By Emily Beach
Coral Bay History
Coral Bay is a
resort village located roughly 600 miles north of Perth, Australia. This coastal area is located in the country's North West state within the Shire of Carnarvon. Like many areas on Australia's wild western coast Coral Bay has a relatively short history. The first recorded visitors to the area didn't arrive until the late 19th century, though Aboriginal people likely visited the region prior to this period.
Maud's Landing
The first recorded settlers in Coral Bay were the crew of the Maud, a schooner ship from Europe. Maud and her crew landed in the area in 1884 and began to set up a living area in this remote region. In 1896, the settlers began the process of forming an official town in Coral Bay by reserving the site through an Australian legal procedure known as gazetting. It wasn't until 1915 however, that the town was officially recognized and given the name "Maud's Landing."
The Early 20th Century
During the early to mid-20th century Maud's Landing played a major role in the development of Australia's west coast. The town had its own wooden jetty and woolshed, which were connected by a mechanized tram system. This made Maud's Landing an ideal port for imports and exports. Wool and other goods from across the region were shipped out of the port, while supplies were shipped in to serve citizens all over the coast.
Bill's Bay
The town of Bill's Bay was located less than two miles south of Maud's Landing and was established around the same time period. Bill's Bay was situated around a picturesque bay that was popular with fisherman and tourists. The area was named for the wife of a local landowner, Ruby May French. French went by the nickname "Auntie Billie," and was so beloved by locals that she gave the town its name. Throughout the 1960s the area was sparsely populated and contained only small residential structures.
Coral Bay
By 1968 Bill's Bay had become such a popular tourist spot that investors began to focus on infrastructure development. They created a hotel, RV park, service station, and restaurant to serve the needs of visitors. The hotel was named "Coral Bay Hotel" as a tribute to the nearby Ningaloo Reef. Since that time the name Coral Bay has been used to describe the enter local area, including Maud's Landing and Bill's Bay.
Coral Bay Today
Today Coral Bay is primarily known as a resort town, with only 190 full-time residents as of the 2006 Census. Visitors come to swim and snorkel along the reef, which is easily accessible from the shore and considered very family-friendly. More than 500 species of fish have been found in the bay along with large numbers of whale sharks and manta rays.
About the Author:
Emily Beach works in the commercial construction industry in Maryland. She received her LEED accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2008 and is in the process of working towards an Architectural Hardware Consultant certification from the Door and Hardware Institute. She received a bachelor's degree in economics and management from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland.
Photo Credits:
Creative Commons, Nachoman
