Nick and Angelo Omeros, with their mother, Helen, emigrated to Australia from Greece in 1953. They, and their three older brothers, became restauranteurs.
Nick, Michael, Costa and Comino opened the Paragon Seafood Restaurant at La Perouse in November 1968. They transformed the Paragon Café and Boat Shed from a café, milkbar and take-away with boat hiring facilities. It was the second restaurant to specialise in seafood in New South Wales.
When diners turned up for lunch on the last Sunday in May 1974, they were horrified at the sight that greeted them. The collapsed restaurant building was literally slipping into the sea, a victim of the previous night’s storm. This was regarded as the worst in twenty years and caused a great deal of damage in Sydney. The restaurant was a total write-off, and the Omeros brothers moved on to success elsewhere.
A great shot and an interesting story. I had heard about the Omeros family but didn't know about the La Perouse connection.
ReplyDeleteSydney - City and Suburbs
So who has run it since 1974? I drove my father down there last year. It is near Bare Island, yes? That pier had nets and more fishing boats when I was there and really reeked Greek.
ReplyDeleteLooks out onto the container terminals if I recall correctly.
Hi Sally! Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sharing... I see this place all the time.
ReplyDeleteOh Sally what a shame. As you know we've had terrible storms too with several people dragged into the sea and dying. I wonder if this lovely place can be rebuilt - doubt it.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the authentication. It's done.
Happy New Year again!
Tough to deny mother nature.
ReplyDeleteHi Sally,
ReplyDeleteThe Omeros family now have a restaurant right on the beach at Ramsgate. The food is great and I recommend a visit. They also have some photos and history of the restaurant at La Perouse.
The restaurant you have shown at La Perouse is also a great place to eat.
Kind regards and keep showing us interesting sights around Sydney.
Wow, I saw the Boat House fall into the sea on that night in 1974, I was 6, we were living in New Zealand at the time but were staying with our cousins on Endeavour Avenue, our grandparents lived up on Philip Avenue. It was a blurred memory rekindled by the recent visuals of the flood waters in QLD washing away houses, so I googled it and came up with your blog.
ReplyDeleteWe were there often over the next 5 years and in those days you could run all over Bare Island, which we did!
Catherine
The Boatshed cafe was never the Paragon. It used to be Kenny's Boatshed then later became the Boatshed cafe. The flat platform beside it used to be Stannard's boat shed. The Paragon was about 100 mtrs up the road on the Kurnell side of the platform where the little park is. You used to be able to see the front steps of the Paragon near the edge.
ReplyDeleteDennis.
Anon - thanks so much for that information!
ReplyDeleteI got married at the Paragon Restaurant in February 1974. I would love to know what is on that site now.
ReplyDeleteDennis is correct the Paragon was further towards kurnell , Next to the wharf that also was destroyed on the 26th of May 1974.also the footings of the original building are still visible . Nothing has been rebuilt on the site which the Townsends owned and could not rebuild as the insurance companys back then said it was an act of god !And the Sons of the original chef Costa are at ramsgate beach accross the bay .@ Omeros on the Beach .
ReplyDeleteMy Grandfather owned the original Paragon and my father and aunt grew up there. Grandfather (GAE. Aviet) ran most of the ferries on Botany Bay.
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