THE riverside holds a special attraction for most of us.

Over time this area has changed as needs demanded – remnants of a wooden fence barely showing against a formidable rock base remind me of this.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

High tides coupled with weather events caused the water to wash over our gravel roads at times.

The fence (pictured) was placed to help hold the banks and as a youngster in the ‘40s and ‘50s I remember it well.

In 1941 a proposal put to council to build a rock wall had been rejected on account of cost, so the ‘Tea Gardens and District Tourist and Development League’ suggested that to prevent further erosion the work could be carried out using condemned poles and sleepers, with silt from the dredging deposited behind them.

This wall needed to be strengthened again after 1946 and the open drains along the streets needed constant attention.

At king tides the salt water still flows along the drains of Hough and Ogden streets – but now it is well contained.

The slight undulations of the ground do make a difference: the Catholic Church is built on a slight rise whereas the Anglican Church on the corner of Witt and Ogden streets has been subject to flooding in days gone by.

A story written by the late Rex Hill tells of his parents’ wedding held at the Anglican Church on 16 April 1927.

There had been weeks of torrential rain as well as king tides in the river prior to this important occasion – the bridal party and the guests had to use rowing boats to access the church!

Although the floor of the church remained dry, the congregation members had bare feet, ready to return to their boats to attend the reception at the bride’s home, ‘Beulah’, on the riverfront.

The groom’s family could not make the service because the ferry could not cross the raging Karuah River.

This was the same weather event in which Myall Point was washed away, with some houses being lost.

One of these belonged to our Patron, Owen Holbert’s great-grandfather, who then settled on Corrie Island.

Owen’s grandfather settled at Limekilns, where Owen still lives – at that time it was known as Holbert Town.

Over many years the council has constructed rock walls along the banks of the river, most noticeable where the river is deeper and the current stronger at Tea Gardens.

Some of the rocks strewn along the foreshore are from the ships unloading ballast – an easily seen area is opposite the laundromat.

The house next door to the laundromat was originally Holbert’s Refreshment Rooms – more history!

A feeling of nostalgia comes over me when I see the little jelly blubbers washed up on the shore as they always have been.

So much has changed – much of it for the better.

By Anne JOHNSON, Tea Gardens Family Research and Local History Inc.