Ellis Beach History
Prior to the World War 2 this area had no particular name and there was no habitation in the vicinity. Records show that Ellis Beach was named after a Dick Ellis who at one time resided at this beach. He was a shotfirer for the Main Roads presumably at the time the Captain Cook Highway was constructed in the early 1930’s. He lost a hand and the Government constructed a house for him at the Beach now known as Ellis Beach on the spot where the restaurant now stands. This was about 1940 and Dick Ellis died in 1960. Following the construction of the Cook Highway through this area, it was decided by the authorities to plant many varieties of trees along each side of the roadway and this policy was carried out wherever the terrain was suitable. Mangoes were particularly suitable for this purpose and many of the original trees are still surviving along with other flowering trees. Those along the stretch of roadway at Ellis Beach would no doubt owe their existence to Dick Ellis as at one time he was engaged as a tree maintenance employee on the Captain Cook Highway.
This information was provided by The Historical Society, Cairns, Nth Qld Inc.
