was the final approach to Bronte Beach in a rock cutting parallel to the Pacific Ocean. The line opened to Waverley in 1890, then to Bronte in 1911. Electric services started to Waverley in 1902, then Bronte in 1911. Through services ran from Circular Quay or Railway Square. The line was closed in 1960 and replaced by a bus service that follows the route between Bronte and Bondi Junction of bus 440 and from early 2018 route 379.
Heritage listings
Bronte has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
470 Bronte Road: Bronte House
St Thomas Street: Waverley Cemetery
Demographics
According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 6,733 residents in Bronte. In Bronte, 62.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were England 7.9%, New Zealand 2.6%, United States of America 1.5% and South Africa 1.5%. 78.8% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included French at 2.0%. The most common responses for religion No Religion 38.6%, Catholic 24.8% and Anglican 12.3%.
Culture
In recent years Bronte's eating scene has developed, with the introduction of several popular restaurants in Macpherson St.
Sport and recreation
Bronte has an important surfing culture. The Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club was founded in 1903 and claims to be the oldest surf lifesaving club in the world. An annual long-distance ocean swimming event is held in December each year between Bondi Beach and Bronte. Bronte is represented in one of the most popular sporting competitions across Australia, the National Rugby League competition, by the local team the Sydney Roosters, officially the Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club. The Bronte Splashers Winter Swimming Club claims to be the oldest Winter Swimming club in the world founded in 1921 compete against Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club, South Maroubra Dolphins Winter Swimming Club, Cronulla Polar Bears Winter Swimming Club, Maroubra Seals Winter Swimming Club, Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club, Clovelly Eskimos Winter Swimming Club, Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club, Wollongong Whales and Cottesloe Crabs in the Winter Swimming Association of Australia Championships
Notable residents
Dave Brown described by football historians as ‘the Bradman of Rugby League’ was raised near Bronte Beach where his parents operated the dressing sheds. His father, Denis ‘Dinny’ Brown was Waverley Council’s first lifeguard.
Ryan Clark, former child actor best known for playing Sam Marshall in Home and Away, was raised in Bronte and still lives there with his family. He left the show in 2001 and is now a Waverley Council lifeguard.
Heath Ledger, Academy Award-winning actor, lived in Bronte from 2004 until 2006 when he sold his house due to intense bombardment from paparazzi.