Property Advert of the Week: Hooker-Rex Land Sales Advertisement (1966)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from Hooker-Rex dating from 1966. Three blocks of land were on offer at Kendall Street, Sans Souci and nine blocks of land at Cross Street, Baulkham Hills.  

Only a £70 deposit ($140) was required.

 

Source: Hooker-Rex Sales. 1966. "Select your site now" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 1:50. 

Note: Advertising in pounds, shillings and pence was permitted for two years following the introduction of decimal currency in 1966. 

Remember this?: AMOCO Petrol Station at Sans Souci opens (1962)

Remember This? is back for the Summer.

The corner of Rocky Point Road and Russell Street in Sans Souci is occupied by a BP Petrol Station. Its origins date back to 1962 when it opened as an AMOCO petrol station. Below is a full page advertisement to promote its opening.

Source: Anon. 1962. "Untitled" (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, November 7: 8.

For the next two weeks, we will publish on Tuesday with Christmas Eve and New Years' Eve falling on those days. You will be able to find out how Sydney marked Christmas in 1994 and welcomed in 1995.

1990: Highrise apartment scheme for the Hotel Sans Souci (Mick Moylan's) site - Sans Souci

I have developed an interest of the former Hotel Sans Souci which was owned by Mick Moylan and the former Prince of Wales Hotel.

Karen Pentland wrote The Pub on the Point for the 2013 Ron Rathbone History Prize organised by the former Rockdale City Council. It is recommended and contains some great oral accounts, especially from its final years.

However, I am curious as to what led to its closure and conversion into a residential estate.

My memories of Mick Moylans (as the locals refer) go back to my days as an infant. I attended the Sans Souci Community Pre School (1989-90) which was a short walk up Clareville Avenue at Sandringham.

In the late 1980's Mick Moylan's had opened an outlet of the Billabong Family Bistro's which from my understanding were a national chain of fast casual dining restaurants. This was posted recently (below) to the St George District Memories and Old Shops Australia Facebook Groups. The newspaper advertisement was published in the December 22, 1988 edition of The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. 

Source: Billabong Family Bistro. 1988. "Untitled" (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, December 22: 27. 

I recall going to birthday parties there during my pre school days and even had my sixth birthday there in 1990. Bill & Bindy were dressed in a more professional koala costume than the advertisement shows. My brother also had his sixth birthday there in 1992. I remember going to the beach outside Mick Moylans in January 1993, and recall seeing fences around the site. Mick Moylan's was gone forever; to be replaced with a residential estate.

Source: Murphy, R. 1990. "Development plans submitted to council for San [Sans] Souci site". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, April 12, 31.

The earliest source that suggested residential development on the site was from 1986 when The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader reported that the owner Laurie Beaumont was exploring options for housing including three storey unit blocks or single homes. Under planning guidelines, Rockdale Council would permit construction of free standing dwellings. However, there would be a loss of parking for beach users and a road would be required for access to the boat ramp.

Source: Anon. 1986. "Homes plan for hotel landmark". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, February 6, 11.

In 1990, plans ramped up when proposals for two six level buildings were unveiled to maximise public access. Norfolk pines and the famous Moreton Bay fig trees would be retained. A bistro or restaurant would be also be included. Mick Moylans would still have a presence of some sort on the site.

Source: Anon. 1990. "Developer wants to turn hotel into flats". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, August 21: 5. 

This plan didn't proceed and Rockdale Council approved the construction of 15 luxury townhouses to form The Sandringham estate. It is a gated development. Public beachfront access was retained with a path running along the beachfront.

The boat ramp was also lost.

I have not yet found further details as to how the scheme was scaled back and why. Neither have I found as to when in 1992 did Mick Moylan's close. Was it even announced?

The What if question comes into mind had the council approved the twin six storey apartment towers?

• We would still have "Mick Moylans" in some form even if under another name.
• The Beach Kiosk may have been converted into a cafe going by the conversion of Kiosks at Brighton-Le-Sands and Dolls Point in recent years into cafes. Ramsgate Beach ended up with a restaurant.
• The Moreton Bay fig would probably still be on the beachfront.
• The Norfolk pines and Cook Pine that were knocked down may have removed irrespective, whether it was in 1990's or more recent years. 
• The public would have possibly more access to the beachfront with the boat ramp retained. 

Below are photos of the former Sans Souci Hotel site as seen from Dolls Point (2017). Photos taken by the author. 

Property Advert of the Week: Sandringham on the Beach, Sandringham (1993)

In 1993, construction began on the Sandringham on the Beach estate at Sandringham. The estate is built on the former site of the Hotel Sans Souci or to the locals - Mick Moylans (He was the owner).

It was a controversial development for locals, most notably for the loss of Moreton Bay figs and Norfolk Pine trees but also the loss of access to the beachfront.

As construction began, the advertisements to promote the new estate began in earnest. 

Source: John Greig First National. 1993. "Sandringham on the Beach" (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, April 6: 46.

SYDNEY TRANSPORT: Captain Cook Bridge Opens (1965)

The Captain Cook Bridge as seen from Taren Point. The gates to the former punt are still there five decades later. 

On Friday (May 29), it will be fifty years since the Captain Cook Bridge was officially opened. Before 1965, there was only one bridge spanning the Georges River that linked the Sutherland Shire with Sydney - Tom Uglys Bridge at Sylvania. The original three-lane bridge was opened in 1929. Two punts were also in operation. One was downstream at Sans Souci at the end of Rocky Point Road, linking the suburb with Taren Point. There was also the Lugarno Ferry at Lugarno.

The end of World War II fuelled a population boom in the Sutherland Shire. The land was subdivided into new housing estates. By 1961, the region had a population of 112,000. Yet there was one road crossing. At Tom Uglys Bridge, Sylvania motorists were forced to wait in long queues to access the bridge, particularly at weekends. Each lane was carrying as much, if not more, traffic than a typical lane on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader was first published in 1960, and its lead story on its launch edition on June 29 1960, called for a bridge to replace the punt at Sans Souci. It would form a section of the proposed (and still is) Southern Expressway linking Wollongong with Sydney.

Page 1 of the first edition of The St George & Sutherland Shire Leader in June 1960 was calling for a new crossing over the Georges River.

Not long after this, tenders for a new bridge were called. The span would be 473 metres long  (road deck was 506 metres long) and contain six lanes to carry motor traffic.

Source: Anonymous. 1961. "Jumping-off Point".  The St George and Sutherland Leader, August 9: 1.

Construction began in 1962. John Holland was named as the winning tender.

Source: Anon. 1962. "New Bridge Goes Up". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, July 25: 1.

Here is a photo of construction from 1964 taken by Craig Birdsell as seen from Sylvania.

Source: Birdsell, Craig. 1964. "Untitled (Photograph)." 

Just months before opening, the spans met.

Source: Anon. 1965. "Bridging Distance". The Daily Telegraph, January 14: 11.

Below is a rare aerial of the completed bridge and punt taken days prior to the bridge opening.

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Named for Captain Cook". The Daily Telegraph, May 27, 5. 

The bridge was opened to traffic on May 29 1965, after it was officially opened by NSW Governor Sir Eric Woodward. Five thousand people attended. A number of plaques were unveiled. They are located at both ends of the bridge and in the middle of the bridge.

The public was invited to walk over the bridge before motorists could finally use the bridge. In fact, that afternoon, the normally busy Tom Uglys Bridge was deserted as people wanted to see the new road for themselves, leading to significant congestion on the bridge approaches which lasted for the entire weekend.

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Having a Look at the Bridge". The Daily Telegraph, May 31: 7. 

On that same day, the punt operated for the last time before being move upstream to Lugarno where it provided the punt service until 1974, one year after the opening of the Alfords Point Bridge.

I've also included the front page from The Propeller, which I scanned several years back to mark the opening of the bridge.

And last but not least, a photo spread from page three of the June 2, 1965 edition of The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.

Finally, here is a newsreel clip courtesy of British Pathe that documented the opening of the bridge.

Updated November 2018 with the addition of a newspaper clipping. 

Property Advert of the Week: Kimberley Court Ramsgate (1970)

This week's advert is for a three storey walk-up apartment complex known as Kimberley Court at Sans Souci. The advertisement does list as being at Ramsgate, but today it is in the suburb of Sans Souci.

I do walk past the complex once a week and it's still there. The units started at $14 750 which according to the RBA Inflation Calculator would be about $156 000 in today's money. I did some research to see how much a unit would sell for. In December last year, one apartment sold for $547 000.

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1970. Kimberley Court Ramsgate (Advertisement)," The Daily Telegraph, February 14: 50. 

1972: Rare McDonalds Sans Souci opening advertisement

Source: McDonald's Australia. 1972. "Untitled” (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, August 2: 14.

McDonald's marketing has come a long way in Australia over the decades. Quite interesting to note in this advertisement for the opening of the McDonald's store at Sans Souci isn't dominated by the golden arches themselves (featuring only in the illustrations.

McDonald's was the "new kid on the block" in those days. They even had to explain who they were and were already claiming to be the biggest fast food chain in Australia. 20 cents got you a Big Mac and you could get fish and chips.

No breakfast menu's just yet but they did open until late 11pm or midnight depending on the night of the week.

McDonald's has shared the site with KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). A decade ago they managed to merge the site with the adjoining site of the former Post Office on Rocky Point Road and redeveloped the site. This meant the demolition of the original stores. They also swapped locations within the site. The rebuilt McDonald's also included a drive-thru service, playground and McCafe which was not available in the original store.

The current McDonalds store at Sans Souci.

 

KFC Sans Souci stands in the original carpark for the original McDonald’s Sans Souci.

Photos taken by the Author (2005).

Updated November 2018.