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Beach and hinterland at Townsville, ca. 1878

from State Library of Queensland

• Vesna Verencevic said:

  The Strand has been a part of Townsville's history since the city was founded in the mid-19th century. A public outdoor swimming baths were first constructed between 1886 and 1889. In 1891, military fortifications were established at Kissing Point, a rocky headland at the north-west end of the Strand. By 1929, a branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association built the Pioneer Women's Memorial Building with five seaside huts on Mitchell Street, Kissing Point. A number of persons were killed by sharks over the years on The Strand. The current foreshore was opened in 1999 after the old foreshore was severely damaged and eroded after heavy rainfall and wind from Tropical Cyclone Sid in January 1998 and other monsoonal storms between 1997 and 1998. It was moderately damaged by Cyclone Tessi in April 2000.[citation needed. The Strand was the 'cauldron stop' for Townsville, during the Australian leg of the 2000 Sydney Olympics Torch Relay. The Strand was named Australia's cleanest Beach in 2008. This was the second time the award was given to the beach in five years. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strand,_Townsville

• Vesna Verencevic said:

  The thoroughfare now known as Townsville's Strand developed from as early as the mid 1860s. From this time, Townsville's more wealthy residents, taking advantage of the cooling sea breezes, were building residences along the beachfront. By the early 1870s, reflecting this development and growth, at least three hotels had been built in the vicinity. At this early stage of development The Strand remained unformed and unsealed and there had been no formal planting of shade trees. In 1881, the Townsville Council planted a series of cedar trees, following up with cocoa and betel nut trees, as a way of beautifying the beachfront area and to provide shade for those using the area for recreation. In 1883, the Council developed a roadway along the beachfront leading to Kissing Point. There are a range of impressive and important sites and buildings along The Strand that remind us of the area's history and development. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/queensland-place-histories-strand...