Page 34 - Sunshine Coast Seniors - July 2014
HOLIDAY & Leisure Iconic Kings Beach
by Allan Blackburn
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RESIDENTS of the southern end of the Sunshine Coast know that Kings Beach is Caloundra’s premier surfing beach. Thousands of visitors annually make it part of their holiday destination. It is a mecca for families. They come to enjoy the pristine environment and safe waters. However, Kings Beach is far more than just a nice patch of sand. The beach takes its name from Allan King, proprietor of the Grand Central Guest House, circa 1888. In the early days, visitors and holiday-makers got to Caloundra by horsedrawn transport from Landsborough train station. The region has grown from very humble beginnings. It is one of the very few beaches in Queensland that face south east. Consequently, it is sheltered from northerly winds which frequently blow in summer. Surfers flock to the headland at the eastern end of the beach or the rocks at the western end. It is a great place to learn the art. All ships entering or leaving the Port of Brisbane pass within two kilometres of the beach, making it a good place to view visiting warships, cruise ships or the many huge cargo vessels. At Easter, hundreds of onlookers check out the Brisbane to Gladstone yachts as they leave Moreton Bay. A light tower on the tip of Caloundra Headland provides guidance to mariners. Probably Kings Beach’s most significant contribution came during World War II. Because of its position at the entrance to Moreton Bay,
Caloundra and northern Bribie Island became heavily fortified. Thousands of Australian and US troops were based in the area. Several radar stations and machine gun pits were built in Caloundra. The beach was encircled by barbed wire. Most buildings were commandeered for the war effort. A tunnel was built under part of the headland to the east of Kings Beach with slots for machine guns. On Bribie Island two large gun emplacements were built to house six-inch guns. They were never fired in anger. The Brisbane Line was a controversial and unconfirmed line running from Caloundra to somewhere around Melbourne. The southeast corner of Australia was to be defended to the end while the rest of the country was to be forfeited to the invading Japanese forces. Such a concept would be unthinkable and abhorrent today, but, in the desperate days from 1942 to 1945, it was all too real and possible. Another aspect of the war that is still commemorated at Kings Beach was the sinking of the Hospital Ship Centaur in May 1943. A single torpedo from a Japanese submarine struck the Centaur east of Cape Moreton, about
50 kilometres from Caloundra. Of the 332 persons on board, only 64 survived. A memorial to the Centaur adorns Caloundra Headland, adjacent to the beach. Other reminders of Australia’s role in armed conflicts can also be found on the headland. The Anzac Cenotaph holds pride of place but memorial cairns for many other campaigns are nearby. Embedded in the concrete footpath are hundreds of plaques honouring fallen service personnel. Today, Kings Beach is a tourist hub with dozens of holiday apartment buildings offering many and varied styles of accommodation. A beautiful boardwalk joins Kings to Bulcock Beach and is frequented daily by casual walkers as well as serious joggers. The nearby amphitheatre plays host to the annual Caloundra Music Festival when the whole area rocks to the beat of many top music acts. Despite arising from such a tumultuous past, Kings Beach is one of the most beautiful areas of Australia. Local residents are indeed fortunate to enjoy such an iconic place while thousands of annual visitors look forward to their next holidays.
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