CORAL BAY WA
A BRIEF HISTORY
Founding settlement at Point Maud 1969
Contrary to what is generally believed the true visionary in the establishment of a holiday resort at Coral Bay was Ken Ryan, a Perth entrepreneur who saw the bay’s potential while driving through the area in the mid sixties.
The problems in realising the vision seemed insurmountable: excising the Bill’s Bay site (as it was then known) from the Cardabia pastoral lease, providing water, power and access.
None of this deterred Ryan who set about applying for the excision with all of it’s maze of bureaucratic requirements capped off by fierce opposition from the station lessees, the French family. It took three years for Ryan and his supporters, Bill Robinson, a Perth real estate agent, Howard Smith, a lawyer and Charles Clifford an accountant to succeed in carving off the Bills Bay area from the pastoral lease.
In the meantime a small settlement comprising a freezer shed and three caravans was established at Point Maud about 2 kilometres north of Bills Bay to accomodate prospective contractors and investors. To help defray the running costs and staffing of this outpost Ken Ryan purchased a 35ft Randall fishing/charter boat to catch fish for sale in Geraldton and Perth.The boat, was skippered by Warren Beckhouse a larger than life character and great fisherman.
The next step was finding a financier which was achieved by contacts of Bill Robinson who introduced Top Interest Tours, a UK tour operator mainly involved in package holidays to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. They sent out one of their directors, James Munson, to assess the project. He came, he saw, he approved, taking a half share in partnership with the WA Government’s Department of Industrial Development. Both he and the Department were given wildly underestimated development costs upon which to base their decisions.
A building contract was signed with Lynthorne Matthews a Perth architect who had developed a reinforced roofing system which dramatically cut the building cost allowing the walls to be made from gypsum which could be prefabricated in Perth.
Coral Bay Resort Upon Completion 1969
Mail and Supply Delivery Point Maud 1969
A development of this size in such an isolated and inaccessible site was a challenge but with all credit to the construction crew, the hotel opened in 1969. The nowday Work Safe would have vaparised at what went on during the construction.
The hotel may have opened but the list of creditors for construction, sound systems, fixtures, carpets, alcohol, and restaurant stocks totaled well in excess of $200,000, a formidable figure back in 1969.
When faced with this reality the Top Interest Tours company refused to contribute towards the deficiency and withdrew. The State Government Solicitor and the major creditors decided not to liquidate the company but enter into a scheme of arrangement whereby a special manager would be appointed to run the hotel for 3 years and attempt to repay some of the debt and increase the hotel’s salability.
Enter John Walker, a Perth accountant who was put forward by the Swan Brewery to be appointed the Special Manager. He reported to a creditors committee headed by Lynthorne Matthews.
After a few months it became obvious that John Walker did not have the time to devote to the running of the hotel and he was replaced by Charles Kenneison a lawyer nominated by Lynthorne Matthews who, as builder, was by far the major creditor. The running of the hotel was then delegated by Kenneison to Matthews and Brian Bethune, one of the original Pt. Maud settlers.
The Coral Bay Pty. Ltd. company had no working capital and a zero credit rating which was not addressed by John Walker who had left the hotel closed. Arrangements were with the Swan Brewery and it’s wine and spirits subsidiary to purchase bar requirements at a premium, the premium going against the old debt. A Carnarvon supermarket and fuel distributor to come to the same agreement. 6PR radio agreed to continue advertising on a contra basis and made a major contribution in promoting the resort. It’s tongue in cheek “first prize of one week at Coral Bay, second prize of two weeks” campaign was hugely successful and helped make light of, among many other things, cold salt water showers, frequent overload blackouts, blocked sewers and only Flying Doctor communication.
Quite the contrary to what would be expected, these inconveniences were brushed off by the guests as being all part of the certianly unique Coral Bay holiday experience and a talking point when they returned home, many back overseas.
To fully justify what Coral Bay had to offer a charter boat owned and operated by George King was stationed at the hotel along with a glass bottom boat which was owned and operated by Tom Dixon who also leased the restaurant and hotel bar.
Both the charter and the glass bottom boats were later purchased by the Brogan family who became involved some years later.
Warren Beckhouse Point Maud Hairdresser 1969
The next three years could best be described as riotously colourful, best illustrated by the Exmouth police saying “we don’t care what time you open or close, just don’t call us if things go off the rails” which was a tall order considering the weekend procession of American sailors from Exmouth, a Main Roads construction camp at the Coral Bay turnoff and a turtle processing vessel anchored off Point Maud. But despite the inevitable alcohol fueled mayhem the Exmouth cops were never called, the Coral Bay "calming vibe" somehow prevailed even though there were a few broken limbs, swollen lips, and black eyes suffered. Amazingly a shot gun under the bar was never brandished in anger.
To recount all of the riotous times that were had, the long weekend events, the incredible fishing and diving trips, the glass bottom boat coral viewing in pristine environment, the cyclone experience, the affectionately dubbed "pub with no beer" would be far to much to recount here and more than just some of it would proverbially be classified as “what happens in Coral Bay stays in Coral Bay”.
The purpose of the scheme of arrangement was to pay back the Coral Bay Pty Ltd creditors and this was achieved, including the State Government debt, and in the process the Coral Bay resort became a must visit tourist attraction. All things considered the cash strapped inconveniences that the early guests experienced were easily overshadowed by their having a now long gone opportunity to experience a truly pristine environment.
There were many colourful characters back then, too many to mention here but include Jim and Norma Robinson, Henty Hall and daughter Pam, John and Judy Earnshaw, Henry and Sally Milbern, Serge and Laurie Katarski, Peter Lewis, Nick Farinucci and Diesel Dave Donovan.
Now to put the record straight: Coral Bay had it’s visionary, Ken Ryan; it’s pioneers, Warren and Jean Beckhouse, Bill and Pam Hatto and Jan and Brian Bethune; it’s builder, Lynthorne Matthews and his wife Nola; it’s first operators and managers, Nolan McDaniel, Jim Dale, Barry Manners and family, Keith and Joy Strain, George and Margaret King and it’s subsequent owners, who have their own stories to tell, firstly the Monck and then the current Brogan families.
We hope you have benefited reading this very brief history of the early years of the Coral Bay Resort. Feel free to submit any adventures of your own from your time visiting one of Australia's most special places.
