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Seabird, Western Australia

Coordinates: 31°15′54″S 115°25′48″E / 31.265°S 115.43°E / -31.265; 115.43
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Seabird
Western Australia
Seabird Tavern overlooking the coast in September 2021
Seabird is located in Western Australia
Seabird
Seabird
Map
Coordinates31°15′54″S 115°25′48″E / 31.265°S 115.43°E / -31.265; 115.43
Population107 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1968
Postcode(s)6042
Area12.8 km2 (4.9 sq mi)
Location
  • 100 km (62 mi) north of Perth
  • 38 km (24 mi) south east of Lancelin
  • 53 km (33 mi) west of Gingin
LGA(s)Shire of Gingin
State electorate(s)Moore
Federal division(s)Pearce

Seabird is a small coastal town north of Perth, Western Australia in the Shire of Gingin, situated halfway between Two Rocks and Lancelin overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Seabird is a popular holiday and retirement spot, similar to surrounding settlements such as Guilderton and Ledge Point, but has also become infamous for its struggles with coastal erosion.

History

[edit]

The area that would become Seabird was first founded on sand dunes as a series of squatter shacks used by rock lobster fisherman during the 1950s. In 1965 the decision was made to gazette the area as a townsite named "Chalon", named after the hometown of the botanist Jean-Baptiste Leschenault de La Tour. The proposed name was unpopular with residents and upon being gazetted in 1968 was renamed "Seabird". Sea Bird (two words) was the name of a schooner which shipwrecked in the area in 1874 and had lent its name to a nearby pastoral lease.[2][3]

Seabird's fragile location on the foredunes overlooking the beach resulted in a 1970s report by the Coastal Townsites Committee of the now-disbanded Town Planning Department recommending no further development of the settlement shortly after its gazettal.[4] This came to fruition after significant erosion of up to 40 metres resulted in Turner Street, a road built to service the town's beachfront properties, collapsing into the ocean.[5] In 2016 lobbying by residents resulted in a $2 million AUD sea wall being constructed to protect the exposed properties for another 10-20 years. This was also complemented by the addition of 2,400 native seedlings to help further stabilise the area behind the sea wall.[6]


References

[edit]
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Seabird (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Town names". Landgate. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. ^ "SEA BIRD". SHIPWRECK DATABASES. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Assessment of Coastal Erosion Hotspots in Western Australia Appendix D" (PDF). Western Australia Government. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  5. ^ Faulkner, Kerry. "Saving Seabird as ocean consumes beaches and threatens houses". Domain. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Revegetation at Seabird a Soaring Success". Northern Agricultural Catchments Council. Retrieved 7 September 2022.