Sydney Shows Way In Beach Popularity

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 698, 25 June 1929, Page 16

Sydney Shows Way In Beach Popularity

LESSON FOR AUCKLAND TAKAPUNA MAYOR’S VISIT Greatly impressed by the manner in which Sydney's suburban municipalities have exploited the beaches under their control, Mr. J. W. Williamson, Mayor of Takapuna, returns to Auckland after a holiday spent in Australia with many ideas for the advancement of Auckland in general and Takapuna in particular. Mr. Williamson is convinced that citizens fail to realise what splendid assets Milford and Takapuna beaches are. That the importance of such marine attractions is not overlooked in Sydney was proved to his satisfaction when he inspected the work being done by the Waverley Municipal Council at Bondi. There an immense building had been erected to cater for pleasure-seekers. It included a cabaret, bathing-sheds, a restaurant and the scheme included broad concrete approaches and esplanade promenades. "The municipality of Rockdale, seven miles from Sydney, last year erected bathing sheds and a sharkproof fence on the Botany Bay beach frontage,” continued Mr. Williamson. “The structure is of substantial construction and costing £30,000. The dressing-sheds contain 1,520 lockers and 122 cabins. The area enclosed by the shark-proof fence is three and a-half acres, including three-quarters of an acre of fine, sandy beach. Around the top of the fence is a promenade varying in width from 12 to 24ft and extending for a distance of 350 ft out into Botany Bay, where the council has constructed a large landing wharf from which a steamer plys to Kurnell. From a diving tower 30ft high, swimmers can plunge into 15ft of water and swim about in perfect safety from sharks.” FINANCIAL SUCCESS Through the courtesy of the Mayor, Alderman E. G. Barton, incidentally the youngest Mayor in Australia, Mr. Williamson was shown over the structure on June 13 and was much impressed at its completeness and the financial results since the opening on September 8, 1928, a period of eight months. It appears that 460,553 persons had passed through the turnstiles and the gate receipts totalled £5,355 16s 3d. The total receipts were £7,733 16s Sd. The expenditure totalled £2,067 Is 4d and £1,500 was put aside for depreciation. Mr. Williamson fully realised that population was a great factor in the popularity of beaches, but all the Sydney resorts were well patronised. For instance, Bondi Surf Club sheds in five months had an attendance of 126,260 persons, Bondi swimming baths eight months, 59,135, Manly baths, six months, 52,852 and Cronulia, farther away than Rockdale, in seven months had an attendance of 38,153. On one holiday at Rockdale baths over 16,000 paid for admission.