History

Background

The present site of Seaspray was first gazetted as a public reserve on the 19 January, 1877, under the name of the Ninety-Mile Beach Reserve. It was an area of land set aside for “recreational purposes” principally for the people of Sale and nearby Toongabbie.

On 26 January 1878 the first Trustees were appointed to manage the area which was subsequently named the Prospect Reserve.

In her publication “On the Prospect - a brief history of the first 150 years of European settlement of Seaspray”, Sue Lambourn provides an outline of the major events and personalities that have contributed to the development of Seaspray as we now know it.

Whilst many people have played a role in the development of Seaspray over the years, three major contributions stand out in the pages of history:

Firstly, the people of Sale who in 1878 resisted the attempts of Mr. Peter Clement (owner of the adjoining Prospect Station) to select the area. As the Minutes of a meeting held on the Reserve in 1894 record: “had it not been for the praiseworthy stand the burgesses of Sale took up at one time they would have been without this Reserve today … The result of the efforts of the people who were fighting for the Reserve was that they secured it.”

Secondly, Mr Alfred George Futcher (1864 – 1930) whose property joined the eastern boundary of the Prospect Reserve and who was an early lessee of the Reserve. In 1894 Alf Futcher noted that the Reserve had become “a sandy waste” - trees had been “rung and chopped down”, vegetation on the hummocks had been “worn off by the continued traffic of the people” and thistles “that helped capture the drifting sand” were cut. The hummocks had become “so bare and low that every spring the tide sends thousands of tons of salt water over the Reserve”. Alf Futcher proposed the building of a brush and ti-tree fence, over 1km long and 2 metres high, which would at once “cut off (capture) the supply of sand from the beach”, with marram grass then to be planted in rows 1 metre apart in front of the fence. When the Trustees failed to implement his proposals (because of concerns over cost) he set about doing the job himself. The Trustees handed the Reserve over to him for three years, and at the end of that time he “handed it back to them fully reclaimed”. Futcher noted in a later speech “after I reclaimed the Reserve Mr McLachlan came to me and said, ‘Alf, you have done well, you have saved the Reserve. I now will make a road to it’.”

Thirdly, Mr James Weir McLachlan (1862 – 1938) who was recognised as a “man of extensive vision” who had “put Seaspray on the map”. Jimmie McLachlan was elected Chairman of the Prospect Reserve in 1897 and, to his death, remained unflagging in his promotion of the holiday resort. He was instrumental in organising working bees and in obtaining government grants to have “a passable road to the Reserve” created. In 1906 he organised, at substantial personal cost, a Great Cycle Race from Sale to Prospect (attracting top national and international riders) for the purpose of focussing public attention on Prospect. In 1915 he persuaded the government of the day to survey the area and set it aside as a township (subsequently named Seaspray).

 

The “Prospect Reserve”

In the summer of 1876-77, two schoolboys, W. Bearup and D. Sayer of Sale, chanced upon a notice in the scrub applying leave to select the area. The boys took the notice to their parents and they at once decided to call a meeting and oppose the application. This was successful and an area of 51 acres was set aside for recreation purposes. It was to be known as the Ninety-Mile Beach Reserve. This original grant was later revoked and a larger area of 225 acres was granted, as it still remains today.

 The first trustees appointed and gazetted on January 1878 were Messrs W Bearup, I Pettit, F Russell, D Sayer Snr and W Stow, all of Sale. They set about to raise funds to fence the whole 225 acres. The fence was of great assistance to the summer visitors who came with horses (and sometimes bullocks). The visitors were happy to pay annual subscriptions for leaving their stock on the reserve, and these fees went towards paying off the fence debt.

Once fenced by the Trustees, the Reserve was leased to Mr. Alf Futcher. Mr. Futcher had taken up the property known as SEASIDE PARK, which fronted right down to the beach and joined the eastern boundary of the Prospect Reserve. This made Mr. Futcher a perfect candidate for the leasehold. He was however asked by the Committee to remove his stock from the Reserve for the months of December, January and February, so there was sufficient grass for the visitors’ stock.

There are no records available of the meetings of the Trustees up until 1894 when “the annual meeting of persons interested in the management of the Prospect Reserve” was held on the Reserve on Tuesday, 20 February 1894. The minutes show that Mr Buchan (the Chairman), in his opening remarks noted this was the third annual meeting held on the Reserve and that “year after year the resort was increasing in popularity, and it was advisable, if not necessary, that the visitors should assemble together to discuss matters relating to its welfare”.

At this meeting, Mr. J W McLachlan (Secretary) asked if the Committee intended taking steps to recommend that the Trustees plant grass along the shore … “ that would bind the sand and prevent it from blowing over the reserve on the occasion of a heavy gale”. He explained that a similar grass was planted at Lakes Entrance and it appeared to be making good progress.

He was supported by Mr. Futcher in this attempt to benefit the Reserve. The Committee viewed photographs of Marram Grass growing for the same purpose at Port Fairy (at the cost of 20 or 30 shillings per ton). It agreed that the concept was good, but the cost was a problem.

Conversations regarding the, hummocks were carried out at committee meetings over the next three years. Finance seemed to be the biggest problem. In the end the Committee handed the Reserve to Mr Futcher who set about building a fence along the line of the dunes, and planting marram grass, as he had earlier proposed. His efforts were successful and he handed back the Reserve in a reclaimed state at the end of this period.

The work was greatly appreciated by those who cared about the future of the Reserve. Some supplementary works were carried out over the years where breaks occurred in the barrier, but the basic beginnings of the reclamation of the Reserve can be attributed to the work of Alf Futcher.

During the ensuing years the Reserve Committee, acting on the suggestions of annual visitors:

1. Provided a boat for the procuring of fresh upstream water for the use of the campers;

2. Opened the culvert under the causeway to enable any overflow water to escape over the holiday months;

3. Erected a footbridge over the sand barrier at the Toongabbie end of the Reserve, so the campers didn’t have to travel to the south end to reach the ocean;

4. Put down a pipe on the Reserve for obtaining a permanent supply of fresh water for the use of the visitors;

5. Ordered that all thistles and debris to be cleared by the lessee, for the benefit of the visitors

Most of the visitors to the Reserve came from the Sale and Toongabbie districts. The twenty mile journey from Sale by buggy or bullock wagon occupied the entire day. Visitors either camped on the foreshore, or built huts. Recreation pursuits included swimming in the creek, game hunting for wallabies and ducks, and fishing for bream and mullet.

 

From “Prospect Reserve’ to “Seaspray”

During the period from 1901 to 1915, 34 houses were built in Seaspray. On a visit to Seaspray at Mr. Jim McLachlan’s invitation Mr. Reid (former Secretary of the Lands Department) showed disapproval of houses being built on Crown land. Mr. McLachlan then succeeded in getting a survey of the area done on 10 September 1915 and the surveyor Mr. Chomley was able to do this without interfering with any of the existing residences. On 24 March, 1916 at the Sale Courthouse the first land auction for blocks at Seaspray was held. Existing occupied blocks have a site value payable and other blocks were offered for auction.

At the request of the Sale Post Office, and probably due to the number of permanent residents now living by the beach, a name was needed for the town. A meeting was held at the Rialto Meeting Place in Foster Street early in 1915 and suggested names were placed in a hat. It is unsure as to exactly who wrote the name SEASPRAY on the piece of paper that was drawn. On 26 January 1916, Seaspray appeared in the Government Gazette, where under the Land Act of 1915, Section 19 it was proclaimed a township.  This proclamation was rescinded on 22 October 1924 and the township re-proclaimed on 7 December 1927. The reason for the re-proclamation was to enlarge the boundaries of the township.

 

Reserve Committee

The Foreshore Reserve Committee maintained management powers over the Seaspray Reserve right up until the 1980’s, when the Department of Conservation, Forests and Land assumed responsibility.

In July, 2000 responsibility for the Crown Lands at Seaspray was again handed back to a community based Committee when the incorporation of the current Seaspray Reserves Committee of Management, and the appointment of Gregor McNaughton as its inaugural Chairman, were gazetted.

 

Documents of Record

Minutes of meeting held on the Prospect Reserve on Tuesday, 20 February 1894

The annual meeting of persons interested in the management of the Prospect Reserve was held on the Reserve on the above date in a hut placed at the visitor’s disposal by Mr. William Gibbs, when there were present:

Mr. Buchan (St Leonards) in the chair, Messrs. Ed Veitch jnr, Munsor, Hill and Fryer (Toongabbie), W Smith (St Leonards), French (Maffra), C Smith (Clydebank) Nelson, J Napier, T Gibbs, Holt, Robb, Dyer (Sale) Alf Futcher, the Lessee of the Reserve, and the Secretary J W McLachlan.

The minutes of the last annual meeting were then read and confirmed.

The Chairman, in his opening remarks, said this was the third annual meeting held on the Reserve. Year after year the resort was increasing in popularity, and it was advisable, if not necessary, that the visitors should assemble together to discuss matters relating to its welfare. The Reserve was certainly a grand place to come to, and had it not been for the praiseworthy stand the burgesses of Sale talk up at one time they would have been without this Reserve today. The late Mr. Clement requested the government to put it up to auction, but the people of Sale opposed this. Mr Clement said he did not want to deprive the people of the use of it, but he desired it for other purposes. The residents of Sale firmly believed that Mr. Clement would accommodate the visitors, but they argued that while they had the utmost confidence in his generosity, he could not answer for his successor. The result of the efforts of the people who were fighting for the Reserve was that they secured it. A good fence was erected around it and those visitors who came here when there was no fence could appreciate the ability to keep a good eye on their horses by day and night, as despite their close attention the animals frequently wandered their way to Sale. As soon as the fence was put up the visitors were relieved of any further trouble in this direction. The fence cost a good sum of money, and a couple of years ago the visitors initiated a subscription to reduce the debt on it, and he was glad to say that it met with a good response. He understood that there was only a small debt now remaining on the fence, and with the lessee’s rental and visitors subscriptions in two or three years it would, in all probability, be wiped off altogether.

Election of Officers: the election of offices for the ensuing year resulted as follows:

Committee: Messrs W P Phillips, J Buchan and S Hawkins (Bundalaguah); W W Dobbs (Nambrook); E Veitch (Toongabbie); E Little (Denison); J Lett, T Gibbs and C B Trood (Sale); Treasurer J W McLachlan; Secretary W Holt; Collectors: Ed Veitch jnr (Toongabbie); R Little (Denison); Jas French (Maffra) and C B Trood (Sale).

The Secretary was instructed to furnish the collectors with a list of the names of visitors and their respective districts.

 

Alfred George Futcher letter to the Gippsland Mercury on 29 May, 1895

Mr. Futcher had proposed to the above Committee that it carry out work to rebuild the sand dunes to stop the area being inundated by salt water. The Committee was not prepared to spend the required money. He felt so strongly about his ideas that he wrote to the paper expressing his concerns and thoughts:

To the editor Gippsland Mercury.

“Sir,

I have read so many paragraphs and letters lately in the columns of The Mercury relative to the Prospect Recreation Reserve drifting sand, thistles, etc. that I thought I would like to lay before you the true facts of the case.

Twenty years ago the Reserve was one of the prettiest little spots on the Ninety Mile Beach, situated on the margin of the rich Prospect flats bounded on one side by Merriman’s Creek and facing the South Pacific Ocean which so many writers mistake for the Great Southern Ocean.

The first exclamation on the tourists’ arrival was “Oh! What a beautiful place” - with English grass and clover up to your knees; also pretty little green Coast Honeysuckle trees dotted here and there especially along the hummocks which were covered with grass of native species. But, now look at the difference. It is nothing but a sandy waste. What has caused this deplorable state of affairs? They can only be one answer – the visitors. In the first place the children rung and chopped the trees down and the continued traffic of the people over the hummocks wore off the vegetation. The wind taking possession of the sand blew it across the Reserve until stopped by thistles which I have advocated for years past to leave a strip along the edge of the sand to prevent its drifting onto the camping ground.

To this I received opposition, so therefore when the thistles were cut the sand drifted on until almost the whole of the camping ground was covered, leaving the old site of the hummocks bare and so low that every spring the tide sends the thousands of tons of salt water over the Reserve. 

It is this serious state of affairs that caused the visitors and others to suggest something to prevent the drifting stand. It was decided at the meeting held on the Reserve this summer to ask the Trustees to erect ten chains of tree fences along the edge of the sand. This manner of erection would be good for a short time but ultimately would do harm, for it would cause a loose hummock to form in the centre of the camping ground and it’s close proximity to the tents would make the planting of marram grass a failure, besides being of no use to prevent high tides from covering the Reserve.

Another plan of a writer I saw in the Mercury some time ago was to shut up the place for twelve months and let thistles and everything grow. It would then work its own salvation. This suggestion made one mistake, for it would take twelve years.

There is only one way to reclaim the Reserve and leave it open to the public – to build the hummocks the same as they were before. Some say it is impossible. I say it is not. They can be built up with but little expense if taken properly. What nature put there, with a little assistance, nature will build up again. It will take fifty-two chains of brush and ti-tree fence about five or six feet high, built on a straight line with the beach, about one chain west of the old hummocks, so as to leave ample room for the waves to play on the beach without interfering with the young hummocks. This will at once cut off the supply of sand from the beach, as it will be stopped by the fence. Then marram grass should be planted in rows about one yard apart. It must be protected for the first year from visitor’s horses, and cattle are very fond of this grass when it is young. Sheep will not eat it. It could be very easily protected by running one galvanized barbed wire around it.

The marram grass has been tried at Port Fairy, Queenscliff, Lakes Entrance and many other places at all of which it has proved a great success. One cwt. I tried here last year is doing well. It needs nothing but pure drift sand to grow in. One peculiarity and good point about this grass is when once rooted it is practicably indestructible. If this work is at once carried out the supply of sand well at once be cut off, then the balance left on the Reserve will drift about and very soon exhaust itself and grow over with grass. This in conjunction with other improvement made at the north end will I feel in ten years bring the Reserve back if not improve what it was twenty years ago.

Apologizing for trespassing so far upon your valuable column,

Yours etc

A G Futcher”

 

Minutes of the Annual Conference of the Prospect Reserve held on 10 June 1898

The annual conference between the trustees and the visitors committee was held at the office of the trustees, Foster Street, Sale, on Friday evening, when there were present – Messrs D Sayer (chairman), Wynd, Bearup, and J Patterson (sec) representing the trustees; and R H Carter, C B Trood, A Clues, and J W McLachlan, a committee representing the visitors, and Mr. A G. Futcher (lessee).

Correspondence

The trustees wrote to the lessee of the reserve (Mr. Futcher) asking him if he would lease the reserve for the next 12 months, his term having expired in June this year.

Mr. Futcher, who was present, suggested to the trustees that they should appoint a manager without a salary to look after the reserve for a term of three years, to carry out the following works necessary to improve the place. There were about two acres of land at the south end of the reserve now reclaimed , and it would be necessary for the manager to sow this piece down immediately with English grass, otherwise it would be rendered useless. The next piece of work the manager would have to do would be to plant about half a ton of marram grass where required along the barrier, and after that only as much grass as was needed to maintain the hummocks and the background. Heavy seas had washed away the barrier in some places, and the manager would have to fill up the gaps, amounting to about twenty chains in all. This could be done with the same material that made the barrier, viz., ti-tree. Had it not been for the small drain which he ( Mr Futcher) had made through his property to Lake Reeve, the sea water would have flooded the reserve. The manager would further have to keep the thistles cut, the fence in good repair, and the causeway in a sound condition for vehicular traffic. He (Mr Futcher) further proposed that such manager should spell the reserve during the months of December, January, February and March in order that good grass might be provided for visitor’s horses. In lieu of a salary, Mr Futcher suggested that the manager should be allowed to graze stock on the Reserve for eight months in the year. If the trustees could not find a gentleman who was prepared to take the Reserve on these terms, he himself would be prepared to do so. On the other hand, if the trustees were not favourable to this suggestion of his, he was prepared to lease the Reserve as formally.  He contended that the proposal he submitted was an equitable one, and if he were appointed manager he would put up a deposit and he was prepared to forfeit it if he did not succeed in reclaiming the Reserve in three years.

It was decided to deal with Mr. Futcher’s proposal at the adjourned meeting this Friday evening.

 

Speech of Alfred Futcher as published in the Gippsland Mercury:

Many years later Alfred Futcher became a candidate for election as Rosedale Shire Councillor for the Rosedale riding. He had been asked to campaign for the position by many members of the riding who felt he would do a good job. At an election policy speech held at the Longford Hall, Mr. Futcher included comments about his work in restoring the Seaspray hummocks.

This speech was duly printed in the Gippsland Mercury: 

“ …. Mr. Futcher, on rising, was greeted with applause. He thanked the Chairman for his kind remarks, and said it gave him a great pleasure to see so many ratepayers assembled together, as it showed great interest was being manifested in the election. When he lived at Prospect twelve years ago, the health resort was destroyed by drifting sand, the result of the ocean breaking into it. The place was practically abandoned. At a meeting held there the summer before he told the people not to give up on the Reserve, but to reclaim it, to build up the sand hummocks about two miles of them by nature, which would collect the drifting sand and keep the sea out. He went to some trouble to tell them the way, and showed them how cheaply the work could be done through the assistance of nature. All the people said it sounded nice in theory but ridiculed it as impossible. One old gentleman who had traveled the world said nothing could be done as the land was sinking down. He had seen the same thing on the shores of Africa, nature had claimed it for destruction. He (Mr. Futcher) explained that the land was not sinking down. The only trouble was that the hummocks had been destroyed, and the heavy spring tides were sweeping over the Reserve. However the people seemed willing to leave it. And after they left he was down looking at the sandy waste as it was then, the sea had just swept over it in places two feet deep. He thought how easy it would be to get this place for himself – all he had to do was leave it alone. The ocean would soon work out and complete its destruction – all the people would leave and go to the Lakes Entrance. Then he could apply to buy it. There would be no opposition, and then he could set to work and reclaim it. His meditations ran on, but at last he thought he was not a land monopolist – what of the Reserve?  He had eight miles frontage to the sea. He said no – he would reclaim it for the people. He felt sore at the doubt expressed at the meeting. However, he decided to send a letter to the Gippsland Mercury explaining how the work of reclamation could be carried out. He saw each Trustee, and out of five he won three on his side – two were opposed to it. He, together with the Trustees, held a private meeting in the Savings Bank in Sale. The Trustees said the work seemed a very large one, and they only had a few pounds. But if he would undertake the work they would help as much as possible. However, to make a long story short, they handed the Reserve over to him for three years. Then he handed it back to them fully reclaimed and worth over 2000 pounds. The work of reclamation he valued at about 150 pounds – it would have run out at that if paid for. All that it actually cost the Trustees was 56 pounds. The principle work of reclamation was a long ti-tree fence about 6 feet high. This collected the sand which built the hummocks and kept the sea out. After twelve months the land began to sweeten, then he planted native and imported grasses at the back of a long row of sand formed along the fence. The grass grew, and as the grass grows the land rises, and the hummocks rise year after year. He harrowed up and sowed the camping ground at the back of the hummocks with English grass and clover, and nature did the balance.

During question-time at the end of the speech, Mr. John Brennan asked: “Don’t you think you would have shown more sense if you put the work on the road instead of the Prospect Reserve?” To this Mr. Futcher replied: “What a foolish question to ask. Where would I make a road to? To a desolate sandy waste? No, after I reclaimed the Reserve Mr. McLachlan came to me and said: “Alf you’ve done well, you have saved the Reserve. I will now make a road to it.”