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From abandoned shop to tribute site
A boarded-up storefront in central Sydney has become an unlikely sanctuary for mementos left after the 14 December attack at Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives. While the exterior remains sealed with plastic sheeting and a padlock, the interior now holds a meticulously arranged collection of stuffed toys, candles, handwritten notes, and other tokens of grief.
Community steps in to save memorial
The Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Jewish Historical Society intervened after learning the local council planned to remove the makeshift memorial. Volunteers transferred thousands of items to the shop, organizing them into taped-off sections on the floor. Among them: dozens of knitted and plush bees, a tribute to 10-year-old Matilda Bee, the youngest victim.
Other sections contain deflated foil balloons, Jewish mourning stones, flags, books, and even a Barbie cracker. Families who found Bondi's vigils too overwhelming have visited the quieter space to reflect. "Seeing everything laid out helped them process the scale of the loss," said Shannon Biederman, senior curator at the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Personal connections drive preservation
For Biederman, the work is deeply personal. Her family had planned to attend the Chanukah by the Sea festival targeted in the attack but changed their plans at the last minute. They also knew Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the victims. "I work in a Holocaust museum, so I'm familiar with Jewish suffering," she said. "But this is different-it's now, and it's happening to us."
Flowers pose unique challenge
Preserving the three tonnes of flowers left at the Bondi Pavilion proved especially difficult. Volunteers transported the bouquets to a North Sydney warehouse, where they hung them on metal fences to dry. The process was emotionally and physically taxing: the sheer volume of flowers created a risk of compost fires, while the pollen forced workers to wear masks. "It was like being inside a perfume shop-overwhelming," said Nina Sanadze, the Melbourne artist who led the effort.
Even after the council's cleanup began, mourners continued leaving flowers. Volunteers collected them nightly to prevent them from being discarded. Sanadze plans to repurpose the stalks into compost and furniture, while salvaged rose petals will be embedded in resin artwork. "There's decay and sadness, but also beauty," she said. "It's not perfect, but it tells the story of heartbreak and love."
Nationwide remembrance and next steps
On Thursday, landmarks across Australia will be lit in tribute, and a minute of silence will honor the victims. Citizens are encouraged to perform a mitzvah-an act of kindness-to foster unity after the attack. While artists have proposed ideas for a permanent memorial, a committee will make the final decision. Sanadze has already chosen a title for her project: "Petal by Petal," reflecting both the methodical preservation process and her own emotional journey.
"Flowers speak of human fragility, but they have no language-everyone understands them."
Nina Sanadze, Artist
