Kingscliffs first name was Sutherland Point. It got this name when early settlers found a grave on the hill with the name Sutherland on it. Where that grave is now is anyones guess. I do know the street, Gibson Street, but where in that street, will remain a mystery. I was told that there was a marker but that has gone with the building of houses.
Its next name was Cudgen Headland. Then Kingscliff in 1926. Read further on how it came about.
"What's in a name?" Someone asked.
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet!"
Maybe so, but would the Tweed Coast town of Kingscliff be the same if it were called something else?
To the reader who posed this question last week, here's one answer from Mrs. Kath Johnson, of Kingscliff, whose family has been associated with the town for many years.
In the 1920's, say's Mrs. Johnson, a two-storied wooden building stood where the ANZ bank is situated at present.
It was owned and occupied by the Lean family who ran a small store and took in orders.
Mr. Lean attended the shop, sold stamps and handled incoming and outgoing mail.
It was in fact, the first "post office", if an unofficial one.
The mail was taken into Cudgen - then it was the main town - for posting. Eventually a line was run out to Mr. Lean's shop, the first telephone.
In about 1926, Mrs. Johnston believes, the Postal Department wrote to Mr. Lean stating that, because of the closeness of Cudgen, Cudgera Headland (now Hastings Point) and the confusion that caused, it had been decided to change the name of Cudgen headland.
Could Mr. Lean suggest a suitable name? Maybe he could think of two names so there would be a choice.
"Kingscliff" was one of the names. It was finally accepted, but in the mists of the time, the alternate name was lost.
At about that time, an Englishman named Goggin stayed at the Lean's boarding house.
He had brought some land about where the local hotel now stands, and called it "Kingscliff Estate".
In later years a party of British travelers remarked that they knew of a place in England called Kingscliff.
So perhaps Mr. Goggin also new of it, suggested it to Mr. Lean - and the rest is history.
Thanks, Mrs. Johnson for that information.
Now, does anyone remember what Kingscliff might have been called if the alternate name had been accepted by the postal authorities back in 1926??