southport stories - pages 24 to 35 - city of gold coast · gold coast city council southport...

Gold Coast City Council Southport stories 24 Community tales submitted for the Southport Heritage Walk 2009

1945-1950

I can remember the Old Pier which ran out of the end of Nerang Street into the

water about 200 metres. In the middle was a huge closed in building which was

used as a picture theatre run by the Thams Bros. Further out were the baths

protected by tea tree stakes to keep the sharks out but sometimes huge stingrays

used to be trapped there. I learnt to swim there coached by Clarrie Bell’s wife, old

identities of Southport.

My father Bill and Uncle Joe Chandler used to tie their 12 foot clinker punt up

to a channel beacon about 100 metres south of the pier baths and fish for Jew

fish with live mullet obtained from the net fisherman, Mr Store. Most nights they

would come home with a fish that they would hang on the hills hoist clothes line;

the head was on the line and the tail on the ground. Every fourth or fifth night

they would hook up with a shark and it would tow the boat up and down the

Broadwater until they beached it on a sand bank. On one occasion they hooked

a 16 foot tiger shark which towed them up to the Old Jubilee Bridge back to the

Grand hotel and then back to the front of the pier when they beached it on a

sand bank.

In those days the nuns from the Star of the Sea had bathing boxes of which there

were several in front of the Old Pacific Hotel. They would change in neck to knee

costumes and swim across the channel to the sand bank in the middle. My father

knowing what was in the channel was forever ringing them to tell them of the

Place : Stories of SouthportTheme : History and Development – Pioneers, Identities and Family StoriesAuthor : Bill Chandler

Southport pier baths and esplanade, circa 1920sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Southport pier and picture theatre, circa 1930sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

shark presence. He was told ‘thank you Mr Chandler but the Lord will look after

us”! My father not being too certain of this tied a dead 8 ft grey nurse shark up

to their steps on the bathing box. We never saw them swimming the channel

again. The bathing boxes were blown away in a cyclone soon after.

Our house was six houses south of the Pacific Hotel and went right through

to Scarborough Street. We had about an acre of land and I used to run poddy

lambs as a little boy. I would get a billy of milk from the South Coast dairy each

morning which is where Australia Fair West is now.

Our house was called “Durness” and together with my uncle Jack’s house next

door called “Lugnaquilla” would sponsor Red Cross garden parties. These were

very lavish affairs for all to enjoy.

My father bought “Seabank” in Short Street which was an army hospital during

the war and cut it up into five flats. These were later cut up and moved as 5

separate houses on individual blocks.

It is interesting to read in the press that the “highfliers” did not get their way and

moved the Southport Race Club to Robina. My father was the one who actually bought the land (2 dairy farms) to start the Club. I

can remember going out there on numerous occasion collecting mushrooms while my father supervised the clearing of the land by

bullock teams. Dragging the dead trees into piles and burning them. I can also remember that the drainage channel on the outside

of the running rail was dug by one man with a spade. Its still there!


continued

Place : Stories of SouthportTheme : History and Development – Pioneers, Identities and Family storiesAuthor : Bill Chandler

Southport pier baths, circa 1920sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library


I went to TSS as a boarder and I can remember one of my mates nicked out

from school one night to go to the pictures at the Regent theatre. He was all

dressed up in a great coat and sneaked into the pictures after it started so he

would not be seen and promptly sat down next to Harry Kaiser one of the Senior

Masters. I don’t recall any punishment being handed out as I think the shock was

punishment enough.

Before the river was realigned MacIntosh Island (now Paradise Waters) was across

from the sand spit which was owned by the school. Boys used to have cubby

houses on the spit and MacIntosh Island was a dairy farm.

I can clearly remember going to a Clay Pigeon shoot at Tambo in the central west

and reminiscing about TSS with no less than 12 old boys from the school. One

very notable man said they even had kerosene fridges in his cubby and they used

to swim the river at night catch a poddy calf dress it and float it back to their

cubby and the kero fridge. One other in the group said “Yes, MacIntosh Island

belonged to my uncle”! He got sprung 25 years later in Tambo!

We lived at 30 The Esplanade which became Marine Parade a site that now has

high-rise apartments. The main Pacific Highway (Marine Parade) was right in front

of our house and 30 metres beyond Marine Parade was a concrete wall and the

Broadwater. This means that there has been about 200 metres of reclamation of

land, into the Broadwater in my life time.

The Southport School (TSS)Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Southport seawall, circa 1920sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library


About The Pier Theatre

I loved going there and looking at the water through the floor boards

when we went out on the verandah bit to go to the Loo. Also the old

swing canvas seats and having Jaffa’s rolled down under your seats

by drips up the back who obviously had more money than we did as I

definitely wouldn’t waste mine like that. Walking down the side entry

with all the posters of up coming attractions, reading Fantale wrappers

about stars. And the serials which always ended with some guy in a black

car going over the edge of a cliff, or sitting on a railway track with a train

bearing down on him, and then miraculously coming out of it unscathed,

to only get shot at and end up over the next cliff after 15 mins.

Place : Pier TheatreTheme : Heritage PlacesAuthor : Penny Clementson (nee Shepherd) lives in Glen Innes NSW – submitted by Erica Bates

Southport Pier Theatre, circa 1950Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library


I came from Mudgeeraba in January 1942 to go to high school, but I was actually

born at Sandown Hospital, Southport in 1926. Matron and Sister Higman were

actually friends of my mother’s family, the Mudgeeraba Andrews, several of whom

were nursing sisters. When my mother died suddenly at home in 1959, Matron

and Sister Higman came to “lay her out”. In the early 20th century there were

3 hospitals in Southport – Sandown, under where Australia Fair now stands,

Numbana in Scarborough Street next to Dr. Mackeys, nearly opposite the RSL and

Nurse Cowderoys in Nerang Street – I think she must have been a midwife.

In late 1940 the Southport Private Hospital was built on the corner or High Street

& Johntson Street, where I had my first 3 babies. The first part of the present Gold

Coast Hospital was the maternity section which was opened in January, 1952

with the Superintendent being Dr. Owen Lloyd (who incidentally brought my first

3 babies into the World). The first baby born in the new Gold Coast Hospital was

born to Mervyn Henry and his wife – they received a little silver trophy. Mervyn

was the son of Sgt. Tom Henry from the Southport Police Station. I had a lot to

do with him as I worked at South Coast Motors, owned by Lindsay Firth. In those

days customers received much more personal care than nowadays. I used to walk

with our customers up the road to the Police Station for transfer of registration, etc. Sgt. Henry used to tell anyone who served me

“please look after her nicely, as she is one the kids who dances to my music”. He played the sax and Mrs. Mitchell, from Mitchells

Jetty, played the piano. On Saturday nights Mrs. Baron played the piano and Dudley Stanfield the violin for the old time dance. Mrs.

Matthews ran the euchre tournament at the old RSL building.

Sandown Private Hospital, circa 1900Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Place : SouthportTheme : History and Development - PioneersAuthor : Grace Cornwall (nee Crompton, nee Wintle)


Lindsay Firth was a councillor when I worked at South Coast Motors, when it

was in Nerang St. next to the Ambulance Station, with the Fire Brigade behind

it. Arthur Laver from Mudgeeraba was its superintendent. At this time Mr. Proud

was the Mayor. His wife was Mary Siganto from Coomera. Their son, Bill, was the

spare parts man at South Coast Motors.

Another family of note in Southport were the Ellis Brothers – Allan was a chemist,

Fred was a Draper and Roy was a barber opposite the Del Plaza Hotel. Their young

brother, Stan, was in the Army during World War 2.

Besides Theodore’s big restaurant where functions and weddings were held, there

was Salways Café which used to put on a hot meal at midday for one shilling for

the school kids. Then there were a couple of small tea rooms, one under the Savoy

Theatre, which was run by Mrs. Kuhn. Her daughters, Clare & Lillian, worked

there. Devonshire scones, sandwiches and cakes, etc. were served. Ivy Napper had

another one near Taylors Furniture store. She was a Morris who lived next door to

Earl Motors. Her sister, Beatrice, was married to Harris Babbidge and Myrtle was

unmarried. Their brother, Frank, worked with Norm Rix as an estate agent.

Now onto butcher shops – J.N. Skelton & Sons was on the corner of Nind &

Scarborough Streets, not far from South Coast Motors. Colvins had a butcher

shop on the corner of Garden St. & Nerang Road. Alec Colvin was the first man

to drive a trailer bus (owned by Allan Archibald) which used to meet the train at

Southport to take passengers to Coolangatta. By 1960 he had a butcher shop at

continued

Place : SouthportTheme : History and Development - PioneersAuthor : Grace Cornwall (nee Crompton, nee Wintle)

Official opening of the Southport AmbulanceStation, 1922Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Skelton's Butchery, circa 1930sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library


Canungra. Melrose’s bought Colvins butcher shop and had another one down near the corner of Marine Parade and also one on

the corner of Scarborough & North Streets, where the Cheesecake Shop is now. Later, the butcher shop on the corner of Garden &

Nerang Streets became Moran Motors and later again became Lockhardt Motors. Later again became S.E.A. and later S.E.Q.E.B. and

now Energex & Origin. The electricity firm was previously known as C.E.L. (City Electric Light) and was situated in Nind Street. Pacific

Ice Works was on the corner of Windmill & Davenport Streets and was owned by Edgar Dellaway & Sam Johnson (brothers-in-law).

Kretschman Soft Drinks had a factory on the corner of Nind & Davenport Streets.

Carey’s Corner Store wasn’t always Careys. Before Careys had it, it belonged to

George Andrews. He was Gareth Andrew’s grandfather. The original owners were

Lancaster’s. They had it from about 1900 to 1908. Ailza received a very tattered

manuscript about 6 months ago verifying this and I have a photo of the store

before Nerang & Scarborough Streets had bitumen.

My uncle, Thomas Campbell Andrews, was the Licensee of the Cecil Hotel in the

1930s.

I have just received a copy of the Walter Hill story – the first curator of the

Brisbane Botanic Gardens, which celebrated 150 years in 2005.T.C. Andrews Store, circa 1920Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library


The Gold Coast Hospital in 1957 maintained only a maternity section

of which is now psychiatric wards. The Cronk family and their

spare block of land was bought by the Crown for future hospital

development in Little High Street. When I was having my babies my

husband, Stan, and I would stay with his family, i.e. Dave and Isabella

Cronk. Dave made me a stile over the fence for me to climb over to

get me to the hospital on time! A rehabilitation building is now built

where the Cronk property once stood. Find memories!

Aerial view of the Southport Hospital, 1978Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Place : The Gold Coast Hospital, SouthportTheme : History and Development - HospitalAuthor : Gloria Cronk


My name is Joan Davidson and I am aged 80 years. I was born Joan Wyatt in

the Sandown Hospital, Southport, on 26th April, 1928. I was the only child of

James and Alice Wyatt and we lived in Rawlins Street. My father was from an

old Southport family and his parents were Fred and Rachael Wyatt who lived in

Brighton on The Esplanade, Southport. His sister, Ethel, was well known for her

work at St. Peter’s Church and various other charity works. She also worked for

the Oddfellow Society.

I was educated at the Southport School and I can remember wearing khaki shirt

and shorts for slit trench drill during the last years of my schooling. During the

Second World War, hundreds of Australian, American and other National troops

were based at Southport. The troop town. Even though there were many troops

based in close proximity, there were few incidents.

My first job was at Woolworths, Southport and later I was an usherette at Thams

theatres at the Regent, The Pier and later at Burleigh Heads.

I worked at the Pier Theatre on Saturday afternoon when entrance was a penny

for the movie, swim or fishing. Swimming was in the tidal pool at the end of the

pier. The troops were, in those days, quite respectable and never once was there

any trouble at the movies. After the evening show, I counted the night’s takings

and was escorted home by Jack Kerr, stopping at the night safe along the way.

Sandown Private Hospital, circa 1900Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Regnant Theatre (later renamed the Regent Theatre)Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

Place : Sandown Hospital, The Southport SchoolTheme : History and Development – Businesses, WWIIAuthor : Joan Davidson


I married Ron Davidson when I was aged 21 years and we moved to Brisbane to live. He worked at The Telegraph newspaper. When

my husband retired at aged 60 years, we moved back down to the Gold Coast to live. We presently live in the Pine Lakes Retirement

Village in Elanora.

The Surfers Paradise Hotel, had, in those days, a wonderful zoo on their property and it became a very popular attraction for

entertainment, especially at weekends. Being so close the beach, streets were lined with sand.

My parents were friendly with the Wakefield family of Southport. Mr. Wakefield was the local hairdresser and their daughter,

Daphne, became my best friend. Many a happy day was had when the Wakefields and Whyatts went over to Stradbroke Island. We

went over on The Dawn driven by old Mr. Tuesley. The fishing was great, but those sandflies just about ate us alive!

Daphne, Joy James, Faye Tilley and I, all only children, became an inseparable group. Joy’s mother was a dancing teacher who taught

ballet and tap. She taught me dance and soon Joy and I were one of the entertainment acts for the troops. Joy married an American

serviceman and lives in America. Faye, sadly, passed away too early in life leaving just Daphne and myself of the terrible four. To this

day, Daphne and I are still best friends.

The Minister at St. Peters was Reverend Watts and Mrs. Watts was a talented producer of operas, one being the Mikado. Len

Freeman, co-owner of the, then, Johnston and Freeman sawmill (next to the Southport Railway Station), and Ivy Elverson performed

regularly and their beautiful voices were appreciated by all who attended their performances.

As a little girl, Sundays were spent visiting family and having picnics on the Esplanade. The years of the Great Depression were

nearly over but I can still remember just men walking along the coastal towns along the Gold Coast looking for work or trying to

earn whatever money was available. They would call into Grandmas in Southport and she would always give them something to

eat or anything of use to them and their families. Times were very hard and my father was fortunate enough to spend many a week

working, with many other men, doing hard labour for ration tickets.

continued



Once a year Radio 4BC would hold a picnic at Southport. A big crowd always attended. The hundreds and cars and trains heading to Southport would be packed with people. Speaking of trains, the line was dug up and replaced when the diesel locomotives were introduced. Transport to Murwillumbah was by a coordinated service of bus then rail. The first rail station north from Southport was the Bethania Junction. From Brisbane carriages were split at Bethania Junction and some continued their journey south to Southport and on to Coolangatta. Bethania Junction was a busy station and the refreshment room was always busy serving a cuppa while carriages were being split. There were no platforms in those days and many a person slipped and fell as they climbed up and down from the trains. We just laughed it away and continued on.

One school day I remember an Air Force pilot skylarking causing his plane to crash. We were told not to go near the crash site, but it was too exciting and many of us raced to the crash site.

Our school balls and other major events were held in the Pier Theatre. But I can also remember street concerns being held in Southport. Many an hour I spent sitting on the steps of the Post Office enjoying the entertainment, especially those wonderful Christmas concerts.

Who from my era could forget the tow of twenty or so dressing sheds on the strip near the Broadwater across the road from where Australia Fair now stands. They were privately owned or leased from the Council. Each was about the size of an “outhouse”

(remember?) and many say it was good to see them go because they were an eyesore.

Procession to welcome the Governor, Southport Railway Station, circa 1930sImage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library

A bridge to Main Beach used to be located on the Southport side of where the present Sundale Bridge now stands. It was a

wooded bridge with a hump in the middle to allow the bigger boats to pass under. The Main Beach end of this bridge terminated

in a mangrove covered backwash of the Nerang River, just usable by traffic and pedestrians. Today of course this area has been

reclaimed and developed. Just near the Southport end of the bridge was the location of the first drive-in shopping centre. It was a

huge hit and we thought, at the time, a sign of things to come – we were correct, weren’t we?

Narrow Neck was always a trouble spot with the ocean nearly breaking through, especially in cyclone season. Cyclones were a once

a year happening then, and imagine the havoc to canal and waterside properties of today. Further, the overseas underwater cable

came ashore at Southport and was guarded during the War by Volunteer Defence Corps.

I look in amazement when I see the progress in Southport since those years of my early youth. I wonder what some of the past

generations would think if they saw the Southport of today.

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southport stories - pages 24 to 35 - city of gold coast · gold coast city council southport...

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