Heritage award for Daleys Point man

Daleys Point resident Mr Bob Fitzgerald was awarded an Excellence in Interpretation Projects award at Gosford Council's inaugural Gosford City Heritage Awards held on Thursday, May 2.

Mr Fitzgerald won the award for the writing, direction and production of the documentary film Ettalong Beach, Then and Now which was shown for the first time at the Ettalong Festival last year.

The Gosford City Heritage Awards were designed to acknowledge the efforts of those who actively conserve heritage as well as educate and promote heritage and history within the Gosford LGA.

The awards also formed part of celebrations for Australian Heritage Week and the National Trust Heritage Festival 2013.

Gosford mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna said the Heritage Awards showed the number of dedicated individuals focused on the preservation of local history.

"These awards give us a chance to publicly thank the individuals and organisations that invest their time and skills into caring for and preserving our heritage.

"We were blown away by the number and quality of entries, especially as this is the Heritage Awards' inaugural year.

"Some of the award recipients have made movies, written books and even established museums all devoted to documenting and educating people about our heritage.

"Congratulations to all of the deserving award winners for your outstanding contribution to our city," mayor Cr McKinna said.

Ettalong Beach, Then and Now came about after Mr Fitzgerald, a local corporate video director and television commercial producer, was asked by the Ettalong Beach Festival organisers if he would make a film about Ettalong for the 2012 Ettalong Festival.

"While I've lived in the area for over 18 years, I had little knowledge about the area's rich history," said Mr Fitzgerald.

"It was a fascinating journey in making the film as we uncovered so many interesting stories about the town and the area.

"We interviewed over 50 people on camera from age eight to 95, each having a story to tell and we wove that into the film," said Mr Fitzgerald.

The film tells the story about the 1927 fire that all but wiped out the town, the connection of the town in the 1930s with Sydney's underbelly, the sea planes reputedly smuggling cocaine that landed at Half Tide Rocks, the time that the Bee Gees played at the pub, the car that drove on water making deliveries for a pharmacy and the WWII airstrip that later became Trafalgar Ave.

"In making the film, I tried to get an understanding of what the economic basis of the town was in the past," said Mr Fitzgerald.

"I learned that 70 years ago businesses and people in Ettalong Beach and Woy Woy were a tough enterprising lot.

"They had to be to survive.

"I think in those days business really worked well together for their common good, much more so than they do today," said Mr Fitzgerald.

Ettalong Beach Business Group president Ms Jeanette Polley has also congratulated Mr Fitzgerald on his award.

"The award for Excellence in Interpretation Projects recognises the fine work Bob did on writing, directing and producing the Ettalong Beach, Then and Now film.

The film was an initiative of the Business Group designed to ensure that the history of Ettalong Beach is preserved for future generations.

"We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the film including those who offered vivid memories and volunteers from the Group who assisted Bob in the making of the film," said Ms Polley.

Copies of the film can be ordered at That Swimwear Place, Ettalong Beach, or by phoning Lyn on 0419 226 385.

Media Release, 3 May 2013

Gosford Council Media

Email, 3 May 2013

Bob Fitzgerald, Daleys Point

Email, 9 May 2013

Jeanette Polley, Ettalong Beach Business Group