Ettalong in the 50s

Usually my inspiration to write comes when I am out running.

So, today I am running south along The Esplanade and what do I see?

Well, some twit has carved their name in the railing attached to that brand new platform recently constructed by Gosford Council at Ettalong.

Some of the shrubs have also been stolen leaving tell-tale holes and once again there is graffiti on the toilet block.

But wait there's more!

A couple of smashed bottles and fast food wrappers were scattered in the carpark even though a wheelie bin is located only a few metres away.

How awful and depressing.

Well, let us go back to the 50s: Lots of mums and dads having a drink or two on the veranda of Bannets Hotel right on the beachfront, now occupied by a motel.

It was a splendid building with a wide veranda which gave a wonderful view along the entire beach and across to Wagstaffe and beyond.

Families would be picnicking on the grassed areas and at the same time keeping a watchful eye on the kids playing in the shallows.

Just along The Esplanade you could hire rubber tyres, floats and canoes from Barney Tessup who did a roaring trade during the summer months.

Where the beer garden of the resort is now located was a wonderful milk bar which as far as I can recall was owned by the Iffland family who later acquired the boatshed next to the wharf used by the Palm Beach Ferry.

The milk bar had these wonderful mirrors and plaster mermaids behind the counter and along the walls.

I am sure that if the cafe still existed today it would be heritage classified; similar to the Paragon Milk Bar at Katoomba, minus the chocolates of course.

No one knew anything about skin cancer in those days so Skol was about the only product on the market for sunburn apart from pink zinc which made you look rather ridiculous.

Some teenage girls used lashings of coconut oil which only accelerated the cooking process.

I was soon brought out of my reverie by a middle-aged couple leaving the viewing platform.

They thought that the view across to Wagstaffe and the bay was fantastic.

Indeed it was but as I pointed out to them that view had always been there but nowadays was mainly obstructed by a wall of weeds and shrubs of dubious origin.

All we need is an attractive and stable rock wall, grassy banks and some aesthetically pleasing picnic tables or shelter sheds to not only capitalise on our bountiful asset, but also encourage tourism.

I am positive that our visitors, particularly those from overseas, will be gobsmacked by that wonderful view.

Fred Landman, Daley's Point