Gracetown is a small town in Western Australia. It is located 269 kilometres south of the Perth central business district, and 21.5 kilometres north-west of the township of Margaret River in the Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council area on the coast at Cowaramup Bay. Source Wikipedia
History
Originally envisioned as a caravan park and camping ground in 1957, Gracetown’s townsite was not surveyed until 1961, and its development was largely planned at that time. The sale of lots began in 1963, coinciding with the town’s official gazettal. It was named in honour of Grace Bussell, a celebrated Western Australian heroine.
Cowaramup Bay’s point breaks and Huzzas in the bay have been surfed since the early 60s. Surfers were among the first residents to build a shack on its shores.
November 1963 North End Board Club members (Scarborough) doing a swell check from the creek at Gracetown. Photo Murray d’Arcy.
1964 Gracetown townsite with unpaved road. Photo Martin Nicholas
1964 Geoff Kimpton and his surfing mates at Gracetown, with Cowaramup Bay in the background. Photo Geoff Kimpton.
1964 Cowaramup Bay camp site. Arty Sherburn & Warren Barrett. Photo Arty Sherburn.1964 Cowaramup Bay campsite. Arthur Sherburn & Warren Barrett in ‘home away from home’. Photo Arty Sherburn. 1964 Cowaramup Bay camp site. Photo Arty Sherburn L-R. John Murphy, unknown, Joe Wilson, (standing), Bruce Brown, unknown, Peter Backhouse (hammock).1964 Storm damage on road to Cowaramup Bay. Photo Arty Sherburn. L-R Michael Murphy, Peter Backhouse, Bruce Brown & John Murphy.
1964 Driving out of Gracetown on the unsealed road in Bruce Brown’s FC Holden. Photo Arty Sherburn.
1965 South Point Murray Smith collecting Zac Kochanowitch’s board from the rocks. Photo Jim Breadsell. The road into Gracetown can be seen on the hill in the background.
1965 Cowaramup Bay camp site. Bombora Surfriders Club surf trip. L-R. Bruce Cresswell, Harry Grisk, Peter Fels, MIck Henryon (in car) & Roger Shields. Bombora pic.
1967 Cowaramup Bay surf trip. ‘Tiny’ Mackay’s Morris Minor ute hooning on unsealed road. Still frame City Beach Surfriders club video.
1969 Cowaramup Bay campsite Scarborough Beach Board Club surf trip. Gavin MaCaughey second from right. Photo Brian Trainer.
1973 Kath King on North Point lookout overlooking Gracetown townsite and Cowaramup Bay. Photo Jim King.
Russell Catto. “In 1972 at age 18 I bought a block of land at Gracetown overlooking North Point and South Point. It cost me $610 and was next to Tony and Jackie Hardy’s place. Tony ‘Harbo’ Harbison built Tony’s house and I along with my parents and brothers built mine. During the house construction process in ‘74, both mine and Tony’s house were blown down during a big storm.
We had two years to build the houses to get title to the land, and the bank wouldn’t loan money without title, so I had to initially borrow the money from my parents.My dad got interested in a holiday home at Gracetown and ended up buying a block and building a house in front of mine.”
1974 Russell Catto building house on the hill at Gracetown. Photo Russ Catto
1976 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1976 Surfers vehicles parked on South Point headland. Photo Ric Chan.
1977 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1977 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Scrub fire near South Point car park on Australia Day Comp LWE. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Spectators Australian Surf Championships held at South Point. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Fishing boat in Cowaramup Bay. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 The late Dave Kennedy & mates out front of Cowaramup General Store. Photo Ric Chan
Gracetown is a small town in Western Australia. It is located 269 kilometres south of the Perth central business district, and 21.5 kilometres north-west of the township of Margaret River in the Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council area on the coast at Cowaramup Bay. Source Wikipedia
History
Originally envisioned as a caravan park and camping ground in 1957, Gracetown’s townsite was not surveyed until 1961, and its development was largely planned at that time. The sale of lots began in 1963, coinciding with the town’s official gazettal. It was named in honour of Grace Bussell, a celebrated Western Australian heroine.
Cowaramup Bay’s point breaks and Huzzas in the bay have been surfed since the early 60s. Surfers were among the first residents to build a shack on its shores.
The community was impacted in 1996 when a cliff collapse claimed the lives of nine people. Gracetown surfers continue tradition 25 years after cliff collapse killed nine people Courtesy ABC Southwest.
Photos
November 1963 North End Board Club members (Scarborough) doing a swell check from the creek at Gracetown. Photo Murray d’Arcy.
1964 Gracetown townsite with unpaved road. Photo Martin Nicholas
1964 Geoff Kimpton and his surfing mates at Gracetown, with Cowaramup Bay in the background. Photo Geoff Kimpton.
L-R. John Murphy, unknown, Joe Wilson, (standing), Bruce Brown, unknown, Peter Backhouse (hammock).
L-R Michael Murphy, Peter Backhouse, Bruce Brown & John Murphy.
1964 Driving out of Gracetown on the unsealed road in Bruce Brown’s FC Holden. Photo Arty Sherburn.
1965 South Point Murray Smith collecting Zac Kochanowitch’s board from the rocks. Photo Jim Breadsell. The road into Gracetown can be seen on the hill in the background.
1965 Cowaramup Bay camp site. Bombora Surfriders Club surf trip. L-R. Bruce Cresswell, Harry Grisk, Peter Fels, MIck Henryon (in car) & Roger Shields. Bombora pic.
1967 Cowaramup Bay surf trip. ‘Tiny’ Mackay’s Morris Minor ute hooning on unsealed road. Still frame City Beach Surfriders club video.
1969 Cowaramup Bay campsite Scarborough Beach Board Club surf trip. Gavin MaCaughey second from right. Photo Brian Trainer.
1973 Kath King on North Point lookout overlooking Gracetown townsite and Cowaramup Bay. Photo Jim King.
Russell Catto. “In 1972 at age 18 I bought a block of land at Gracetown overlooking North Point and South Point. It cost me $610 and was next to Tony and Jackie Hardy’s place. Tony ‘Harbo’ Harbison built Tony’s house and I along with my parents and brothers built mine. During the house construction process in ‘74, both mine and Tony’s house were blown down during a big storm.
We had two years to build the houses to get title to the land, and the bank wouldn’t loan money without title, so I had to initially borrow the money from my parents. My dad got interested in a holiday home at Gracetown and ended up buying a block and building a house in front of mine.”
1974 Russell Catto building house on the hill at Gracetown. Photo Russ Catto
1976 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1976 Surfers vehicles parked on South Point headland. Photo Ric Chan.
1977 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1977 South Point car park at Gracetown. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Scrub fire near South Point car park on Australia Day Comp LWE. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Spectators Australian Surf Championships held at South Point. Photo Ric Chan.
1978 Fishing boat in Cowaramup Bay. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 The late Dave Kennedy & mates out front of Cowaramup General Store. Photo Ric Chan
Thanks to the photo contributors.
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