Forster Plaza Private Hotel

This Murray Views postcard from the Great Lakes Museum‘s postcard collection shows a close up view of the Plaza Private Hotel which was located opposite Main Beach Forster.

An advertisement from the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate dated Saturday 8th May 1954 describing Forster and the Hotel reads as follows:

‘FORSTER FORSTER

The complete holiday resort all year round. Lake, rock, river, beach and deep sea fishing. Golf, tennis bowls, surfing, lake and ocean baths. Theatre, organised launch trips. Rowing and motor-boats for hire, and for accommodation that satisfies in an Ideal position right on the main beach. PLAZA Private Hotel. Write Plaza, or ring. Forster 139, or Newcastle Agents, Jayes. B1155. 5139, 120.’

Happy Days – Forster Main Beach 1960’s

Forster Main Beach 1960’s showing the Forster Surf Life Saving Clubhouse with cottages from the Pilot Station behind.

Here’s a classic (of some old classics) recently donated to the Great Lakes Museum’s archive of local history photographs taken from the car park across from Forster’s Main Beach during the mid-sixties. The Forster Surf Life Saving clubhouse, located on the headland, can be seen with the original cottages from the Pilot Station, a couple of tents and a caravan in the camping reserve behind.
After digitising to museum preservation standards in preparation for uploading to the clickHistory Great Lakes database we noticed the Tuncurry Surf Life Saving clubhouses located on Tuncurry Beach in the distant view.

Detail showing the two Tuncurry Surf Life Saving clubhouses in the distant view.

The Tuncurry Surf Life Saving Club was formed in 1931 with the first clubhouse being built 2 years later. An additional two story women’s clubhouse was built in the 1940’s. The Club was strong during the 1940’s and 1950’s boasting a women’s march past team. Membership dwindled over the years and eventually was the Club was disbanded in 1965.

TL