- From the archives of the Port Macquarie News - Wednesday 30 December 1970
Dreary Wet Weather
The dreariest, wettest holiday weather since December, 1962, and the third wet Christmas-New Year holiday period in the past 20 years, has been disappointing for thousands of holidaymakers in Port Macquarie.
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Campers particularly have found the wet weather inconvenient and unpleasant, though, uncomplaining, they have stayed on in thousands and all look forward to the finer weather that is forecast.
Though it is little consolation for those here at the present time, this is only the third occasion in the past 20 years that the weather has misbehaved.
Delightfully monotonous, the file of the "News" tell of record crowds enjoying ideal holiday weather, and for that reason this dreary spell is harder to take among those who have regularly found the sun shining here.
There has not been a great loss of daylight hours because of the rain, and surfing, fishing, golf and bowls have been enjoyed, but not to the extent which holiday-makers are used to.
All boat sheds report many happy and successful fishing parties returning from up-river and outside, and demands for bait have been unusually heavy.
The three main camp grounds in the town all have big crowds. Flynn's Beach Park is filled to capacity.
Taskers (formerly "Willows") is far busier than last year and all campers are finding these two tree-lined areas much to their liking.
Caracamp appears as full as it was last year when record crowds camped behind the breakwall.
Marlin off Port
Everybody's catching marlin off Port Macquarie! Following the two big marlin he caught last week, John Dulhunty and Peter Bennett returned to port on Monday afternoon with three marlin weighing 63, 60 and 50 lbs.
John Steep topped the marlin catch with one of 107 lbs, and Max Caslick, another well-known fisherman brought in two beauties, one 90 lbs, the other 60 lbs.
Progress and Consolidation
The bi-centenary year of Captain Cook's arrival in Australia will go down in Port Macquarie history as one of progress and consolidation, for it was the third year in succession that the town's building figure has reached beyond the $4 million mark, and a steady increase in the permanent population (now approaching 8.5 thousand) was maintained.
Three new motels, Travelodge, Red Carpet Inn, and Eddie Parson's in Burrawan St. opened; Reeds spent a quarter of a million dollars on their shop development and with it came the town's sixth bank.
In a municipality which extends from Hibbard to Lake Cathie, 150 dwellings were built, 20 blocks of flats, and eight more commercial buildings were added to the local scene.
Local Boys Go To Legacy Camp
Three local boys, all brothers, left for Sydney at the weekend to attend a Legacy holiday camp at Narrabeen.
The boys are James Keaton 14, Raymond Keaton 12 and Clive Keaton 9 from Port Macquarie.
The camp is organised by Legacy and is held annually. During their stay which extends from Boxing Day to 7th January, the boys are taken on conducted tours and excursions in and around the city area.
This is the first time the boys have been to Sydney.
The camp is organised each year.
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