Bondi Junction attack: Tears flow as shopping centre opens its doors after stabbing massacre

Tears flowed freely as Westfield’s Bondi Junction shopping centre opened its doors for a day of reflection, nearly a week after it was the scene of a stabbing massacre that left six people dead and 12 others in hospital.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Karen Webb on Thursday morning toured the eerily quiet shopping centre as members of the public also took the opportunity to pay their respects to the victims, leaving wreaths and flowers.

The first few dozen people were utterly quiet as the centre opened at 11am. Many were in tears and hugging as they lined up to sign a condolence book.

The shops at the centre remained closed for the solemn event but most are set to reopen on Friday.

Lifeline workers and counsellors were among those who stood in silence before a floral tribute.

Six people were killed and at least 12 injured when mentally ill Joel Cauchi, 40, launched his knife frenzy on Saturday afternoon in the packed shopping centre.

New mother Ash Good, architect and mother of two Jade Young, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, Dawn Singleton, the daughter of millionaire businessman John Singleton, artist Pikria Darchia, and security guard Faraz Tahir all lost their lives in the 15-minute stabbing frenzy that shocked the world.

Mum of four Tzippy Clifford, 38, hugged her wriggling daughter Lucia, and said she had come for the day of reflection ahead of her first shift back at the Lorna Jane store on Friday to try to be emotionally ready.

“I wasn’t here when it happened but I was here earlier on Saturday and it was just busy because it was the first day of school holidays,” she said.

“I come here almost every day.

“You can’t help but think of those poor women.

“It just makes you think it could have been you, it could have been any of us.”

For Bondi Junction GP Trevor Tingate, the events of Saturday brought back uncomfortable memories of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 where he had been working as a doctor at a hospital in Hobart.

Dr Tingate was just outside the doors of the centre on Saturday afternoon when Joel Cauchi’s attack began and had offered to help but not been allowed by police to go inside.

“I understand why they said I couldn’t come in but it’s a shame, I would have liked to have been able to help,” he told The Nightly.

He said he had not yet been contacted by any patients seeking treatment for stress after the events on Saturday but he expected this to change in coming days.

“It reminds me of what it was like,” in Tasmania after the Port Arthur massacre in which a gunman killed 35 people, including women and children.

“People are shaken, they feel unsettled, they don’t feel safe,” he said.

“This is a big thing to have happened here.

“I think it will be a long time before people are able to move on from it.”

Returning to the centre on Thursday for the day of reflection, he said it was a “weird” feeling to be back there.

“I know so many people who work here because of my work and some of them don’t want to come back to work tomorrow,” he said.

It was hoped the event would mark a beginning for the healing process, said Kellie Sloane, the State member for Vaucluse, who was visiting with NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman.

“This place is at the heart of our community,” she told The Nightly.

“It’s where we come to shop, to buy birthday presents and gather with our friends, which many were doing on Saturday when this horror unfolded.

“We hope that by being here today and having this gentle, quiet reopening, it gives people a chance to begin to recover and to heal.”

The Scentre Group, which owns and operates the shopping centre, said there would be no retail trade on Thursday but shops would open for business on Friday with an increased police and security presence.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.

Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to headspace.org.au.