Early Days at the Beach

The four pictures reproduced on these pages are from an album of the Gisborne 30,000 Club, an organisation which in its day has done much for the development of Gisborne. Two of the club's major projects were the development of the present motor camp at Waikanae Beach, and the opening up of the Midway beach area near the old gaol.

The Club sought and obtained permission from the Railways Department to improve an eight-acre block to the rear of the beach promenade and buildings.

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The area is seen above in 1937. Unemployed labour was used to level and set out the area, and in conjunction with the Beach Improvement Society and the Beautifying Society, a major step was taken in the creation of the beach amenities as they are today.

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The result shows in the picture taken in 1940.

With this work well launched, the 30,000 Club turned its attention to the beach area further to the west. Mr Alf Cox was the man who saw that unless the block of land on the city side of the gaol, at the end of Salisbury Road, was secured for public use, access might be denied the public. With his own money he purchased the three-acre block, which the owner, Mrs Smith (Miss Tucker) made available at a nominal price, and the land was transferred to the Borough Council. Members of the 30,000 Club hired a bulldozer for a week at their own expense, and the section was levelled (above) and a road started. Prominent members who did much for the work of the 30,000 Club in such public-spirited projects as these were Alf Cox, Jim Chrisp, Dr Rice, Brian Bree and the late Ralph Morse.

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The Beach Improvement Society was responsible for the development of the promenade and adjacent areas. This picture shows the Beach in 1940.