THE OCEAN BEACH.

Evening Star, Issue 14053, 7 May 1909, Page 11

THE OCEAN BEACH.

MANY IMPROVEMENTS. The Ocean. Beach Domain Board -work quietly, but to the best purpose. The forces of the sea are humored every year, and the sandy playground of the people is made attractive and comparatively safe, fences and vegetation catch and hold drifting sand, and firm banks, clothed with lupins and marram grass are the result. Last year the progress made was rapid, and calls for special attention. Indeed, the year is considered the most successful the Board have known. The following particulars were submitted to a meeting of the Ocean Beach Domain Board last evening:—

Baths.—The lessee’s term being up, tenders were called, and a lease was granted to the previous holder at £35 per annum. The buildings wore thoroughly repaired and painted inside and out, at a cost of £55.

Pile Groins.—The pile groins continue to keep the St. Clair beach well covered with sand, and are doing all that was expected of them. The sandhills above high-water mark are perfectly safe from the sea, and are covered with marram and lupins. Wire Fencing.—ln consequence of the raising of the shore at the foot of the sandhills the wire fences have been quite covered, and it was necessary to duplicate the same on top of the original for a distance of sixty chains. Thirteen chains of new fencing has been erected opposite T,ilmna Park, to protect the grass planted there, and to strengthen a weak spot in the sandhills.

Scrub Fencing.—Taking advantage of the splendid west to south-west winds which have prevailed since the spring equinox, workmen were engaged, when necessary, in erecting about sixty chains of scrub fences, most of which are now well covered with sand, and safe from any wave that may come over the outer bank, thus cutting the old lagoon site completely in two as far as the St. Kilda entrance to the beach. Photographs of this and other work, showing the progress made at different parts of the Domain, were laid on the table for inspection, and to be disposed of as the Board may direct. Band Stand.—This site has been extended by taking 15ft from the road at the entrance to the beach, and a substantial picket fence of jarrah erected on the boundary. The ground enclosed has been sloped off and greatly improved. Further improvements are intended in the way of making up the ground and planting trees and shrubs. The work is being done by the Rotunda Committee.

Marram Grass and Lupin.—The growth of these has been enormous, and whilst the marram continues to build up the loose sand on the sea side, the lupin is spreading rapidlv over the whole of the sandhills. Sewage Disposal.—This work has been conducted in the best possible manner, and reflects great credit on Ranger Edwards and his staff. W 7 ith regard to future procedure, since the whole of the sandhills under the control of the Board has been treated with sewage, or covered with marram grass and lupin, we recommend the Board to arrange with the City Council for the trenching of that part of the hills immediately above Chisholm Park, the site referred to being the only part of the old Domain remaining in its original condition—a sand drift. We further recommend the Board to extend the road seaward at St. Kilda, and to improve the approach to the beach at Beach street, St. Clair; to construct a septic tank and put in up-to-date closets at the baths : to continue scrub fencing on the remaining part of the lagoon site, and the planting of marram grass on the newly-formed sandbanks.

The balance-sheet for the rear ended 31st March has been prepared, and is ready for the auditor. It shows our income for ordinary purposes to have been £526, and for -special or sewage work £459, whilst our expenditure has been'— for general purposes, £390, and sewage disposal £447. > The report was adopted.