Waves, wind, water, sun, sand, surf, forest, back beach, southerly busters, cyclone surf, east coast lows, chilly winter mornings, no one else on the beach, hinterland swimming holes, fishing, diving, whales and dolphins, a few quiet beers, local produce, season’s first lake prawns, mangoes, avocados up north.
Hi All,
Welcome to Coastbeat.
Alum Mountain sits as silent sentinel to the beginning of the North Coast, new licence, Datsun 120Y, first trip up the coast, 5 to 6 hours from Sydney to Seal Rocks. Number One Beach is pumping when we arrive, no one’s out, too big and rough. Young and fearless, we paddle out, spectators line the point… 39 years pass, now the North Coast is our home.
How the coast has changed in those few years. My cousin Charlie always said the story of the coast was, first the fishermen, then the surfers and finally the real estate agents. When my dad first drove from Sydney to Noosa for the winter sun just after the war, there were no bridges across the rivers, just punts. Now it won’t be long till the Pacific Coast Motorway joins Sydney to Brisbane. This improvement in access is generally good, however we will need to be continually vigilant if we wish to retain the unique character of the North Coast and avoid the congestion and pitfalls of urban living, such as timed paid parking at Wategos.
I love surfing, fishing, kayaking, exploring adventure trails and getting comfortable with living in the outdoors. I love the nature of the coast – the birds, dolphins, fish, turtles and even the myriad of insects and their cacophony.
The coast with its small villages and towns is still capable of providing that valuable sense of community, where people can feel that they belong and their efforts are recognised. That is in essence what Coastbeat is about. We are working on creating a platform in both print and digital where our Cb community can communicate, share and learn more about our fabulous coast.
My company Gowings is pleased to be the founding sponsor of Coastbeat because we have a significant stake in the North Coast through the ownership of our Pacific Coast Community Hubs.
Supporting the locals by showcasing their work, creating jobs for the area and care for our environment form key motives behind creating Coastbeat.
I hope you enjoy Cb community and I encourage you to sign up and keep your finger on the pulse of the coast.
Heartfelt thanks to all those who have contributed and helped pull Coastbeat together. We look forward to continuing support from locals and businesses within our community.
For the Coast,
John