FALLING IN SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 10

FALLING IN SEA

ISLAND DISAPPEARING" DEPARTURE OF RESIDENT* it ' ' HAVOC BY RECENT GALES : rraOM OTO OWX CORRESPONDED] ■ SYDNEY, Jan. 28 ' The sea is gradually eating away U Stradbroke Island/ the main barrier-, between Moreton Bay and the open sea. Serious erosion has been noticed for more than a year, but gales, abnormal; tides and heavy r seas during the whole \ of th<* last ten or 12 days have caused: up to 56ft. of land to disappear into the*, ggJJ, Measurements taken by Mr. E. Gregory, engineer and surveyor, at Stradbroke Island show that there ha* * been the greatest encroachment of the ; in anv week in .the last 15 months. SeroriL ranged from 20ft. 42ft ; along a distance of 12 chains, and averaged 28ft. in that area. Forty, allot-< nfents have disapi>eared into the sea m , 12 E?eTen'houses were moved to the. mainland a few months ago. Two shops ' and six houses remain, and it is thought that they will-have to'be I* . moved. Hundreds of trees which have- > been swept away have been left ■, on sandbanks in the Broadwater, whew > thev constitute a danger to shipping. * The maximum encroachment occurred at a spot where the sea broke right' across the island at full tide on three' sSaive days. At- that island is only 130 yds, ir.de, but eigltbuildings remain there, including a store, a cafe and a two-storey house. , Some outbuildings were swept from, their blocks. At the peak of the tidethe water was a foot deep in one ( shop and 6in. deep in the kitchen of a house. The waves flowed so strongly across the island that it was feared that at least,, two cottages which were flooded would topple over. . t . The island presents a scene of con-, fusion and desolation. Great' piles of uprooted trees have been, washed, inshore and lie in tangled masses\around the shops and houses. " f ;