Northern Beaches environment hero honoured with boardwalk renaming

For many regular walkers along the South Curl Curl boardwalk, Harry Elliffe was a familiar face. Through rain, hail and shine, Harry was always busy tending to the bushland which clings to the cliffs along the foreshore.

Harry spent more than 30 years tirelessly maintaining the vegetation along the boardwalk and working with the Curl Curl Lagoon Friends to restore back to health the lagoon in John Fisher Park.

So it’s fitting that the boardwalk which runs along Carrington Parade be renamed the Harry Elliffe Way in honour of his significant contribution to the local environment and community.

Harry was an ardent environmentalist who was committed to maintaining the natural environment.

He served as a member of the Curl Curl Lagoon Friends Executive Committee until 2019, and he and his wife Bev received a coveted Premier’s Award for service to the environment. He was also Northern Beaches Senior Citizen of the Year 2018. He passed away, age 92 in January this year.

Harry’s daughter, Dianne, was delighted with the boardwalk renaming in commemoration of her father’s work.

“What people see there today is largely the extent of his and other volunteer efforts,” Dianne said.

“He was tough and really cared for the environment, and most importantly was prepared to commit to put in the effort to do what was required to protect it.

“He lived just nearby and would spend hours planting, watering, weeding, gathering seed, and raising native plants along the area.”