High Seas Off N.S.W. Threaten Erosion in Newcastle

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22695, 21 July 1948, Page 5

High Seas Off N.S.W. Threaten Erosion in Newcastle

SYDNEY, July 20.

Though seas are still running high, the weather about Sydney has moderated and temperatures have risen slightly. The maximum temperature yesterday was 56.3 degrees which is 3.6 degrees below normal for July. This morning the readings were again below 50 degrees, but the wind had fallen.

Because of the lighter seas coming through the heads, the Balmoral baths were saved from further damage. The police are still patrolling dangerous stretches of coastline. The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Mr. H. D. Quinlan, has appealed to the State Premier, Mr. J. McGirr, for Government assistance to arrest erosion at Stockton Beach. He said that if the sea broke through Mitchell street, which is unprotected by a sea wall, it might cut a channel into the harbour and ruin Newcastle as a port. During the week-end heavy seas washed away 15ft of the embankment between the beach and Mitchell street and several waves washed across the street to within 20ft of the houses. Hundreds of beachcombers are operating at Sydney and Newcastle and many amateur treasure seekers report interesting finds. Two youths uncovered £1 7s in small change after heavy seas had “panned” the sands of Maroubra.

At Bondi, an elderly man, who describes himself as a professional beachcomber, found Bs, a fountain pen, a woman's compact and a jar of blackberry jam. Meanwhile, Melbourne is suffering record frosts in comparative silence. The maximum temperature in Melbourne yesterday was 27.1 degrees and the maximum at midday was 46.3 de-grees—-one degree below Sydney’s minimum.