The history of Coral Bay really begins at "Maud's Landing".
The landing of the schooner Maud in 1884 is the earliest recorded European
activity in the region.
In 1896 a town site reserve was gazetted to protect the site of an existing
jetty and government goods shed. In 1915 the town was officially named
Maud's Landing. Maud's Landing played an important role in the settlement
and development of the North West of Western Australia. The woolshed and
jetty which included a tramway served the local pastoralists in the provision
of supplies and in the outward shipment of wool and sheep from 1898 until
1947. Wood from the jetty was taken away and used at the whaling station
at Ningaloo station near point Cloates. Only old pilings from the jetty
remain today.
Three kilometres to the south of Maud's Landing a very beautiful bay
called Bill's bay was fast becoming a popular recreational area both for
locals and for the more adventurous fishermen. Bills Bay was named after
Ruby May French, affectionately called 'auntie Billie'. She was the wife
of Charles French, the owner of Cardabia Station, the property surrounding
Maud's Landing and Bills Bay. The first building in Bills Bay was a holiday
shack built in 1933 by Jack McKenna, the manager of Mia Mia station and
used by him as a summer coastal retreat.
It was not until 1968 that formal settlement began at Bills Bay with
the establishment of an hotel, caravan park and a service station. The
Hotel was named the Coral Bay Hotel probably because of the outstanding
Coral Reef. Consequently the settlement became known as Coral Bay.
Photo credit: Transport (WA Govt) (Click on the photo to enlarge)
Photo credit: Transport (WA Govt) (Click on the photo to enlarge)
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