The weather we’ve had in this not-so-new year has had relative newcomers to the region wondering what in the world they’ve struck; but to those of us who’ve been on the Sunshine Coast since before it was so named, February ’08 seems nostalgically familiar.

It’s quite a few decades now since we had to have our wet weather gear always at hand, our shoes had to be de-moulded, the table salt was permanently damp and getting the washing dry was a problem (not everyone had a dryer in those days).

Even getting around was fraught with problems.Often the only road open from Nambour to the coast was via Mons Road over Buderim.

My memories, though, can’t hold a candle to those of the real old-timers.

Compared with them, I’m just a blow-in, having only recently just reached the half ton.

When they meet on the street between downpours on a humid day, the conversation probably usually goes something like this:

“Geat rain, eh?

“Yeah, what’s everybody whingeing about? Why all the fuss? This is just like the old wets we used to have every year.’Bout time the seasons returned to normal.”

“They tell me the beaches have lost a bit of sand.”

“Yeah, there’s lots of coffee rock exposed, but the sand’ll come back in the winter, no sweat.”

Maybe they’re right, maybe not, but in those days, there wasn’t a lot of very expensive real estate on the foreshores. And nature has, can and will again make fun of our puny efforts to manage her.

Some 30 years ago, regional historian Stan Tutt, backed up by tigerishly committed environmentalist Kathleen McArthur, warned that sooner or later, the sea would break through the sandy northern tip of Bribie Island, thus exposing Golden Beach to almost unthinkable consequences.

No one took much notice then, but only recently, with the lighthouse now only a few metres from high water mark, that long-term possibility has to be recognised. Is there a “what if” plan in place?

And browsing through some old Nambour Chronicle pages, I see a 1970s picture of a breach of the dunes at Kawana. All this set me to thinking that Andrew Champion’s call for the rebirth of the Beach Protection Authority might not be such a bad idea … provided that this time, the baby has some teeth..

AND Another Thing: Our new PM is no slouch as a wordsmith. His “Sorry” speech was never going to please everybody, but it deserved its wide commendation.as a masterly yet sincere and sensitive handling of a diabolically difficult subject. Well said, Kevin Rudd.

Now that the Stolen Generations apology has moved from controversy to history, can we add just a little charitable footnote to that history, acknowledging the good intentions behind at least some of the “thefts”?

Then, perhaps, we’ll have a more complete closure and can just get on with being Aussies together.
rich.29@bigpond.net.au