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This seaside suburb, west of Adelaide, was first laid out on part sections 227-28, Hundred of Adelaide by Sir John L. Stirling, Sir Frank Moulden and Arnold M. Moulden, in 1929 as trustees of 'The Settled Estates of F.J. and P.J. Gray':
This estate which in future will be known as "West Beach'' at present consists of high undulating sandhills. The party inspected the work accomplished. This comprised the continuance to the sea, the distance of about a mile, of the Richmond Road, which previously stopped at the Tapley's Hill Road; the grading and topdressing of the sandhills, involving the removal of 200,000 tons of sand, and the building of an esplanade and three roads connecting it with Military Road, which was raised 8 feet and remade. The whole of the work was carried out under the order of the Supreme Court and the town was laid out under the approval of the town planner (Mr W. Scott Griffiths).... https://manning.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/pn/w/w5.htm#westB
Adelaide Airport takes up a 24% of land the area within the City of West Torrens and effectively divides the northern part from the southern section. The northern part of the suburb is associated with the River while the southern part of the suburb is associated with Anzac Highway.
Part of the land used for the airport was originally owned by W H Gray who purchased the estate from Joseph Johnson Esq in 1858. The early house 'Frogmore' which was associated with this estate (approx. the location of the current Mountbatten Grove Park), was demolished in the 1960s.
With the increased popularity of air travel during the 1930s and onwards, the original Adelaide Airport at Parafield became unsuitable. In 1939 the Commonwealth Government announced its policy of providing an additional airport for all capital cities and preliminary investigation of sites around Adelaide were made in 1941 by the Department of Civil Aviation.
The site was first considered for an airport in 1936 and then the issue was held in abeyance until after the Second World War when the use of the site was approved. Construction began on the runways in 1947 and by 1955 the airport was opened to commercial aircraft and the first hangar had been constructed.
The fact that Gray's former estate contained little residential development made it the best available site for Adelaide as it provided good approaches from all directions for aircraft.
The terminal building and control tower were opened in 1957 along with a memorial to Sir Ross and Keith Smith. Development of Adelaide Airport has continued intermittently since the 1950s with the improvement of runways, taxi-ways, upgrading the terminal buildings and improved sophistication of navigation equipment. [From 1998 Heritage Review]
Work commenced 1947 to make roads on former dairy farms, sand hills and swampland;
1954 ANA Hanger used a temporary passenger terminal from first flight; first permanent terminal building included viewing balcony over tarmacs and an octagonal control tower fitted with anti-glare glass)
1982 International terminal opened October
In 1919 Sir Ross and Keith Smith; Wally Shiers; James Bennett took part in the England to Australia Air race - 27 days to fly from England to Australia, the Adelaide Airport houses the restored place in the Vickers Vimy Exhibition
Airport land,1950
First Airport Hanger, 1954
Entrance to Airport, 1954
The new West Beach subdivision bordered by the Esplanade (now Seaview Road) to the west, Military Road to the east and Renwick and Chetwynd Streets to the north and south. (Today the subdivision is in the City of Charles Sturt council area, just beyond the northern boundary of the City of West Torrens). The auction, which attracted over 1,000 spectators, took place on Saturday, 2 March 1929 at 2.30 pm – this remarkable photo, taken by R.E. Collett, shows the cars parked around the sales marquee. h the improvement of runways, taxi-ways, upgrading the terminal buildings and improved sophistication of navigation equipment. [From 1998 Heritage Review]
This photograph was taken by Richard Ernest Collett of Netley. Collett (1887-1965) worked for most of his adult life as a photographer. At first he was employed with another man in producing lantern slides for advertising in silent picture theatres; their business was known as Collett and Monks. Collett later worked as a photographer with the Adelaide News. Several of his photographs are also in the State Library of South Australia.
Sites of Significance
Sites of Significance
West Beach Development (Joseph Johnson Esq (1805-1877), W.H. Gray (1808-1896), Site of Frogmore (House) / Gray's Estate - 1926 subdivision, 1929 land sale, West Beach Sand Dunes, Shacks, WH Gray Park, Bruce Gray 'Saltbush Bill' 1889-1978)
HMAS Barcoo grounding, 1948 The 1420-ton naval survey frigate HMAS Barcoo dragged her anchors and ran aground on a sand bar during a major storm, unprecedented in the history of the state, that hit the Adelaide coast on the weekend of 10/12 April, 1948. Winds gusting to 80mph (130 kms).
Wallis Blueline Drive-in, West Beach
West Beach Trust/ Adelaide Shores / West Beach Caravan Park
Harbourtown
Marineland
SARDI Aquatic Science Centre
Adelaide Arrive Alive project / Boulevard of Honour (WW2 service people)
Sport / Recreation / Reserves
Sport / Recreation / Reserves
Barcoo Road; Holdfast Bay Yacht Club, Adelaide Sailing Club ; Sea Rescue Squadron ; Sea Rescue Squadron (The first 50 years) With a history dating back to the 1855 yachting regatta at Glenelg to celebrate Prince Edwards birthday and the 1874 formation of the Glenelg Yachting Club, the Holdfast Bay Sailing Club was established at Barcoo Road, West Beach in 1958. / Ron Harris, a Somerton builder, and a handful of friends, (Gordon Tregoning, Underdale based engineer, Ron Harris, a butcher, Bill Kavanagh, a plumber, Mal Noble, a developer in the Brighton area, and Athol Stevenson, who ran the BP on the corner of Tapley’s Hill Road) who were regular fishermen at the then notorious Cape Jervis, saw the need for an organised body to form a Search and Rescue Group to assist the police on occasions where persons are reported missing at sea.
Apex Park / West Beach Ponding Basin - Drainage Scheme 1994
Barratt Reserve and Sports ground
HMAS Barcoo grounding, 1948
Wallis Blueline Drive-in 1954
Marineland 'Underwater Restaurant' c 1980
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