In 1950s Bondi, before the cappuccinos and celebrities, a red-haired chatterbox lived in a three-storey block of flats where cockroaches ruled and children were meant to do chores. Through young Deb’s eyes, we discover a working-class beach suburb full of colourful characters – from coke delivery men to spinster neighbours, from shark-hunting fishermen to chess-playing Russian migrants.

From falling out of her father’s car to bravely squeezing through milk boxes to rescue elderly neighbours, from playground politics to the terrifying Cuban Missile Crisis, these vivid vignettes capture a vanished era when children roamed free and Bondi was rough around the edges.

When a headmistress of her posh school cruelly tells Deb to “get back to Bondi where you belong,” the sting becomes inspiration. Mackenzie’s stories shimmer with salt spray, emotional power, and the bittersweet journey of finding where you truly belong – whether catching your first wave on a Dunlop Surfo or watching crabs around the rockpools.
This tender, funny, and ultimately triumphant memoir celebrates the enduring spirit of place and proves that you can take the kid out of Bondi, but you can never take Bondi out of the kid. This book is for anyone who has had a childhood, no matter where they grew up, and identifying the places that matter.

Available through Amazon, Woollahra Bookshop, and Cheeky Parrot Press.