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‘LOGO’ SHOT

This great photo was one of a short series taken by professional photographer, Rex Hazlewood in the early 1920’s and may have been commissioned by AJSmall. It has been used by the Society as their insignia photo on letterheads, membership forms and newsletters since 1983.

It appears to have been taken from the Bellevue Avenue and Seaview Avenue (nowadays Elouera Road) intersection. The first general store (built by AJSmall) shows clearly on the north/east corner of the Avalon Parade and (Old) Barrenjoey Road intersection.

The white-lettered sign on the dark board set back from the south/eastern corner read as follows; ‘Cronulla was, Palm Beach is and Avalon Beach will be’. The slogan was used to promote the ‘new seaside suburb’ and was produces quarto (A4) signs which were fixed in the rounded cornices of the early railway carriages.

Note the 14 vertically-slatted white planter boxes flanking the 2 main streets. Using a composite of several photos it is possible to count 71 of them which AJSmall had built but nothing ever successfully grew in them. Either he was ill-advised as to what shrub/tree to plant in them or since town water was still around 15 years away, a period of low rainfall may have put an end to the young shrubs.

Within 5 years a dining room was added to the eastern end of the store, along the Avalon Parade frontage. This coincided with the opening of the golf links and especially catered for patrons seeking lunch after ‘9 holes’.

The tennis court lasted another 15 years.

 

 

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