The Nyabau fishery station road in 1986

The road leading to Agriculture Department's fishery station - sometimes called Nyabau Fishery Station
Picture taken on 16 February 1981

 The existing Pantai Temasya is located at Tanjung Batu.  Further up Tanjung Batu going north is a place called Nyabau and in the 70's there was fishery station that was popularly visited by students and other interested parties especially for educational visits.  The road leading to the station was not very well maintained and at certain locations was disconnected because of many small streams that transversed it.  Today, a two-lane single carriageway replaces the old fishery station road and is an alternative route to reach Kidurong township by the Tanjung Batu coastal scenic road.  This road extension from Pantai Temasya is a popular beach destination for viewing the Bintulu sunset, family picnics and for many other relaxing activities related to the beach or sea like photography, sightseeing, jogging,etc.

Today a proper 2-lane single carriageway replaces the old earth road. This road is an extension from the Pantai Temasya and passes the Bintulu Golf Course (2nd Nine or Links Course) and leads to the ABF (Asean Bintulu
Fertiliser) housing site.
Date taken : 30 January, 2014.

This new extension road from Pantai Temasya is very well utilised because it provides people staying at the Kidurong township an alternative route to their housing area which is less busy than the main Kidurong highway and offers a much pleasant driving experience with a view of the sea.  This extension road together with the existing one starting at Taman Tumbina and passing the Pantai Temasya may just as well be referred to as "Jalan Pantai Temasya".

Tanjung Batu Scenic Road in the late 1980's

The Tanjung Batu Scenic Road - under construction in the late 80's

 One of the major impacts of the first economic boom (1979 - 1983) was the growth of population in the Bintulu town and the new satellite township of Kidurong.  With increased number of temporary and permanent workforce to the town the need for recreational activities grew.  One of the projects undertaken by the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) was the construction of beach facilities and a bird's park which was later named Wildlife Park or Taman Hidupan Liar in Malay.  Upon adopting  the masterplan for the development of the Tanjung Batu recreational reserve area in 1985, works on providing improved roads infrastructure to the beach and park areas started in the late 1980's in earnest.  The above picture shows the construction of the Tg. Batu Scenic Road, showing the section going down towards the Aurora Beach Hotel.

Tanjung Batu Scenic Road as seen today....20 December, 2013.

Today the road is a one-lane dual carriageway with a small lane for bicycles and motorcycles incorporated.  The building on the right is Bintulu's first high-rise beach condominium project.  With proper facilities and amenities provided at Tg. Batu recreational reserve area, tourism activities picked up with visitors both domestic and foreign attracted to the beautiful scenery, breeze and many recreational activites at the beach like swimming, picnics,jogging, family gathering or outing, beach games,photography and sunset viewing. Entrance to the beach is free. Visitors especially school children crowd the Wildlife Park especially at weekends and school holidays to see many zoo animals, birds and botanic collections at the park, which is now popularly called "Taman Tumbina" in Malay.

Tanjung Batu coastal scenic road - 1987

 The Tanjung Batu beach area has been a very popular picnic spot for Bintuluians since the 1960's.  When Bintulu encountered its first boom starting in 1979, many visitors and residents or temporary workforce to the town had the Tanjung Beach as the main outlet for beach recreational activities because it was conveniently located about 4 kilometers from the town center.  When more people settled permanently in the town there was a need to provide better amenities and facilities to the Tanjung Batu beach area.  In 1987 the Tanjung Batu coastal road as it was called then was paved and installed with street lighting.  To start with it was a  2-lane single carriageway.

1987 - Tanjung Batu coastal road -  2-lane single carriageway
Note the turning to the right (in the middle of the picture) which is the entrance to the "Pantai Temasya Bintulu" today'

 One of my responsibilities while working with the BDA (Bintulu Development Authority) in the 1980's was the landscaping of Bintulu.  In the above picture is shown the first batch of "Poui" trees planted along the Tg. Batu coastal road. The main reason for the choice was that Poui trees love the sea sprays and the intense heat of Bintulu for predictable flowering.  The seeds for these trees were sent in a brown envelope in 1985...go here to know further about the history of the Bintulu- Singapore connection regarding these Poui trees....>>>http://myussop.blogspot.com/2009/09/september-pink-and-white-glory.html

Tanjung Batu scenic road, as it is better known today - 11 October'13.

 Today, the Tanjung Batu scenic road has received many improvements.  It has become a dual-carriageway with much improved landscaping and central street lighting.  This scenic road now connects the Pantai Temasya to the Kidurong township and is fast becoming a popular spot to watch the Bintulu sunset.

Tanjung Batu scenic road, as it is better known today - 11 October'13.

From Tanjung Batu Beach to Pantai Temasya Bintulu

"Pantai Tanjung Batu" (Malay) or Tanjung Batu Beach in 1979

 In 1979 I used to go for picnic and scrambling at the Tanjung Batu Beach.  The above picture shows me riding the scrambler at the beach area.  The site of the scrambling is today's car parking area.  The site was rich with white silica sand. However, for more fun and thrills, we would scramble along the beach and off-road areas further up the coast towards the Agriculture Department's fishery station where the present Bintulu Golf Course is.  Often times I used to bring my school students for picnic and swimming at the beach when a teacher at Bintulu Government Secondary School from 1975 -1976 and when I was the Headmaster of the school in 1979 - 1980.

Pantai Tanjung Batu has been re-named "Pantai Temasya Bintulu"
Date taken : 10 October, 2013.

The present site is one of the many car parking areas provided at the well-patronised and most popular beach spot in Bintulu.  It has been re-named 'Pantai Temasya Bintulu' in Malay to mean 'a beach for recreational, picnic, play and fun'.  In the November 1980 I joined the BDA (Bintulu Development Authority) and during the mid 1980's was greatly involved with re-developing the beach area especially the development of the beach facilities and amenities, landscaping and the Bird's Park (later re-named "Taman Tumbina").