‘This is our church’: A multitude of Surf lifesavers Gather to Honour Attack Victims.

Standing silently at the ocean on Bondi shoreline, side by side with hundreds of other volunteers, Lockie Cook opened up to the pain of a area's deeply distressing week in recent history.

“It feels like my defences are coming down,” he said.

Volunteer lifeguards came together in large numbers on that morning to hold two minutes of silence and honour those who died in Sunday’s attack.

From the very young to the elderly, alongside friends and neighbours dressed in their iconic colours embraced one another, forming a line extending from the famous shoreline's north side toward its south end.

“The big thing to emerge from this tragedy is just the extent that this community means to me,” he said.

“This is our church … It is vital we come together again and truly recover.”

A Time of Quiet Contemplation

At 8.15am, the two minutes’ silence was initiated by a man at the beach’s main patrol tower, around which had been laid clusters of floral memorials.

“A short time can be a very long time but I urge you to reflect,” he advised.

“Join hands with the person next to you, close your eyes and remember the those who are suffering so we can grow back stronger for this community.”

Attendees stared at their feet or to the distance as residents, visitors and officials observed. The sole audible things were the ocean's rhythm, a lone dog’s bark and a overhead rescue helicopter, which flew along the shore as the quiet ended.

Healing on the Shore

Friends and families slowly hugged one another and cheer their companions at the opposite end of the beach as applause erupted from the assembled community.

This was just the latest instance of the volunteers working to unite the beachgoers this difficult period, stated one man, a local of the beach's north side and a first responder on that fateful day.

“Today I just feel the compassion and solidarity,” commented the individual, who wished to remain anonymous.

Having lived at Bondi for decades, he took part in the community swim on in the days after and has focused on healing on the beach as his own.

“It was like taking ownership back, it’s cathartic,” he added.

The Guiding Spirit of Lifesaving

Gene Ross, a longtime trainer, spent the period of reflection next to his just-trained son, considering the togetherness his club had demonstrated in the days following Sunday.

“Carrying out the violence here … invited Australia to rally behind the individuals affected.”

Hundreds of rescuers shared tears and smiles together as they walked back in the direction of their clubs and through the park where their fellow members saved lives on Sunday.

A significant number lingered at the beach, ready to come to the aid of people going back into the ocean.