User talk:South ballina beach

South Ballina Beach
The area known as South Ballina Beach is very rich in important local settler history. The bay to the North was known as Dolphin Bay by original Australians and was renamed Mobbs Bay in the latter part of the 20th century. The primary sand dune of the beach was a large moving dune very much like what you see on Fraser Island. However after the strip sand mining the whole ecology and geography of the dune changed. The planting of bitou bush and other dune stabilising species anchored the primary dune in place. During World War 1 the area was used for light horse training by the local milita because it resembled conditions in The Middle East. Many fascinating items from these exercises have been discovered over the years including spent rifle shells and personal items. Reputedly Charles Kingsford Smith landed on the beach on his return to Australia after his historic flight. South Ballina Beach was also the area where the major population settlement was - indeed there used to be a little ferry running across the Richmond River to South Ballina and dropping people at the popular picnic grounds, beaches, toilets and picnic tables where the current South Wall car park is now. All the early surf carnivals were at South Ballina which still has a great left hand surf break.