HANDS OFF THE BEACH!
Balmoral Beach has to be the ultimate in fun for kids during the school holidays – scooting along the promenade, making friends with dogs, chasing seagulls, paddling and getting one’s clothes wet. Wonderfully simple, timeless activities which children have been enjoying for centuries. It’s even unnecessary (at the moment with our free parking) to have to dip into one’s pockets, except to buy the odd ice cream or drink.
History tells us that if the public had not rallied in the 1930s, there may have been a fenced-off area the full length of Edwards Beach which would have been revenue producing, with admission being charged to swimmers wishing to avail themselves to six acres of shark proof water.
There was public opposition to this council initiative and the outcry from residents was deafening :-
HANDS OFF THE BEACH! HANDS OFF THE BEACH!!
The protest was led by Julian Howard Ashton, a son of Julian Ashton, “We are not hostile to the Council. We are opposed to any scheme which will fence off the beach against the public.”
A compromise was reached in 1935 when the council accepted a tender for the steel net enclosure to be suspended between the Island and a tripod opposite the northern edge of the Pavilion.
A good model of ‘People Power’ and ‘Democracy in Action’.
For the love of Mosman– Claire
For information as to how you can play a part re Keeping Mosman Independent and therefore maintaining our favourite beach as it is, visit:-MAFA website, Mosman Against Forced Amalgamation. mafa2016.wordpress.com
