Our Seaside Resorts Evans Head
Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star, Thursday 11 February 1915
It has oft-times been said how fortunate people on the Richmond River are in having so many seaside resorts to choose from during the hot weather. As the population increases, and the popularity for certain places causes a congestion at many times by being overcrowded, other places get their turn. The Brunswick Heads has become very fashionable through so many residents having fine cottages of their own, and New Brighton as an auxiliary is looking up splendidly. Ballina finds favor with a great many, and from it Skennar’s and Lennox Head are getting their coterie of patrons. The extreme southerly resort is Evans Head, and the writer having a few days to spare for visiting this place was highly delighted with its facilities. To those who have not motors there is a very fine boat service down the river, which is an extremely pleasant way of getting to Woodburn. Going down by Davis Bros. boat Woodburn was reached, and the writer not having been there for many years it was indeed a great surprise to note to what an extent the town had stretched on both sides of the river, and what fine business buildings as well as artistic and comfortable residences were to be seen. It has been said that the name of this place should have been “Gollanburn,” so associated with it from the very start has the family of Gollans been. The old two-storey homestead still stands on the northern side, and nearby the old building used as a post office, adjacent are the very fine, up-to-date residences of Messrs. D.H. and B. Gollan. On the south side on the site of the hotel for so many years kept by Murray and Tyler (where there are many recollections of the old coaching days when the Clarence was the main route to Sydney) now stands a fine two-story structure, the host and hostess of which are Mr. and Mrs. Clardelli, the former a noted musician, and the latter a member of one of the pioneer families of the lower river. A little farther down stands another hotel kept by the Nolan family.
Leaving Woodburn for Evans Head, a distance of seven miles, the road runs almost by a bee line through heath now bright with Christmas bells, but earlier in the season is said to be a blaze of color with the bloom of the purple and yellow heath.
A part of this road through a sandy patch has been a great deterrent to motor and vehicular traffic, but the Shire Council are remedying matters, and improvements are almost completed. When the work is finished the residents will be able to say they have absolutely the finest stretch of road in the district. Reaching the Heads after a pleasant drive one comes to the boarding house kept by Mr. James Paddon, of rowing fame, and Mrs. Paddon, whose skill in cooking the fine fish caught cannot be excelled. Most interesting was a chat with Mr. Paddon on the trip home, and pride of place is given in the sitting room to the magnificent “Referee” Challenge Cup for the Australian sculling championship which he holds, and which is kept in a large square glass box. It is without a doubt a fine cup typically Australian, of massive silver with gold castings on an ebony stand with the top which forms a rose bowl, being shaped by a waratah and bird by sculls, etc. Very proud is of the highly polished rowing boat presented to him in England, and many other articles of interest. The river runs just below the house, and the surf is only a short distance down. Shady trees reach almost to the water’s edge, and bathing and surfing can easily be indulged in. Mr. Paddon has several brothers who are with him in fishing and looking after the oyster beds. A motor boat goes out for schnapper and other deep sea fish. An amount of large succulent oysters are to be had at any time, also lobsters and crayfish, the lobster pots always being kept baited. A delighted change on the warm evenings is to get out in the boats to see net fishing. On the particular evening the writer went out it was dark, but by some peculiar phenomema during the dry or hot weather the water and sand is full of phosphorus, and the effect on the bar as the breakers came in was indescribably beautiful, and gave the appearance of flashlight after flashlight. As the big fish jumped in the water the effect was the same, but it was in seeing the nets hauled in that the excitement for visitors came, and as the result baskets of whiting, tailer, bream, mullet, etc. were caught. The smaller fish were thrown back into the water, but it was easily to be seen what quantities of fish are to be caught at Evans Heads not only in the nets but by lines. The river which seems to come from nowhere is about 40 miles long, and is a fine stretch of water for the whole distance. Several fine vineyards are along the banks, and many excursion trips are taken in the motor boat. Mr. Paddon also looks after the post office the mails coming daily and the telephone exchange. Mr. A. C. Barry, of Broadwater Mill, has an ideal residence erected for this summer with all up-to-date modern comforts. Mr. E. Yeager, Oakland, has his own comfortable cottage. Mrs. L. L. Cope’s cottage, which she was occupied for many summers till this, is taken by Mr. and Mrs. T. Yabsley and family, Mr. and Mrs. Junor (Casino) have their cottage. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman (Broadwater) have their large tent home with adjacent building for dining and cooking, Mr. and Mrs. Bartam (Rous) have also a cottage, and Mr. and Mrs. King Kemp (Coraki) have the place formerly occupied by Mr. Barry. On walking home one comes to a building surrounded by a number of large tents on which is a large boarding, the inscription, “C. Barkus, Accommodations,” above a coat of arms. Most interesting, especially to the young folk, and also the museum containing queer sorts of fish, snakes, death adders and curios of every description.
Visitors staying at Paddon’s during the season were Misses Knight and family, Bungawalbin, Mr. and Mrs. G. Lovett and family. Messrs. Bassfield, Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon and Miss Storey, Mr. and Mrs. M. Birmingham, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mr. D. Malone (Coraki), Mrs. and Miss Marshall (South Woodburn), Mr. and Mrs. Newby (Swan Bay), Major, Mrs. and Miss Taylor (Goonellabah), Mr. and Mrs. Northcott and family (Goonellabah), Mr. and Mrs. Warle and the Misses Warle, Messrs , Mrs. Nolan and family (Tatham), Mr. and Mrs. J. Williams and family (Swan Bay), Mr. W. Clifford and two friends (Rous), Crittenden and family, Carhill and family, Alcock and family, Messrs. Davidson and party (Casino), Mrs. Johnson and party of 12 (Tatham), Mrs. H. Simpson and family, and the Meurer Bros. (Lismore), Mr. and Mrs. G. Marsh and family. Pidcock family and eight friends, and Mr. Millbank (Tatham), Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Cavanough (Lismore), and many others.
Mr. A. C. Barrie and Miss Barrie have had among their guests Miss Murdock (Sydney) and Mrs. Matthews and Mr. Power (Melbourne).
Mr. and Mrs. E.O. Yeager have had staying with them Mr. and Mrs. Rye and family (Parramatta), Mrs. Barter (Killara), and Mrs. Campede (Melbourne).
At Bruce’s boarding house :—Mr. C. Moore (Ulmarra), Mr. and Mrs. Johnson (Coraki), Mr. and Mrs. D.S.H. Moreton and family (Coraki), Mr. and Mrs. Lyons (Lawrence), Mr. and Mrs. Greenstreet (Myrtle Creek), Mr. and Mrs. McPherson (Wyrallah), Mr. and Mrs. Adamson (Lismore), Mr. Partridge (Acacia Creek), Black (Marrickville), Mr. and Mr. Napier and family (Coraki), Mr. and Mrs. Graham and Miss Graham (The Channon), Josephs (Kyogle), Mr. and Mrs. Fenton (Coraki), and many others.
Returning home to the Australasia, Davis’ boat, in the early morning the trip was most pleasurable. There is a piano on board for the amusement of those whose tastes are musical. Both morning and afternoon tea is served to all on board. Captains Jack Davis and Fred Feisch are popular favorites among the passengers travelling up and down the river.












Holiday fun
Evans Head became synonymous with leisure time for the next century and beyond. Farmers and workers from all the towns in the Richmond Valley would wend their way to the beach for their summer holidays. Many families would stay for the entire summer with the men returning to their day jobs and joining the rest of their tribe on weekends. In peak times there were over 1000 tent sites allocated to the visitors. A row of holiday cabins was built along the foreshore, colourfully painted to portray a carnival atmosphere. There was plenty to amuse the children and adults alike with a patrolled beach just a stone’s throw from the calm river.
The many boarding houses catered to the huge seasonal influx and more enterprising businesses providing all the essential services and food supplies. Open-air concerts and picture shows were organised on the Reserve which attracted many thousands of visitors. Housie (bingo) was set up in a large tent to raise money for the Ambulance. The merry-go-round, giant slide, mini-golf and Scenic Railway kept the crowds occupied.












