Southport Stories - Full Version - Pages 1 to 86 - Gold Coast Heritage

Opening day for the Southport railway, 1889 

Image courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library 

Southport 

STORIES 

Working for our future – today 

COMMUNITY 

TALES SUBMITTED 

FOR THE 

SOUTHPORT 

HERITAGE WALK 

2009

Foreword 

The following stories were submitted to the Gold Coast City Council by March 2009 in response to a postcard calling for people 

to, “Help us to remember Southport through your stories”. Postcards were placed in libraries and other public places and sent to 

schools. Many of the stories submitted helped provide information to enliven the Southport Heritage Walk. You can read some of 

these stories on the walk’s totem poles if you take this discovery trail. The walk was a joint project with the Community Renewal 

program which is coordinated through the State Government Department of Communities (Housing & Homelessness Services). 

The response to the call for stories has resulted in the rich collection of material which has been compiled for this book. We received 

a range of stories in different forms – some by email, some written by hand, with most written on the tear off section of the 

postcards. A number of pieces were quite long, particularly from those people with many stories to tell. A few of the pieces were 

accompanied by photos. 

The material has been sorted not edited. This means the stories retain the freshness and style of each author, along with their 

spelling and grammar. We have treated each story like the primary source historical material it is, so that future researchers 

and general readers can apply their own interpretations to the material they read. In two cases a line has been added to clarify 

information. This is marked and remains obvious to the reader. 

We would like to thank each person for sharing their stories and contributing to the many voices of Southport.

Contents 

The Southport Call for Stories Postcard 4 

Gold Coast Hospital by Joanne Adair 6 

Southport Surf Club by Robert Akes 7 

Southport CBD by Polly Anderson 9 

Growing up in Southport by Erica Bates 11 

Southcoast Dairy Coy. by Peter J Bracken 16 

Regent Picture Theatre by AJ Burrows 17 

Council Bathing Pavilion, Southport by AJ Burrows 18 

Huntington Lodge, Marine Parade by AJ Burrows 19 

Town Water Supply, Southport by AJ Burrows 20 

Gas Street Lights, Southport by AJ Burrows 20 

Maddock Hughes House, Southport by AJ Burrows 21 

The Pacific Hotel, Southport by AJ Burrows 21 

"Martin's Corner", Southport by AJ Burrows 22 

The Pier Theatre, Southport by AJ Burrows 22 

The Pier, Southport by AJ Burrows 23 

Nuns dressing/change hut, Southport by AJ Burrows 23 

Stories of Southport by Bill Chandler 25 

Pier Theatre, Heritge Places by Penny Clementson 27 

Southport by Grace Cornwall 28 

The Gold Coast Hospital, Southport by Gloria Cronk 31 

Gold Coast City Council Southport stories 1 Community tales submitted for the Southport Heritage Walk 2009 

Page

Contents (continued) 

Sandown Hospital, The Southport School by Joan Davidson 32 

Theatres, schools, drive-in by Sybil Davis 36 

The Pier Theatre, Southport by Don Deutscher 38 

My Southport by Don Deutscher 39 

Stories of Southport by Joan Fabian 40 

Johnston & Freeman Sawmill by KB Freeman 41 

Playing in the railway carriages in Railway Street by Kathy Gaven 43 

A Southport Story by former Southport resident 44 

Southport stories1935-1945 by Robert Hart 45 

Southport Hotel by Peg Hillier 49 

Benowa Post Office by Nola Hollindale 50 

Southport Stories by Nola Hollindale 51 

The Broadwater, Southport by Joan Lethlean 53 

Southport Story by Anne Littlejohn 54 

Businesses by Bev Lloyd 55 

Memories of the late 1950's in Southport by Shirley McLean 60 

Main Beach by Mrs V Menge 61 

Southport Surf Club by George Mills 63 

My Southport Memories by Neville D Milne 64 

Various places by Herbert Morris 66 

The Pier Theatre, Southport by Mrs V Navie 67 


Page

Contents (continued) 

Southport Croquet Club Inc. by Jim Northcott (President) 68 

Southport Indigenous by Rory O'Connor 70 

Southport Stories by Sue O'Leary-Biddle 71 

Southport Stories by Dawn Pointon 72 

The Milk Factory and Southport Pier by Bryan Smith 75 

Stories of Southport by Paula Stafford 76 

Southport Stories-New Years Eve Celebrations by Kiri Stinson 77 

Southport Stories by Mavis Veivers 78 

Southport Early 70's by Gabrielle Vining 80 

Southport Memories by Brian Whelan 81 

Southport Stories by Karen Wright 84 

Southport Stories by Jennifer Zerna 85 


Page

The Southport Call for Stories Postcard 

Gold Coast City Council Southport stories 4 Community tales submitted for the Southport Heritage Walk 2009

Place : Gold Coast Hospital 

Theme : Heritage Places 

Author : Joanne Adair 

My husband and I arrived at Surfers Paradise in 1963 and bought a block 

of 4 flats, he working at the Co. extracting minerals from the beach sand. 

At Surfers one could dress in almost nothing, but Southport still acted 

like a country town and a dress with no straps caused looks of horror 

and stares. Shopping required formal dress of gloves and stockings! In 

August, 1964 our daughter, Tiana, was born at the Gold Coast Hospital 

(we knew of no other on the coast), which was a small hut-like structure 

with one doctor in charge of everything. Dr. Taylor was efficient and 

formal with no fraternising with staff outside of the hospital. A year or 

two later he got a young inexperienced assistant. What a change in 44 

years! 

Southport 1966 



Place : Southport Surf Club, Jubilee Bridge 


Author : Robert Akes 

In the 1940’s the Southport Surf Club housed its surf boat at McKenzie’s Shed 

on the Nerang River, Brighton Parade, Southport (situated where Rivage Royal 

now stands). One morning the boar crew were left without a vehicle to transfer 

between the club and McKenzie’s. The only transport any of us owned was my 

army BSA side valve motorbike. 

In later years I was able to relate the story of a mystery to Police Inspector Jack 

Kerr at his retirement testimonial dinner. I asked Jack if he remembered one early 

morning when a melee of men passed him on the Jubilee Bridge. He laughingly 

said he often wondered who those people were. That day the Jubilee Bridge saved 

our skins. 

One of the peculiarities of the Jubilee Bridge was that it was made of cross planks, 

with four lineal planks spaced to support the car tyres – one set east and one set 

west. No overtaking or u-turns were possible. The bridge also was made with a 

high point so that boats could navigate underneath. These together proved to be 

the salvation of the Southport Surf Boat crew of 1948 consisting of Syd Rogers, 

Stan Cronk, Bob Akes, Don Wight and cox Neil Middleton. 

Early that morning “The Grey Ghost” – the name given by all to the only Police 

car in Southport, driven by Jack, was heading to Main Beach and on the crest of 

the bridge encountered an apparition somewhat like the Hindu God “Kali” – 10 

arms and 10 legs, because he was unable to see us coming before the top, or turn 

Southport Life Savers, circa 1930s 


Jubilee Bridge, 1933 



around once we were spotted. The five of us continued to Brighton Parade, 

jumped in the surf boat and did our training. 

Thank goodness Jack was retired – I had to admit to being the driver of the 

motorcycle on which were perched the whole 5 member boat crew. One on 

the tank, one in front of the seat, one on the seat, one on the pillion and 

Missile Middleton on the luggage stand at the back. Jack shook his head and 

laughed! 

Jubilee Bridge, 1933 

Image courtesy of John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland 


Place : Southport CBD 

Theme : Pioneers, Identities and Family Stories 

Author : Polly Anderson 

We arrived in Southport on a steamy hot Sunday afternoon in early January 1938 

after a long train journey from Kingaroy – my Mother and Father (who was to 

start a new job as a linesman with the P.M.G (Postmaster General’s Department), 

my sister Mary (14), brother John (6) and six months old baby sister Lenore. I was 

eight years old. 

Our first home was in the centre of Southport in Lawson Street – one allotment 

back from the corner of Lawson & Garden Street – a high set timber house with a 

glassed-in front verandah and an outside timber “dunny” which stood obtrusively 

in the middle of an otherwise bare backyard. In wet weather it stood like an island 

at the bottom of the back stairs. 

No missing school on wet days – all we had to do was to slush happily bare foot across 

the spare allotment and across the road to the Southport State School (opened in 

1880). In 1938, with about six hundred pupils from grade 1 to Junior High School 

level, it was the largest State School on the 20 mile Coastal Strip. 

All are now gone – our first home and spare allotment – in turn the Smekel family 

home and their Bus company terminal – then a car park and now since July 2002 

the new Southport Library and car park. 

The Southport State School was rebuilt and resited to Owen Park in Queen Street 

in the early 1990’s. The old school with its memories of school days in war and 

peace, dusty games of marbles on bended knees – the horse drawn pie cart under 

the camphor-laurel tree across from Headmaster Mr Hibbard’s office – ALL GONE. 

Southport Post Office, circa 1930 


Theos Pies, circa 1920 



As is the milk factory down the block a bit from the Scarborough Street front 

entrance – where for a penny (1 cent) we could buy a bottle of milk and eat 

our “sangers” on the tine quadrangle of grass outside – and Spiers’ fruit 

shop (just past the Salvation Army) where for another penny we could buy an 

apple or a frozen orange. 

2009 – on these sites today stand the three forty-storied towers and shopping 

complex of Southport Central and nearby shops of Australia Fair. 

History replaced! 

Southport State Primary Infants School, circa 1950 



Place : Growing up in Southport 

Theme : Businesses – Pioneers, Identities and Family stories 

Author : Erica Bates (nee Shepherd) 

The Esplanade 

Gracious homes and gardens, sunlight glinting and playing on the waters of the 

Broadwater, oysters hugging the concrete between high and low tide marks on 

the sea wall. 

The humpty back Jubilee Bridge stretching from the end of Queen Street across 

crystal clear water to Main Beach and the ocean. 

The bathing boxes in front of the Pacific Hotel where the nuns used to get 

changed to go for a swim. We never seemed to see them do it, but everyone 

knew that’s what the little buildings were there for and that the nuns supposedly 

used them. 

The palm trees in the park along the sea wall, and the steps down through the 

wall where we could reach the water. Sitting on the bottom step and watching 

for crabs on the racks and sand below. 

Huntington Country Club. Weddings and celebrations. It was very posh. 

Walking 

From my home at the Broadwater end of Queen Street, to Southport Primary 

School. Shortcuts through the Tennis Courts and along the edge of the Bowling 

Club. Stopping to watch the bowlers all in white with woollen cardigans. Hearing 

the gentle “clack” of the bowling balls as they found their mark. The little 

blackboards and chalk hung at both ends of each green were a sore temptation 

Esplanade 1930s 


Bathing sheds at Southport, circa 1900s 



for children to draw upon, but getting into trouble for ever even thinking of 

walking on the green was enough of a deterrent! 

Visiting friends homes up Bauer Street and past the Cable Station, with its 

clean white picket fences, and always a couple of old men sitting on the 

verandahs to give us a wave. 

To the Pier Theatre for Saturday matinees, stopping to look for little fish in 

the rock pools in front of the Pacific Hotel. 

In double file, with towels thrown over our shoulders and holding hands, in a 

straggly line from Southport Primary school to the pool at the Pacific Hotel for 

swimming lessons. 

Into town on a Saturday morning to spend my pocket money on treasures at 

Woolworths in Nerang St. Walking everywhere in Southport felt safe. 

Red bricks 

All the big important buildings seemed to be made of them. The RSL. Shepherd House. The Blue Lagoon Hotel. Trittons Furniture 

Emporium. Every building made of brick was red. 

The places 

Southport Pier Theatre, circa 1950 


Careys Corner Store. “Cash and Carry”. Mum’s family owned it. It had a verandah all around the corner of Nerang and Scarborough 

Street and a wooden floor that echoed when you walked on it. It had everything. The flour and sugar came in big bulk bags and 

they used to weigh it up with a set of scales and weights to put into brown paper bags. 1 pound of this. 1pound of that. I felt so 


continued 




grown up when they let me do the weighing up and bagging. But that 

was later on when Careys moved up Scarborough Street to the top of the 

hill and it was no longer a “Corner Store”. 

Uncle Cecil ran it then, and it was a smart brick building with huge panes 

of display glass at the front. We thought it was very modern. But that’s 

another story. 

The very first Careys Store was the other end of Scarborough Street near 

the Railway Station. My grandparents started it. Mum told stories of 

being given the job of delivering butter to the big house Seabank which 

was on the southern corner of The Esplanade and Short Street. She was 

Carey's Corner 


very young but as part of a grocer’s family she had to help out, and that 

meant walking all the way with Uncle Eric, then 4 years old, tagging 

along holding her hand. She was terrified of the wild cattle that used to 

roam around Short Street so they ran as fast as she could past there, to the lane at the back of the house (now called Seabank Lane) 

where deliveries were made to the servants. This house was huge and very grand, and it took up almost the whole block. It was later 

cut into pieces and moved to make several homes. 

Mum, Mavis Carey, and Uncle Eric later ran Careys Store together. Mum ran it alone during the war, but Uncle Eric was killed 

fighting in Crete so when my father came home from the war and my parents were married my father Roy Shepherd also helped in 

the store. 

A large part of their business came from the wealthy graziers of Western Queensland who owned holiday homes in Southport. 

They would telephone or post down their orders prior to arriving for their seaside holiday, and Mum would make up the grocery 


order and then take it to the homes and put it all away in readiness for the families arrival. I later bought one of these homes called 

“Tongy” which was directly opposite the Southport Bar, and moved it to Gilston to become my first family home. Mum could 

remember the “western” family, who owned it back then, and even remembered delivering and putting the groceries away in the 

kitchen herself for them. That was Careys Corner Store service. 

Allisons store 

A couple of doors down Nerang Street toward the Broadwater from Careys Corner Store was the first Allisons. The outstanding 

memory was the floor. It seemed to have a life of its’ very own. Every step on the wooden flooring was rich with sound and 

movement. Walking from one side of the aisle to the other gave not just the echoing pattern of walking on a normal wooden floor, 

but also a wonderful creaking sound and a slight bounce underfoot. It was heavenly for a child to try and make as little noise as 

possible, or on a naughty day as much noise as your parents and the shop keeping staff could tolerate. I confess to usually doing the 

latter. 

This store had huge glass display windows which wrapped around the entrance into the store on either side. They were filled with all 

the most fashionable items and displayed with great care. 

Allisons “sales” were legendary. People lined the pavement and edges of Nerang Street waiting for the doors to open so they could 

snap up a bargain. It was wall to wall people on those mornings. 

My best and favourite memory was the day I was taken with my cousins Kim and Roberta, to Allisons Store to buy our first pair of 

jeans. 

I can remember walking down that creaky floor past timber cabinets piled high with various articles of clothing displayed for sale, 

right to the very back of the store. The counter seemed very high and was made of old scratched up, and well worn polished timber, 

with glass on the top and goods displayed under the glass. Shelves of carefully folded clothing lined the back wall. 


continued 




We sat on stools in front of the counter while we waited for the storekeeper to measure us, then off to the fitting rooms to try on 

the precious items. Jeans! (We were tomboys of course…) And not just any old jeans, but Amco jeans. Television advertising was 

doing its’ job on the youth of Southport and all the very hip Amco ads on TV with the music of the Amco jingle, had us craving to be 

a part of the new American inspired jean revolution. 

We may have been living in what was considered to still be a country town, but we had the coolest jeans in the world and that 

made us feel very up to date and modern. I think we were about 11 or 12 at the time. 

Allisons was a very important part of the Southport family’s shopping life. At that stage a trip to Brisbane to go shopping for clothes 

was a very big deal. Our mothers wore gloves and hats and we all dressed up for that exciting experience! Shopping in Southport 

was a little more relaxed. 

Allisons later closed this wonderful old store that was so full of character, and opened a ladies fashion boutique further down 

Nerang Street on the corner of the arcade, and they opened a second shop on the other side of the Street where they sold School 

uniforms, work wear, bowls clothing etc. In later years I bought school uniforms for my own children at that particular shop, while I 

remember my mother buying a number of exquisite Crimplene ensembles and hats from Allisons fashion boutique on the arcade. 


Place : Southcoast Dairy Coy. 

Theme : History and Development 

Author : Peter J. Bracken “The Flying Milkman” 

In the late 50’s I was a milkman in Southport. Bottled milk from SC Dairies in 

Scarborough Street was 18 cents a litre then. Milk money was left out with the 

empties (bottles) by the customer and milk was delivered in the wee small hours. 

Because I ran between houses where most milkmen walked, I got the nickname of 

Peter the flying milkman. One of my customers sometimes collected her milk from 

me in her “baby doll” pyjamas – I recently found out she was still at the same 

address…..after 50 years! I called in again and we shared a cup of tea and a chat. 

Ford Mainline Ute used for milk deliveries 


Southcoast Dairy Coy. 



Place : Regent Picture Theatre, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - Theatres & Entertainment 

Author : A.J. Burrows 

Davenport Street, Southport between Nerang and Young Streets was the 

site of the Regent picture theatre. The concrete floor of the theatre sloped 

down from Nerang to Young Street. During the movies, by accident or 

otherwise, glass drink bottles would roll the length of the theatre making 

a great noise as they did so. The young children used to sit at the bottom 

of the theatre so they could collect these bottles and get the deposit on 

them. 

Regnant Theatre (later renamed the Regent Theatre) 



Place : Council Bathing Pavilion, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - Swimming 


The Council Bathing Pavilion opposite Railway Street – you only had to walk 3 

metres out of this building and you could jump into the water, not like now, as 

the bank has been built up. There was a wooden slippery slide built in the river 

and this was always popular. When you came out of the river to go to the pavilion 

you had to walk through a water trough to wash the sand off your feet. 

Southport Bathing Pavilion 


Slippery slide 



Place : Huntington Lodge, Marine Parade, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - WWII 


Huntington Lodge, Marine Parade, between Queen Street and the Pacific Hotel 

was an area with very large house blocks and wealthy people. Where Huntington 

Lodge now stands was a large house set well back from the road and with a row 

of palm trees along the front fence. During the war an RAAF Wirraway fighter 

aircraft crashed in their front yard. In the descent it cut the tops off of 2 of these 

palms, it burst into flames and killed the Pilot and the air gunner. When I saw it, 

it was lying the correct way up and with its motor pointing towards the road. The 

fire either made the machine guns fire or it was the bullets exploding in the heat. I 

remember hearing the guns going off, I was a pupil at the Southport State School. 

After school I went down to look at the crash, even though the teachers told us 

not to. When I got there the fire had been extinguished and an open parachute 

was draped over the tail of the plane and over the cockpit area. 

The Southport School 

Image courtesy of The Southport School © 



Place : Town Water Supply, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places – early water supply 


The original town water supply for Southport came from a well built into the swamp at the rear of the present State school in Queen 

Street, This was the old No. 2 oval at the old showgrounds. This square concrete well was about 5-6 metres square. The railway line 

used to run over this swamp on a long bridge. The swamp was full of blue water lilies. There were many eels and small fish in the 

swamp and fresh water crayfish in the water holes leading into the swamp. 

Place : Gas Street Lights, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - Lighting 


In the early 1900s Southport had 28 gas street lights. My grandfather, 

William Henry Burrows, had the contract to light them in the evening 

and extinguish them in the morning. He used to ride around the town 

on his push bike with my father, Charles Henry Burrows, born 1902, on 

the handle bars of the bike and a short ladder over his shoulder. These 

lamps were hard to light in cyclonic weather or when a strong wind was 

blowing. The gas producing plant and also the first electrical generator, 

when built, were both in Nind Street, Southport. 

Nerang Street with gas light 



Place : Maddock Hughes House, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - Houses 


On Marine Parade, just south of the eye surgery, was a very large 

residence. During the War it was used as a convalescent house for RAAF 

crews. After the War it was broken up into, I believe, 6 sections – one 

going to St. Hilda’s School and the other five were made into houses in 

Price Street, Southport. 

CLARIFICATION - Mr J. Maddock Hughes purchased property in 1915 and built the 

home in 1916. The property was called Seabank. They resided until 1941 and it was 

taken over by the RAAF. It served as the convalescent home for the next 5 years. In 

1946 purchased by Mr W H Chandler who converted the home into five flats then 

acquired by a Melbourne buyer (Reference was South Coast Bulletin 30/1/1957 

p.32). Seabank is now remembered in a street which runs off Short Street and 

through the centre of the original estate. 

Place : The Pacific Hotel, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places - Southport Pubs 


Residence of Mr & Mrs Maddock Hughes, The Esplanade, 

Southport circa 1937 


According to my father, Charlie Burrows, born Southport 1092, when he was a boy the site of the Pacific Hotel was the campsite for 

aborigines. They had several humpies built there. They were probably members of the Kombumerri tribe. The nearest drinking water 

would have been at Sundale. The locals used to shoot wild ducks there. 


Place : “Martin’s Corner”, Southport 

Theme : History and Development - The Four Corners 


Martin’s chemist shop on the north east corner of Nerang and Scarborough 

Streets, Southport – now the TAFE building. This was the only shop where you 

could get medicine or mixture for man or beast. If you were sick they would make 

up a mixture for you. If the fowls or cat were sick they would make something up 

for them also. 

Place : The Pier Theatre, Southport 



The Pier Theatre was built out into the Broadwater over rock ledges which were 

covered with oysters. Under the theatre you could also find pearl shells, fan shells 

and other shellfish. At high tide these were covered by water and from the top 

seating around the swimming baths, you could always see stingrays swimming 

around the shell beds. 

W.E. Martin's Chemist Shop, circa 1938 





Place : The Pier, Southport 

Theme : Heritage Places – Southport Pier, WWII 


The Pier Theatre complex consisted of a theatre, a jetty out to the 

swimming baths and a boat landing area. On the Eastern end of the jetty 

was a double storey rotunda or band shell. On the upper level of this 

building during the War, the army had a look out tower and on the walls 

they had pictures of all Japanese war planes. 

Place : Nuns dressing/change hut, Southport 



Southport pier and picture theatre, circa 1930s 


On the river bank opposite the Pacific Hotel the catholic nuns had a dressing/change hut built on the waters edge where they 

used to change and swim in the river. No-one else swam there as there were many rocks with oysters growing on them. The main 

swimming area was near Tuesley’s jetty, opposite Railway Street. 


Place : Stories of Southport 

Theme : History and Development – Pioneers, Identities and Family Stories 

Author : Bill Chandler 

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 

Southport pier and picture theatre, circa 1930s 


Southport pier baths and esplanade, circa 1920s 



continued 


Theme : History and Development – Pioneers, Identities and Family stories 

Author : Bill Chandler 

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. 

Southport pier baths, circa 1920s 


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! 


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) 


Southport seawall, circa 1920s 



Place : Pier Theatre 


Author : Penny Clementson (nee Shepherd) lives in Glen Innes NSW – submitted by Erica Bates 

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 : Southport 

Theme : History and Development - Pioneers 

Author : Grace Cornwall (nee Crompton, nee Wintle) 

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 

Sandown Private Hospital, circa 1900 


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. 


continued 

Place : Southport 

Theme : History and Development - Pioneers 

Author : 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 

Official opening of the Southport Ambulance 

Station, 1922 


Skelton's Butchery, circa 1930s 



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 1920 



Place : The Gold Coast Hospital, Southport 

Theme : History and Development - Hospital 

Author : Gloria Cronk 

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, 1978 



Place : Sandown Hospital, The Southport School 

Theme : History and Development – Businesses, WWII 

Author : Joan Davidson 

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 1900 





continued 




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. 


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. 

Procession to welcome the Governor, Southport Railway Station, 

circa 1930s 


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. 


continued 




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. 


Place : Theatres, schools, drive-in 

Theme : Businesses 

Author : Sybil Davis (formerly Wiltshire) 

Our family moved to the Gold Coast from the small Darling Downs town of Oakey in the late 1940s when my father, a railway 

guard, was transferred to the Southport Railway Station. We lived in Beach Road, Surfers Paradise for a short time. In that time 

my sister, Pam, and I commuted by bus to the Southport State School, which was situated in Scarborough Street. We shifted from 

Surfers Paradise to Southport and lived in Lenneberg Street whilst waiting for our home to be built in Alderley Lane (off High St.) not 

far from the Southport Railway Station. 

I left school after having passed my Junior Certificate at Southport High School and worked as Clauson’s Jewellers in Nerang St. 

for a short time. I obtain a clerk/typist position at the Titles Office, Brisbane and was transferred back to Southport to the Dept. 

Agriculture & Stock in Welch St. My younger sister, Pam, was the first girl prefect at the new Southport High School at Musgrave 

Hill. 

We both worked as casual “usherettes” in the evenings for the 

Thams Bros. – this would have been in the mid to late 1950s. Going 

to the movies was “something special” back then. Many people held 

permanent bookings every Saturday night. 

The Thams Bros. owned several theatres and we worked in all of them. I 

do remember the Regent Theatre which sloped down towards the stage 

and the canvas sling-back chairs. Many times our torch lights caught 

some funny situations when the lights were dimmed. Some larrikins 

would roll Jaffa’s from the back of the theatre down the slope to the 

front. The dress circle upstairs had comfortable leather chairs. 

Inset of Archie Thams with the Regnant Theatre (later renamed 

the Regent Theatre) 



continued 

Place : Theatres, schools, drive-in 


Author : Sybil Davis (formerly Wiltshire) 

Working at the Pier Theatre, which was built out over the Broadwater, is one of my fond memories. On a warm night we would 

open all the windows and there would be a delightful breeze with the moonlight on the water (oh so romantic!). This theatre also 

had sling back canvas seating. The Pier was also the venue for all the big Balls, skating and many other functions. 

Other Thams theatres I remember working in were Old Burleigh Arcade Theatre, Burleigh Heads and the Labrador Hall (where the 

Labrador Senior Citizen’s Hall now stands). Thams Bros. also bought out the Savoy Theatre which was in the centre of Nerang St, 

We were amazed when “Cinemascope” was introduced to all theatres. 

One of the Thams Bros. also operated the first Drive-In Theatre, which was off the Brisbane/Labrador road. Both Pam and I enjoyed 

our time as “usherettes”. Looking back, families really enjoyed going out to the movies on Saturday night. Growing up in Southport 

was certainly a lot of fun! 



Theme : History and Development - Theatres & Entertainment 

Author : Don Deutscher 

Everyone will talk about the Pier theatre (I wish they hadn’t 

demolished that) but there was also the Regent in Nerang St which 

was on the southern side up just east of the Garden St intersection. 

Southport had 3 theatres and none of them (Savoy was the third 

one, down near the National Bank opposite where Australia Fair is) 

had air-conditioning; and at the Regent, on a hot Saturday matinee 

afternoon, those sitting in the canvas seats in the stalls simply leaned 

across and opened the shutters to let in the air. They were designed 

not to let in the light though. The Sat matinees were always 2 shows 

so it took the whole afternoon. You wouldn’t have thought that 

Southport could support 3 theatres (owned and managed by the 

Thams family). 

The Southport Drive In came along in about the mid 1960s. Suppose 

these things can be related to any country theatre though!!! 



Thams Picture Theatre, circa 1917 

Image courtesy of John Oxley Library, State 

Library of Queensland 


Place : My Southport 


Author : Don Deutscher 

Before we moved to Southport from Charleville in 1960, my family had 

holidayed in Southport, Main Beach and Surfers Paradise on an annual 

basis for some 30 years; I remember as 7 and 8 year old staying in a big old 

rental house called “Rayong” on the eastern corner of Queen and Bauer 

Streets. Coming from a sheep station, my brother and I used to marvel at 

the play equipment in the Queens Park opposite, and at the wonderful 

neon signs that we don’t seem to see today. Just to the east of “Rayong” 

(Jubilee Bridge side) was a motel called the “Blue Lagoon”. It had fantastic 

big colourful neon sign which had a beach with palms and a blue lagoon 

in the background. On the beach was a missionary in a pot - he kept 

popping his head up and a native beside the pot would hit him with a club 

every time he did. That was on a loop. The caption was - “he’d be happier 

in the blue lagoon”. 

Blue Lagoon, Queen Street, Southort, circa 1960s 





Author : Joan Fabian 

Remembering early Southport – my husband was called upon as a hotel 

man, to open Lennons Hotel in Southport – it was a large building on 

the edge of the sand and with “Lennons” name, became a well known 

“watering hole” for the rich and famous; we played host to many well 

known’s of the day – Billy Graham, Robert Helpman among many others 

of those early days. I remember the local bridge was a rickety old wooden 

affair which led to farmland on the other side. My older daughter caught 

a bus to the convent (now TAFE) and my small girl and I spent our days at 

the hotel swimming pool. Later my husband was later appointed to run 

Lennons Hotel in Toowoomba – however we have fond memories of early 

Southport. 

CORRECTION - Lennon’s Hotel was at Broadbeach not Southport. 

Jubilee bridge, 1933 



Place : Johnston & Freeman Sawmill 


Author : K.B. Freeman 

The history of the mill is well known, but not much seems to be known 

about the layout. What follows are my recollections of the site, up to the 

early 1950’s. 

The mill occupied a long, narrow strip of land between Nind Street and 

the Southport-Brisbane railway line, running West from Chapel Street, 

behind what was the Railway Hotel, now the Del Plaza, almost up to High 

Street. Starting from that end, was the home of Ralf “Sonny” Tenant 

Johnston. This white home, “Sata Nita”, (which, as a child, I thought 

meant Saturday night), is now a funeral parlour. Next to it was the home 

of his father, Robert Tenant Johnston, a very nice Queenslander style 

building. Then, to the East of that came the mill premises. 

Johnston & Freeman's Sawmill, Nind Street, circa 1916 


There was an access lane off Nind Street, running along beside the 

Johnston home, towards the railway line. From this lane to the East, was a large open area with rough cut timber from the saw 

benches stacked 8 to 10 feet high, each layer separated from the next with rows of inch square hardwood spacers to allow air 

circulation. Between these rows were trolley tracks so the timber could be loaded onto trolleys, to be taken up into the planning 

section, by being winched up a ramp. 

Between the timber stacks and the railway line was a huge vertical saw for cutting large logs length-wise, so they could go forward 

to the circular saws for further processing. Between this area and the railway line were heavy timber loading ramps, where the logs 

were unloaded from the trucks. Above the milling section was a large area where the joinery work was carried out. The glue pots 

were supplied with steam from the mill steam engine boiler, to keep the glue liquid. Down a few steps from here towards Nind 

Street was the planning section, managed by Tony Street. The timber to be treated was brought from the trolley at the Nind Street 

end and put through the planers. No electronic gadgets then. Tony had to measure all the blade settings by hand and some of 


these were very complicated. There was also a smaller planer for running 

out lighter work, such as 2” by 1” pine. The finished timber was shot across 

to storage space across the wide space between the planning section and 

the store via a roofed box section, which looked very much like a miniature 

Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

Below the planning section was the nerve centre of the mill, the steam 

engine and boiler, which was tended to, in my time, by Percy Wright. The 

boiler used off-cuts from the sawmill. This steam engine is on display in 

Cedar log being transported to the sawmill, circa 1930 


a large shed at the Gold Coast Historical Museum, Elliott Street, Bundall. 

Sawdust was carted away by Joe Litfin in his green cable lift tip trucks. 

Eastwards from here, across a wide laneway, on the Nind Street end, was the Yard office on ground level, then towards the railway 

line, timber storage, a lane heading East towards the Blacksmith’s shop, Bill Mackey in residence. Then more timber storage, then a 

shed containing the magnificent horse-drawn hearse, complete with glass panel sides and heavy black curtains. This was towed by 

a horse named “Punch”. The mill in the early days, was, as I recall, the only funeral service available on the Coast. Bob Pidd was the 

undertaker. 

Heading back towards Nind Street was more timber storage above, ending at the laneway to the Blacksmith’s shop. On Nind Street, 

east of the Yard office, was the Glazing section, then, across the laneway, storage for turpentine and other articles required in the 

Glazing section. South of this was a large shed where the sheets of glass were unpacked and stored. South again was a laneway and 

a wide open space, and next to the railway line, the Blacksmith’s shop. From these buildings on to Chapel Street was mainly devoted 

to stacked, spaced timber. Across Nind Street, on the corner of Nind Street and Davenport Street, was the head office, managed by 

my grandfather, Ernest Freeman. Between that and the Ice-works, was a yard and stables for “Punch”. 


Place : Playing in the railway carriages in Railway Street 


Author : Kathy Gaven 

At a later date, the glass storage and Glazing department were moved to a spot under the North East corner of the Joinery and it’s 

previous site became a large Hardware shop and office. The mill has now been long gone and the whole area, right up to Ralph 

Johnstone’s old home, is not all commercial premises and most likely none of them know what slice of Southport’s history they are 

sitting on. 

Every year around Christmas time, the famous Evangelist, Dr Billy Graham, used to bring his entourage for a period of two weeks 

to the park area on the Broadwater across the road from our house between Tuesley’s Jetty and Mitchell’s Jetty in Southport. As 

kids, we were allowed to attend these performances which took place every night after dinner. We sang hymns by the dozens and 

listened in awe to this great man preaching the bible. 

These concerts were very well attended, literally hundreds of men, women and children would turn up no matter what religion they 

were…. He certainly had the gift of the gab!! This period would have been when I was about 8 years of age which would make it 

about 1954…wow! That was a long time ago. 

As a child in the 1950’s, our family lived on the corner of Railway Street and the Esplanade in Southport. Across the road from our 

house was the terminus for the Southport to Brisbane railway line and on the weekends, all the carriages were laying idle in the 

yards so my brothers and sister used to go over and play in them for hours on end. I guess that would not be a possibility now (they 

would be locked up today) but in those days, people respected public property and we never thought to cause damage….graffiti or 

otherwise. 

I have to think, due to the government of the day deciding we no longer needed that rail system, what a terrible waste of money 

that the present government is having to spend replicating the lines right through to Murwillumbah when we already had a good 

rail system in place. 

I think it is more relevant now due to the congestion on the roads and the governments trying to steer commuters into using public 

transport. 


Place : A Southport Story 


Author : Former Southport resident 

I was only a couple of years old when Mum and Dad moved the 

family to the Gold Coast from Sydney in 1963. We lived in a house 

on the corner of Johnston and King Streets in Southport for the 

first year and a half or so. Although very young I do recall going to 

the movies at the Southport Broadwater - I think it was called the 

Pier Theatre, but memory may be playing tricks. I don’t know what 

was playing, probably a Disney movie, as they were almost the only 

children’s movies around in those days. What I do remember is 

being fascinated by the water that I could see lapping against the 

pylons that I could see through the gaps in the floorboards, and 

how sparkly the water was with the sun shining on it. 

We moved from Southport in 1965, however we took a bit of 

Southport with us, as Mum and Dad bought the former station 

master’s house from the recently closed Southport Railway Station in 

Scarborough Street, and had it moved out to the property they had 

purchased at Gilston. 




Place : Southport stories 1935 - 1945 


Author : Bob Hart 

Our family of four headed for a campsite at Main Beach, Southport, in the 

family car, a renowned tourer with fabric hood and packed to the limit. We 

would travel from Brisbane. There were milestones for every mile and as we 

passed the last long mile No. 56 the sea could be seen from the top of the last 

hill. Then over the bridge to our campsite. 

As I was 5 years old at the time, 1935, and unable to help erect the tent, I 

headed for the beach. The tent square with canvas sides and birkmire top 

and a strong centre pole was soon erected. We also brought sacks to be filled 

with sand in the event of rough weather and if required would be placed on 

the overlap around the tent perimeter at ground level. All done, we headed 

Camping at Main Beach, circa 1925 


for the beach. There the lifesavers would be practicing with reel and line, also 

revival exercise with another lifesaver acting as a patient. Songs of the day 

were played over the loud speaker, also used to warn surfers of danger. Some 

surfers had wooden boards to surf the waves. Inflated rubber boards could be hired on the beach. Body surfing was popular, which 

at a later time I would enjoy. There were treasures to found in the sand – one such was a bottle of rum at a recently used campsite. 

I swapped my find for an old laminated split cane fishing rod and a “gut” line. In a dim lit shop close by lollies were available from 

large glass jars on the counter, weighed and presented in brown paper bags for a few pennies. 

In Southport central work went on at a slow, quiet and steady pace. The cars were but few in the suburbs and residents relied on 

home delivery. The butcher and baker would deliver by horse and cart or a motor vehicle of the time. Milk came the same way and 

was sold by the pint, the home keeper having placed a tin billy or jug at the back door with payment on the step. The iceman came 

with blocks of ice which were placed in the top compartment of the ice chest. The ice chest was of wood and the ice container 


continued 



Author : Robert Hart 

galvanised iron. Fruit and vegetables would sell from a horse and cart. 

Groceries were delivered the same way. A pie man with his cart would sell 

pies in the Winter and ice-cream in the Summer. Clothes props of forked 

saplings too came by horse and cart. Toys in town shops were made of 

wood or tin for boys and for girls all inlaid plaster or ceramic. Houses were 

of hardwood and pine, also fibro cement. Some dwellings were of brick 

with stacked slate fences. Some properties had a water well with often a 

hand pump connected. Sealed roads were constructed using crushed stone 

or rocks delivered by lorry or Clydesdale driven horse carts. The larger rocks 

would be broken down using a sledge hammer often by ‘Relief Workers’. 

Then spread by a grader and rolled with a steam roller. Bitumen would be 

spread and rolled again. 

Connecting roads in swamp areas were made of paper bark “cords” placed 

across the roadway. These roads were named corduroy paper bark. Ti 

trees were also used by campers and railway settlers as support poles for 

A shaped tents. Some houses were named. One must have been owned, 

I thought, by a Spaniard – the front displayed the name “Costa Mucha”. 

There too were no riff-raff and for a good reason because the name was 

derived from the river rafters of the south U.S.A. Mississippi and it was to 

Southport on a raft and that’s fair dinkum. 

Swagmen would occasionally drift into Southport. They were the 

dispossessed, often well dressed, their only possession being their swag, 

Theo's Pies, circa 1920 


Southport Mayor J.H. Grice and Alderman inspecting the 

power grader in 1930 



continued 



Author : Robert Hart 

tucker bag and a bob in the pocket. These were hard times – to collect their 

relief handout that they received from the Police Station they were made 

to move on to the next town. There too were the family dispossessed. They 

would erect a shack on crown land in the bush on the outskirts of the town 

and out of sight and tolerated by the authorities. Their makeshift abodes were 

often innovated in various ways. The roof of old iron or straightened out kero 

tins. The frame and rafters were bush timber and the sides corn sacks painted 

and spread with cement plaster. Their furniture was often of good quality. 

Their transport was an old car or horse and cart. I explored these areas by 

bicycle 1937-1938. 

Road construction, circa 1925 


World War 2 broke out and soon after we bought a cottage on the Nerang River and there was a well in the front yard. I had 

enough savings to buy a wooden dingy from Brisbane and had it transported by cargo boat from Klienschmitts wharf in Brisbane 

to Klienschmitts wharf on the Nerang River close to the old bridge. The anchor was heavy and of solid brass, cast at the tramways 

workshop as a ‘foreign order’. Having a boat and bike increased my mobility. I used the tide to my advantage as rowing wasn’t easy. 

Mud crabs were to be caught from pots or dillies. There were dangers in crabbing and I was grabbed three times in different ways. 

The first from a dilly which landed 3 undersized crabs. When I tried to release one from the net I was nipped by another, then the 

other. The second time, I caught large crabs and loaded them in a sack which I carried over my shoulder. However, I was clawed 

through the sack and onto my back. I then laid down on the track until they released their grip. The third time I was walking 

barefoot in the mangrove mud when I stepped on this big crab half buried. I was clawed through my right heel until the pincers 

met. The crab threw the claw and I was able to hop to higher ground where I prised the claw open. After boiling the large claw in a 

billy, I ate the flesh and that’s rigdy-didge! 


Another dangerous encounter was at a rocky reef off Lands End, where 

I saw a small octopus in a pool at low tide. I was about to pick it up and 

when it’s colour changed, I changed my mind. It was a deadly blue ringed 

octopus. 

Most boats were made of marine ply or wood and small hire boats were 

equipped with inboard 2 stroke engines cooled with a water jacket and 

started with a strap around the flywheel. 

During the second World War all essentials were rationed. Ration tickets 

were issued. 

End of Barney Street, Southport) 

Image courtesy of Jim and Colleen Yuke 

As petrol was heavily rationed, we used the steam train frequently from Brisbane to Southport. Many American soldiers on leave 

would use the train. 

Now there was an imaginary line drawn from Brisbane East to Southport and West of Brisbane. This line was heavily defended and 

invaders would be stopped at this line. General McArthur’s headquarters were at Lennons Hotel. Brisbane and there were large 

infantry camps West of Tamborine Mountain. Fortunately the invasion of the Philippines by McArthur and us end any threat. The 

strategic headquarters in Southport closed and all American defences were disbanded. 


Place : Southport Hotel 


Author : Peg Hillier 

I was employed as a Receptionist at Southport Hotel (run by the Fitzgibbons 

family of Brisbane) in 1958, where Sundale was eventually built on the site 

and opened, I think, in 1960. When the hotel was in “full swing” they had 

Saturday night “Variety Shows” and we Receptionists collected the entry fee 

and worked (without pay) to collect same! It was “the place” to go for a 

great night of entertainment, with such artists as Barry Crocker (wonderful 

voice), Johnny O’Keefe. Many “stand up comics” started their career there. 

Southport Hotel, circa 1918 



Place : Benowa Post Office 

Theme : Pioneers, Identities and Family Stories – War years 

Author : Nola Hollindale 

The first post office for Benowa had Mr Robert Muir as Postmaster back in the 

late 1800’s. The last post office was located in our old home with my mother, 

Mrs Jessie James, a Postmaster from 1939 to 1972. All through the war 

years the post office was a hive of activity as there were thousands of army, 

artillery and airforce men camped in the surrounding bushland. Cups of tea, 

crab sandwiches, and sponge cakes filled with whipped cream were freely 

available as they frequently came to make phone calls home. As we lived near 

Boobigan Creek, crabs were plentiful and cream from our dairy. 

Sing songs around the piano at night were also very popular. When our home 

finally came up for sale in the 1990’s, the Gold Coast Council wished to buy 

it, remove it to the Heritage Centre next to our old one teacher school and 

restore it for historical reasons. 

The Council arranged a lovely celebration party inviting my family and many 

of the old residents of Benowa, including Gene Rosser who is now Treasurer 

of the Historical Society. 

Gary Baildon, Nola Hollindale and John Elliott on the 

stairs of the last Post Office in Benowa 

Image courtesy of Nola Hollindale 


Place : Southport Stories 


Author : Nola Hollindale (nee James) 

I am one of that vanishing breed they call “a native of the Gold Coast” or “an Old 

Timer”. My story begins back in 1892 when my Grandparents – Eli and Mary Gill – 

having sailed from the Old Country some years earlier, came to settle in Benowa. 

They had one son and six daughters; one was named Jessie and she married 

my father – Charles James – in the little Congregational Church in White Street, 

Southport in 1920. Charles had recently returned from the 1914-1918 Great War 

where he had been fighting in the trenches in France. He had lost an eye in a 

skirmish with the enemy and was later awarded the Military Medal for bravery. 

Jessie and Charles had four children – Darcy, Nola, Marjorie and Keith. 

Benowa was only four miles (six kilometres) from Southport and in those days 

most of the land was used for dairy farming and growing crops. There was a little 

one teacher school next to our house and further up the street a large hall where 

meetings, concerts and dances were held. 

Tragedy struck our home in 1932 when my brother, Darcy, became one of 

the victims of the polio epidemic. He was paralysed from the waist down and 

hospitalised in Brisbane for many years. He became a patient of Sister Elizabeth 

Kenny, who helped him quite a lot. 

When finally he was allowed to come back home, and because he was limited in 

what he could do on crutches, our favourite pastime was boating on the Nerang 

Southport Congregational Church, circa 1910 



continued 



Author : Nola Hollindale (nee James) 

River. On weekends we would hire a row-boat from Barney’s Jetty which was 

close to the old Jubilee Bridge, and we took turns at towing up the river to Nerang 

where we would anchor and have our picnic lunch under a tree. Late afternoon 

found us heading back – usually rowing against the tide – as another happy day 

came to an end. 

The Legacy Club was anxious to help my parents find suitable employment for 

Darcy and when the position of telephonist became vacant at the old Southport 

Town Council, they encouraged 

him to apply. When he retired in his 

sixties he was the longest serving 

Council employee at the time. 

I was employed as a Rates Clerk 

for the Council in the days when 

Mr. George Jackman was Acting 

Town Clerk and Mr. Bill Serisier 

was appointed as a new Town 

Clerk. I resigned in 1942 to join the 

A.A.M.S.W.S. and was stationed at 

Redbank. Wounded soldiers were 

sent home from active service to the 

hospital there to be treated and rehabilitated. 

Opening of Southport Town Hall, 1935 


Boating on the Nerang River 

Image courtesy of Nola Hollindale 


Place : The Broadwater, Southport 


Author : Joan Lethlean 

I arrived in Southport in April, 1952 as an English migrant to attend St. Hilda’s 

school as a boarder. I remember going to see a film at the Pier baths, sitting 

in the canvas chairs with the water lapping below. At 6am we (St. Hilda’s 

girls) used to walk in a “crocodile” to Loder Creek to swim. On long 

weekends we went to the Broadwater to fish, buying our lines and bait from 

the shop there. Lots of fish were caught in those days, bream, whiting and 

flathead. 




Place : Southport Story 


Author : Anne Littlejohn 

My favourite recollection of Southport as it was: As a young girl in the early 

60’s I remember the absolute treat, as a family, was going to the Pier Theatre 

in Southport. You would walk out along the long jetty like entrance looking 

at the billboards for upcoming movies on the way. Once inside you would sit 

in long slung canvas seats to watch the movies. 

In the hot summer months it was fabulous as they would open up all the 

doors along the sides of the building and you could gaze out onto the water. 

Because I was young, sometimes if the movie was not holding my attention, I 

would look down through the slats in the floor boards and look at the water 

below. This experience was particularly enthralling at night. 




Place : Businesses 

Theme : History and Development - Businesses 

Author : Bev Lloyd 

Congregational Church, White St. Southport Church building is still 

there. It has been converted into a Backpackers. 

Pier Theatre (opposite Star of the Sea) In the 1950’s I loved 

attending the Saturday matinees at the Pier Theatre. Fixed seats were in 

the balcony, removable canvas chairs downstairs. Each year the chairs 

were stacked to expose a beautiful polished wooden floor upon which all 

Southport State School children danced and performed a grand march for 

our Fancy Dress Ball. The lifesavers also used the Pier for midnight to dawn 

dances. 

Theodore’s Café Theodore’s was a very long building divided into 3 parts 

– a milk bar at the Nerang St. entrance, behind this was a sit down café and 

behind that was a function room. My sister had her wedding reception there. 

Overhead were wall to wall material fans. 

New Year’s Eve Concerts Each New Year’s Eve Scarborough St. was 

blocked between Cecil Hotel and Carey’s Corner Store by a truck and tray, 

upon which a stage was set up for a free concert. I think they were organised 

by a Brisbane radio station, 4BH or 4BC? Stalls were set up in the east side 

of Nerang Street selling cupie dolls, balloons, hats and whistles. Each year my 

mother made us crepe paper hats to wear. Quite often it rained and we had 

to dodge kids with water pistols. 

Congregational Church, circa 1898 

mage courtesy of Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library 

New Years Eve at Careys Corner, circa 1954 



Nerang, Scarborough, Hicks, Davenport St. block 

2nd Post Office was on the corner of Nerang and Scarborough 

Sts. Behind, on Scarborough and Hicks Sts. Were the Police and 

Court House. On Hicks & Davenport corner was the Fire Station. 

Davenport and Nerang St. corner was the Council Chambers. 

Between the Council and Post Office in Nerang St. were the 

ambulance and mothercraft clinic. 

Methodist Church The Methodist Church was on the corner 

of Scarborough and Short Sts. It was moved to Short St. where it 

still is, to make way for the new Uniting Church. 

Presbyterian Church The Presbyterian church was where 

the Masonic Temple is. The hall belonging to the church is still 

behind the temple. 

Southport Ambulance Brigade, circa 1920s 


Country Women’s’ Association The C.W.A. was on the corner of Young and Garden Sts. 

Gold Coast City Band Shell Started as a small round wooden building in Recreation Reserve, then moved to the White St. side, 

behind the R.S.L. Band shell then moved to Macintosh Park (now puppet theatre) and finally to their present position in Owen Park. 

Salvation Army Temple Started in Scarborough Street on the north side of the milk factory. Shifted around the corner into 

Young St beside the C.W.A. New temple was built in Nerang Street near Queen Street corner and from here they moved to their 

present position on Wardoo and Nerang Sts. Corner. 


continued 




Marabell’s Bakery (now Gold Coast Bakery) Bakery started in Scarborough Street (approximately 1965 – 67). 

Kret’s Softdrinks This building still at the northern end of Davenport Street. 

Drill Hall The Drill Hall was in Lawson Street, behind the School of Arts. Moved, when new R.S.L. hall was built, to Owen Park 

(I think). 

Carey’s Corner Shop Very popular grocery store on the corner of Scarborough and Nerang Sts. The owners also owned a store 

and warehouse at the southern end of Scarborough Street (next to Westpac). From this store they did home deliveries and with each 

order was a packet of boiled lollies. 

Bunkers My brother, Neville Smith, said that during the War there were 2 Bunkers in Nerang Street. One near the Savoy Theatre 

and one near the Regent Theatre. There were also a number of ditches dug in the school grounds. 

Southport State School When I started at Southport State School in 1949, the primary school and high school were both 

present there. There was a tennis court on the Scarborough and Lawson Sts. Corner. The Headmaster’s house was on the opposite 

corner of Scarborough Street. All the buildings were from the tennis court ¾ the length of Lawson. Toilet blocks were behind 

the Headmaster’s house and between the toilets and buildings were basketball courts. I was a member of the Fife Band started 

by Mr. Roy Rose in the early 1950’s. We marched in Anzac and Spring Parades and performed at Gold Coast shows. We had a 

Christmas break-up Picnic at Owen Park each year catered for by the Mothers Auxiliary. 

Akes Plumbing – Nind Street 


Netafit Clothing Factory (Mr. Pickering) Started in small building in 

Garden St. between Owen Lane and White Street. He built a new 2 storey 

building in Young Street. This building has not long been demolished. 

Savoy Theatre Southport’s 3rd movie theatre, half way between 

Scarborough St. and Marine Parade on the north side of Nerang Street. 

Meitchy Saddlery Garden St. east side near Nerang St. corner. 

Blacksmith Owen Lane, opposite Congregational Church Mance. Dave Louie 

was also Scout Leader (Woodroffe Park). 

Krouth’s Bakery Waverley St. near Queen St. corner. Not long been 

demolished. Supplied bread and pies to businesses. 

Tyles Shoes Scarborough St. next to Cecil Hotel. Building is still there. 

Regent Theatre (Thams family) Southern side of Nerang Street, west of 

Davenport Street. Davenport Street south did not exist when the Regent Theatre 

was there. 

Usher’s Café Next to the Regent Theatre. Best milk shakes in Southport. 

Made with day old milk, slightly iced. 

Barney’s Jetty and Swim Hole Nerang River near the start of the Rock Wall. 

Thams Picture Theatre, circa 1917 



continued 




40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s – old Southport Businesses 

E.M.D. Symons Book Shop 

Martin’s Corner Chemist 

Yarads Clothing Shop 

Pilgrims Shoe Shop and Repairs 

Arnold Anders Furniture 

Grocery store in Queen Street (original store still there) 

Miss E.A. Gregg – Books & Stationery 

Birkbeck’s Jewellery 

Lloyds Cake Shop, 57 Nerang St. (TAB building) 

Two Bathing Pavilions, Spring Parade, Clock (built with Public donations – is stored somewhere I’ve been told) 

Gold Coast City Council Southport stories 59 Community tales submitted for the Southport Heritage Walk 2009 9

Place : Memories of the late 1950’s in Southport 

Theme : History and Development – Gold Coast Hospital 

Author : Shirley McLean 

My baby, delivered by nurses in the Gold Coast Hospital when it was a single storied ‘Queenslander’. Me, 

drying dishes in the hospital kitchen when I was in early labour. Volunteering to take over the baby bath 

demonstration because Sister was called to a labour ward emergency. 

Enjoying a movie at the Pier Theatre, lounging in a twin deck chair, with my 2 week old son on my lap. 

Pushing a pram from Echlin St. along Nerang St., passing huge Moreton Bay fig trees to meet girlfriends at 

the little C.W.A. room in the Broadwater Park. Biscuits and tea for sixpence along with a clean changing 

table, a cot and those lovely, motherly C.W.A. ladies. 


Place : Main Beach 


Author : Mrs. V. Menge 

Back in 1934 my father helped build the Main Beach Surf Pavilion. We camped 

nearby. Although under age, I insisted on attending Southport State School. Older 

boys led me there via the old wooden Jubilee Bridge. In early 1940s we staged 

our night films at the house of my mother’s bridesmaid and husband. Their boys 

escorted me to see old Southport Pier picture theatre. 

At Main Beach Fred Lang took many photos of us in our bathing costumes and 

Johnny Patterson used to spray us with his “Vita Tan” coconut oil. Many a time 

he drove us around on joy rides in his large silver vintage car from France. I had 

a camel ride on the beach and we used to buy mullet from Fishermans’ nets. My 

father and I fished at The Spit where we caught flathead and bream with bait we 

dug up with our heels in the sand. I remember a small light plane landed on Main 

Beach. 

We were accompanied by sand crabs crawling over our rugs at the radio concerts 

held at night. In the late 1940s we came from Brisbane alternate weekends to stay 

in a shack my parents bought and made jam from pie melons growing in the front 

of the property. One night my parents had to take me to the lifesaving pavilion 

where my sand fly bites were treated and I was told to dab a mixture of baking 

soda and water on them to get some sleep. Mangroves attracted the blighters at 

the swamp at the rear. 

For financial reasons, my parents were forced to sell this property. My father 

had in mind to build there eventually. In 1978 when my husband and I were 

Camping at Main Beach, circa 1925 


Southport Life Savers, circa 1930s 



looking for flats as an investment, with one for us to live in on the premises, the first place we were shown was the aforementioned 

property my parents once owned, which then had a not too promising block of flats on the land, right up there to the street, which 

we did not bother to inspect. The asking price was $85,000! We ended up buying a home unit and a home at Southport and a 

home unit at Surfers Paradise and another home unit at Main Beach when house sold at Southport, and then bought a house at 

Burleigh Waters – sold that and then bought my present residence (Elanora). 


Place : Southport Surf Club 

Theme : Heritage Places – WWII 

Author : George Mills 

During the War, the lookout on the top floor of the Southport Surf 

Club at Main Beach was manned 24 hours a day by the V.D.C. 

(Voluntary Defence Corp). The lookout was an ideal place to see and 

report any unwelcome activity, i.e. Japanese warships. Fortunately this 

didn’t happen – the defeat of the Japanese ships in the Coral Sea battle 

turned the tide very decidedly. 

Main Beach Bathing Pavilion, circa 1936 



Place : My Southport Memories 


Author : Neville D. Milne 

My parents Don “Sandy” and Dot MILNE moved to Southport after my sister 

Betty was born in September, 1931. They both worked hard as Dad worked 

at Slinker’s Garage as a mechanic and also had the motor car distribution 

agency for the Hudson Terraplanes. Our family car was a Durant which Mum 

drove as the local taxi, in between rearing 3 children. Apart from that I recall 

helping Dad build his glider on the verandah. Each of us had our jobs to 

do, Dad was the designer and builder, Mum sewed the canvas around the 

wings and tail and I had to make the wooden struts for them. Another of the 

gliders we built was a ‘Twin Tail’ and we took it down onto the beach near 

the Life Saving Club as that is where Dad used to take off from. A bad storm 

came with very high seas and it washed the glider out to sea. I can’t recall if it 

was ever retrieved but it was obviously interesting enough for the newspaper 

to mention it. 

Aeroplane on Main Beach, Southport, circa 1920s 


Dad was quite well known in the mid 1930s, apart from his being an avid glider he held the 1933 World Primary Glider record, he 

also took the first air mail letters from Southport to Brisbane on the glider with him. He was the MC for the dances at the Savoy Hall 

and he even beat Gordon KNIGHT in the roller skating competition held in the Pier Pavilion. Apart from the pictures being shown 

there it very popular place of other amusements. 

Southport even had its own Gliding Club and amongst the members were Gordon KNIGHT, Eileen Margaret SPILLER (better known 

as “Billy”) and Doug HENDERSON. 

I can’t recall the name of the street we lived in but, to get to the house one had to go over the railway crossing to the top of the hill. 

The house was rented from Jackie SKELTON, the local butcher and our neighbour was Mrs. O’Shea. 


continued 

Place : My Southport Memories 


Author : Neville D. Milne 

I started school in Southport around 1932 and my first teacher was Mrs. Chalmers – next year it was Miss MADAM (I recall Betty 

Catling sat beside me that year – wonder if she is still alive too?). By 3rd class I had the never-to-be-forgotten Miss BURNS. The 

boy behind me was playing up and she was sure it was me (Author’s aside – must have been the only time he wasn’t in trouble), 

so she gave me 2 cuts on the hand. I kept telling her that it wasn’t me but she refused to believe me. It just so happens that she 

drove a little old Baby Austin to school, so I went down when nobody was around and let down her front tyres. That fixed her little 

red wagon!! Back to the teachers – I recall the Headmaster was Mr Hibbard and his offsider that we called ‘Mr Three Es’. I have 

since been told that it was probably Mr E. Ebbeston. He married another teacher and all of us kids got out and banged drums and 

yahooed and made quite a lot of noise, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. 

I recall Mr Melrose who owned a bullock wagon, he used to load it with logs and drive them down through the streets to the saw 

mill which was almost opposite the old power station. He had a son Hugh Melrose who was a really good Rugby League player and 

ended up playing in Brisbane for the North’s Devils. 

Our parents were into surfing and they made friends with many of the local Lifesavers, the ones that come to mind were Garry 

GERRUDE (soundexed), Cliff ‘Juddy’ NAPPER and Charlie BUCKLEY. They had a Lifesaving Club House over towards The Spit; 

unfortunately it was knocked down during a cyclone in May 1936. The lifesavers really impressed me and, because of this, years 

later I joined a SLS Club down in NSW. 

We didn’t stay long in Southport as in November 1936 Dad left for Hong Kong to work as Director of the Technical College at Kai- 

Tak Aerodrome, training Aeronautical Engineers and in March 1937 we all joined him. To this day I recall how our time in Southport 

was very special to me….it must have had an impact for me to remember it so long. 


Place : Various places 


Author : Herbert Morris 

Bert Morris settled in Southport April 1946. Bert Remembers the first Motel, first high-rise, construction of canal estates, theatres, 

peer, Regent, Savoy, the clock in Nerang Street, The Jubilee Bridge, the flying boat landing on the Broadwater, the steam train 

unloading the circus, and the many cyclones. 

Bert’s occupations were varied including:- 

• Assistant to piano tuner 

• Paper boy, shop assistant 

• Van salesman, bread carter 

• Penciler to bookmaker 

• Well digger 

• Market gardener 

• Bee keeper 

• Candle maker 

• Land developer 

• Naming Nevenia Street at Labrador 

• Church warden and auditor 

• School bursar – 25 years at St Hilda’s 

• Author of the book An Octogenarian 

Looking Back 

• Long distance runner 

• Community worker 

• Friend to the needy 

• Chess club president 

• Care taker tennis court 

• Master mason 

• Justice of the Peace 

Southport clock, circa 1950s 


Southport Pier and Picture Theatre, circa 1940s 


Jubilee Bridge, circa 1926 





Author : Mrs. V. Navie 

I remember when the Pier Theatre was used for the Southport State School 

fancy dress ball in 1956. My husband and I played music there. Local 

fisherman and miners from Ipswich used to fish behind the Pier Theatre 

and catch bags of fish. I also remember the Spring Festivals held every year. 

Schools and businesses entered colourful floats and paraded through town 

for judging. Also brass band contests held behind the RSL. I still have videos 

of these events. 

Jim and Vera Navie performing as the Navietones 

Image courtesy of Vera Navie 


Place : Southport Croquet Club Inc. 

Theme : History and Development – Croquet Club 

Author : Jim Northcott (President) 

Queen Street, Southport (established 1935). For many years, Croquet was a 

social activity with games being played on the lawns of many houses around 

Southport. Southport Croquet Club was inaugurated in 1934 and formally 

established at a General Meeting held on Tuesday 11th June, 1935. 

The principal officials of the Club were – President – Mrs. T.R. Hall, Vice 

President, Captain and Secretary – the Mayoress, Mrs. N.S. Woodroffe; 

Treasurer – Mrs. C.L. Kennedy; and Committee – Mesdames A.I. Munro, M.E. 

Dunn and A.C. Bastick. The total membership of the Club was 20. 

The General Meeting decided to arrange for a lease for the use of the 

Croquet lawns at Wychcourt for four afternoons each week (we believe this 

location was in Young Street on a site now occupied by Australia Fair West). 

Southport Croquet Club constructed in 1949 

Image courtesy of Southport Croquet Club Inc 

On Wednesday 28th June, 1939, the Town Council authorised a loan of 

1,000 Pounds for Southport Croquet Club to construct a Croquet lawn and clubhouse in Queen’s Park. However, in September, 

1939 it was agreed the construction ‘be deferred until international affairs are more settled’. 

Although there had been a meeting in 1945 at the conclusion of World War 2, Southport Croquet Club was not formally reformed 

until Monday 25 July, 1949. Land provided by the Council in Queen’s Park for the construction of a Croquet lawn and clubhouse in 

its present location at the junction of Queen Street and Ada Bell Way, Southport. 

In 1990, with the support of the Gold Coast City Council, the clubhouse was extended and the number of Croquet lawns increased 

to three. In more recent times, with the patronage and support of Councillor Dawn Crichlow OAM, the Club has been able to add a 

car park and build new shelter sheds (August 2005) and install night light illumination (April 2008). 


continued 

Place : Southport Croquet Club Inc. 

Theme : History and Development – Croquet Club 

Author : Jim Northcott (President) 

With 55 playing members, Southport Croquet Club now enjoys a World 

class facility that attracts competitors from around Australia and overseas 

to its various Mallet Sports tournaments. Further, it is a favoured venue for 

Interstate and overseas Mallet Sport enthusiasts holidaying on the Gold 

Coast. 

From 1934/5 to today, Southport Croquet Club has been an integral part of 

the community life of Southport. We look forward to a continuation of its 

traditions and role within the community. 

Sources: Club Records and The South Coast Bulletin: June 14, 1935: August 

23, 1935: October 9, 1936: June 30 1939”: August 3 1939: September 15 

1939: August 3 1949: February 20 1952: November 12 1952. 

Southport Croquet Club constructed in 1949 

Image courtesy of Southport Croquet Club Inc 


Place : Southport Indigenous 


Author : Rory O’Connor 

Southport is where the Aboriginal elders of the Yugambeh people grew up including my mother, Patricia O’Connor and her many 

cousins. Her generation have told me many stories of Southport, including traditional foods, early coastal life and Aboriginal 

language terms of the local community. 

End of Barney Street, Southport 

Image courtesy of Jim and Colleen Yuke 

Jenny Graham - Aboriginal elder of 

the Yugambeh people 

Used with permission of the Yugambeh Museum 

Language and Heritage Research Centre 

Bilin Bilin- Aboriginal elder of the 

Yugambeh people 

Used with permission of the Yugambeh Museum 

Language and Heritage Research Centre 




Author : Sue O’Leary-Biddle 

My husband Daniel was a paper boy when he was eight years old. He 

used to deliver papers to “Kinkabool”, one of the oldest buildings in 

Surfers. He use to sell papers in the Surfers Hotel, go in one side with a 

pile of papers and come out the other with nothing. 

The pier picture theatre was fantastic – while you were watching a movie 

you could see the ocean and fish swimming around. 

Charlie Ladds owned the land on the Skyline Terrace, it was a banana 

plantation – 1954. Aunty Dulcie Dunlop Ladd wrote danced and acted 

in the Gold Coast Theatre Group – she wrote “We Have Our Dreams” 

about the banana plantation. 

Surfers Paradise Hotel, 1959 





Author : Dawn Pointon 

“Netafit Clothing” – 15 Young Street, Southport 

In 1945 my father Alf Pickering, a Tailor by trade, extended his Brisbane 

manufacturing business by starting a factory in an existing building in 

Garden Street, Southport. At the time it was difficult to find employees 

for the Brisbane factory and after meeting with members of the 

Southport Chamber of Commerce, it was suggested that a manufacturing 

business might be of benefit to Southport, making it the first clothing 

manufacturer on the Coast. 

Then in 1947 the new factory, “Netafit Clothing”, was built at 15 Young 

Street, Southport with bricks from the Southport Brickworks. In 1952 

we moved permanently from Brisbane to live at the factory. The building 

consisted of the ground level as the working factory and a residential flat 

above the front section. 

My father manufactured men’s and women’s clothing for Brisbane’s well 

known Warehouses and retail stores such as Myer. I have many memories 

of travelling in the truck to Brisbane and waiting hours (so it seemed) 

for my father to deliver his stock to the Warehouses. My big reward 

was always stopping on the way at the Yatala Pie shop for a pie – a very 

special treat. 

First factory in Garden Street 

Image courtesy of Dawn Pointon 

Netafit factory and the truck we travelled to Brisbane 

to deliver stock 



continued 



Author : Dawn Pointon 

Little Miss Muffet Children’s Salon – Bulletin Arcade, 21 Nerang 

Street Southport 

My mother, Gwen Pickering, always wanted to own a children’s clothing 

store. In 1960 with a suitcase of “samples” from my father travelling as a 

salesman, she opened up in a room above Barry & Roberts supermarket in 

Scarborough Street. It was not long before she moved into a shop in the 

Bulletin Arcade which adjoined the Bulletin Newspaper. The Bulletin Arcade, 

running from Nerang Street to Scarborough Street, was a busy place with all 

the shopkeepers becoming one big family. 

In 1969 it become of great concern when Sundale Shopping Centre opened, 

Gwen Pickering 

as all the Southport shopkeepers were certain it would see the demise of 


their businesses. But they were not deserted by their loyal customers and for 

25 years Mum became a well known acquaintance of generations of Gold Coast families. My two sisters and I all worked at various 

times in the shop and the five grandchildren all grew up spending countless hours “in the back” doing homework and playing 

games. “The shop” was our meeting place. With the construction of the Mall then the demolition of the Arcade it was a sad time 

for all and saw the end of a wonderful era for Nerang Street. 

The Pier Picture Theatre 

There was an extremely long pier at the eastern end of Nerang Street which lead to a Picture Theatre situated out in the Broadwater. 

It was quite a sensation to have the water lapping under the pier and theatre. As kids, going to the movies in the 50’s and early 60’s 

was a full afternoon’s entertainment as we saw a newsreel, cartoons and two movies. I have great memories of those wonderful low 

slung canvas chairs with no armrests between; if you slid down in them enough, the row behind couldn’t see you cuddle and kissing 


your boyfriend (well we hoped not!). The “milk bar” was an enormous horseshoe shaped counter in the room behind. There was 

always a mad rush out of our seats at interval to be served and be back in time for the start of the main feature movie. 

The Steam Train – Southport to Brisbane 

To this day I love travelling on trains and I am sure it has evolved from my childhood experiences of travelling on the train in the 

50’s and early 60’s. My memories are of the many dark tunnels we journeyed through on our long 2 hour trip from Southport to 

Brisbane. I am not sure when it stopped being a steam train, but going through those tunnels created a film of soot on our laps 

which our mother always warned us not to touch or brush off. Once the train arrived we would stand up and shake our skirts to 

blow the soot off. All was lost when the government pulled up the line and we resorted to travelling by Greyhound bus – albeit a 

shorter journey, but without that wonderful charm. 


Place : The Milk Factory and the Southport Pier 


Author : Bryan Smith 

Milk factory, Scarborough Street Southport: Primary school children 

attending the Southport State School were able to leave the school grounds at 

lunch time and walk down to the Milk Factory for their bottle of milk. We would 

give our penny to the factory employee at the door (generally Mr Percy Walker). 

The half pint bottles of milk were just inside the door of the factory and we would 

get our bottle of milk, sit on the small section of lawn in front of the factory to 

drink it and put the empty bottle back in the crate when we were finished. There 

was also a pieman outside the school gate with pies kept hot in a fire heated 

oven: these cost four pence (3cents) 

Southport Pier: The old Pier was a great fishing venue, particularly in winter 

when huge schools of mullet, bream and ludrick congregated in the area. Mullet 

and luderick were illegally jagged and whilst the mullet generally schooled over 

oyster beds resulting in lots of lost jags, fishermen could catch a sugar-bag of 

luderick in an evening. Luderick were called “black bream” at that time and on 

the daylight run-in tides, fishing with floats and green weed the fishermen at 

times were so numerous they had to queue at the northern end of the pier to get 

their float in the water to walk the length of the pier to the south before walking 

back and rejoining the queue hoping the float would go down during the walk 

along the end of the pier. 

School children at the opening of the South Coast 

Milk Factory, circa 1947 


Southport Pier, circa 1891 





Author : Paula Stafford 

Back in the early 40’s I arrived by train from Toowoomba, where I 

was a nurse in the Army at the first Orthopaedic Hospital, having 

been transferred from Mt. Eliza in Victoria. It was at Toowoomba 

where I met my beloved husband Beverley Ralph and we married 

there and came to live at Main Beach, Southport, to the old house 

beside the change pavilion where we lived for 5 years and had 4 

offspring there. 

NB: There were only about 6 houses at Main Beach at the time. 

View over Main Beach looking south, circa 1940s 



Place : Southport Stories – New Years Eve Celebrations 


Author : Kiri Stinson 

I am from a pioneering family of Southport - Andrews, and we had the 

first general store in Southport from the 1870s. I spoke with my Ma and 

she relayed this tale: 

It was the early 1960s, New Year’s Eve. I was in my mid-teens and 

excited to be attending an evening of frivolities and enjoying different 

performances being held outside of Cec Carey’s Corner Grocery Store on 

the corner of Nerang and Scarborough Street, Southport. The evening 

was fabulous and I was amazed at the wonderful three-part harmony of 

a particular group who were performing on the back of an open truck 

with guitars in hand. There was an older brother and two twins and they 

were fantastic entertainers. Little did I know at the time that I had actually 

witnessed The Bee Gees! And here we are now at The Bee Gee’s 50th 

anniversary! 

New Years Eve at Careys Corner, circa 1954 




Theme : History and Development – WWII 

Author : Mavis Veivers (nee Laver) 

Strange to say I was born in the 

old Council Chambers building 

in Davenport Street, which was 

Southport’s first fire station. This was 

October, 1936. My father was Arthur 

Laver, the first Chief Officer there. 

In 1937 the building was replaced by 

the first permanent fire station to be 

built on the coast. The site is where 

the Court House now stands. I can 

remember as a child clambering over 

the only fire engine. When the fire 

alarm went off Dad slid down the pole rather than take the stairs. 

Southport Town Council Hall, circa 1919 


Southport Ambulance Brigade, circa 1920s 


My father was a keen sportsman, playing “A” grade tennis and cricket. Having been in the Army in World War 1, he belonged to 

the RSL and held the position of Treasurer and also Secretary of The Digger’s Hall Committee. During World War 2 he was the MC at 

the Saturday night dances at the old Digger’s Hall. It was there that Dad taught me to waltz at the age of five. He was later made a 

Life Member of the Southport RSL. 

Another memory was of my mother going to the nearby café with bowl in hand to buy scoops of ice-cream and topping as a treat 

for our dessert. Those were the days when you could buy a small ice-cream or a chocolate frog for a penny! 

I enjoyed living my first eleven years in our home over the fire station. We could walk to the old State School, then in Scarborough 

Street, to the shops in Nerang Street and to any of the three picture theatres – the Regent, the Pier or the Savoy. 


continued 


Theme : History and Development – World War II 

Author : Mavis Veivers (nee Laver) 

After Dad had a stroke we had to move out and sadly about a year later, on 30th November, 1949, he died after another stroke at 

the age of forty-eight. Incredibly my mother died exactly forty years later on 30th November, 1989. 

As a teenager I worked at the BCC Grocery Store in Nerang Street. We check-out girls had to memorise all the prices in those days. 

I later met and married my husband, had three daughters and still live happily in Southport, enjoying watching our grandchildren 

grow up. 


Place : Southport Early 70’s 

Theme : History and Development - Hospital 

Author : Gabrielle Vining 

In the summer of ’73, my first son arrived at the Southport Hospital. It had 

no insect screens but as it was hot and humid, the windows were always 

open. It was not unusual to find a fat cockroach nestled amongst your 

nighties in the bedside drawer! 

On one visit, my husband was surprised to see the family dog sitting on my 

bed when he arrived. The dog had been in the tray of our Holden Ute in the 

car park, had simply sniffed out my room and jumped through the window, 

beating him to my bedside. 

My second son was also born at Southport and as the wards were full, 

second time mums were moved to the nurses quarters as many had gone 

home for the summer holidays. 

Aerial view of the Southport Hospital, 1978 


On Saturdays, we would shop at the fresh produce markets on the Nerang River then on to Sundale shopping complex nearby. 

What an exciting place that was. It often hosted Art competitions in its gallery and my mother occasionally exhibited and sold her 

paintings there. Also, that was where I first experienced a talking set of scales so for your 10 cents; all around were informed of your 

weight! 


Place : Southport Memories 

Theme : History and Development - WWII, Businesses 

Author : Brian Whelan 

Our family’s involvement in the early days of Southport include my mother’s 

(Olive Whelan {nee Smith}) birth in Sister Bourke’s private hospital at the 

western end of Suter Street, Southport on the 11th October 1914. 

Her parents Thomas (born at Yawalpha) and Mary Smith (nee Stevenson) 

lived in Southport at that time prior to beginning their farming life at 

Currumbin, Tallebudgera, Mudgeeraba and finally Benowa (farm opposite 

the now Benowa shopping centre). Thomas Smiths’ father was the 

Blacksmith at the Benowa Sugar Mill, which was adjacent to the Rosser 

Botanical Gardens. 

Prior to and during WW2, my mother Olive Smith worked as the Manager 

of the Woolworths Variety store in Nerang Street and also as usherette and 

later office manager of an evening, at the Pier Theatre on the Broadwater 

working for the Tham’s family. She became engaged to my father 

Godfrey J S Whelan, on this return from WWII. 

Following my father, Godrey (Goff) Whelan’s return from the Tobruk 

Campaign (9th Div, 2nd 13th Field Co. Eng.) in the Middle East, they married on 

4th March 1943, in the Presbyterian Church, Nerang Street, Southport. 

On 27th March 1948, Goff and Olive Whelan opened one of Nerang Street’s 

early private mixed-businesses (groceries, produce and fuels) which they’d 

built opposite land on which later was built the Southport Hospital. 



Nerang Street, circa 1957 



I was born in April 1946 and have many fond memories of our busy family 

life in the store and my attendance at the Southport Primary School in 

Scarborough Street. I also attended the kindergarten, operated by a Miss 

Rendells, off a lane now the site of Australia Fair shopping centre, prior to 

commencing primary school. This lane provided rear entry to the then Pacific 

Hotel. 

Many happy times were spent along the sea-wall foreshore, in the safe 

swimming enclosure at the Pier Theatre , the Loders Creek entrance to the 

Broadwater and the area now in front of the Charis Fish Shop (opposite the 

original Grand Hotel). Other memories include family favourite haunts such as 

“Mick Theodores” Café, at the eastern end of Nerang Street, who then had 

some of the best food in town. 

Southport State Primary Infants School, circa 1950 


On some summer afternoons, after Primary School, Mum would take us fishing, down to a road off Ferry/Bundall Rd, which led to 

an old Ferry site, that operated across to Cavill Avenue. The land in this area later became Chevron Island, developed by Stanley 

Korman. My uncle/aunt Val and Lil Whelan and Brigadeer Monaghan, his wife and family, also lived there prior to Chevron Islands’ 

development. Their homes were severely damaged in the flood of 1956, in which Val and Lil Whelan had to spend the night high 

in a large gum tree, to be rescued the next morning by an army reserve crew, including my father Goff, in an Army Duck. I can still 

vividly recall the view of flooded houses looking from the hill at the Drury Avenue entry into T.S.S. In most cases, the roofs were 

the only evidence of houses in the area, as far as the eye could see. The Nerang River had risen up to the small Chinese Restaurant 

located in Cavill Avenue, near the Bank of N.S.W. on the highway. 


continued 

Place : Southport Memories 

Theme : History and Development - WWII, Businesses 

Author : Brian Whelan 

Our other memories of Nerang Street, include the building of the Bulletin and Dalton Arcades, Purvis’ Hardware store, the BCC shop 

next to Commonwealth Bank, Miss Doherty’s Dress shop and Dr Roy Bevan’s Dental Surgery upstairs in the Savoy Theatre building. 

Cecil Carey had a large mixed-business diagonally opposite the Southport PO, close to the still operating Birkbecks Jewellery store. 

Further west of the Cecil Hotel was businesses like Woods Café (later run by the Solway family). These were opposite the imposing 

QATB building, prior to the Council Chambers, on the Davenport Street corner. A little further up was the Regent Theatre, then 

Trittons Furniture. Land was resumed in the Theatre area to extend Davenport Street down to Young Street. 

On the opposite side to the Council Chambers was the Queens Hotel. Next to it was the Beveridge family Modern Furniture 

Exchange, with the McPherson Division, Australian Electoral Office, above. This adjoined Earls’ Ford garage, which in the early 

days, served fuel from bowsers located on the footpath. The furniture shops’ building was called “DougBar” – as Mr and Mrs Earl’s 

children were Barbara and Douglas. 

Further up Nerang Street, west of High Street and St.Peters Anglican Church, was the Methodist Church’s Bellevue Hostel. This was 

very popular for youth gatherings for the areas teenagers. In between Bellevue and my parents shop, was the Dowling family home. 

The 1950’s and 1960’s in Southport central were a fabulous time to experience the early example of growth, we have become so 

used to today. Southport was the commercial heart of the early South and Gold Coast. In fact, Southport had the only High School 

for the region until the early 1960’s. 




Author : Karen Wright 

My descendants started a lot of the Gold Coast history – mainly Southport – to 

which I have many photos. My descendants had two of the first boarding houses 

and one worked at Chelmsford boarding house which sadly burned down. Also 

starting the first Masons Club and the first Salvation Army and many more – we 

have parks and streets named in our honour. 

I am a descendant from the Lentz, Miethke, Ryder, Hart, Pohlman, Zimmerman, 

Sommer, Lightbody etc. Families – so as you can see being around this long I 

am nearly related to everyone in Southport!! I often see my family photos in 

the Bulletin and Sun papers – also when they have heritage photos in shopping 

centres I see all my relatives. 

One of the Sommer’s was buried at the Southport cemetery in the year 1850 – in 

fact a lot of my family is there. I also have many stories of Southport and the Gold 

Coast passed down to me, but never seem to get the time to put pen to paper. 

My husband’s family has also resided at Southport for many generations. Even in 

my collection of photos and newspaper clippings is a photo of my family building 

infrastructure of Nerang and Scarborough Streets. The first pavilion at Main beach 

for the Southport Life Savers was built by my Uncle Bill Ryder and still to this day 

has his name in the roof. 

Another relative of mine that I am proud of is Cameron Hart – who organises the 

gold coast triathlon. So as you can see both my husband and I are very happy we 

were born at Southport Hospital - also built by my uncle and grandfather. 

We love Southport. Even my daughters partner of many years is another family 

that has lived in Southport for many generations – so you can see why we think 

we own this town. 

Chelmsford Guesthouse, circa 1912 


Construction of Southport's first permanent seawall 1902 





Author : Jennifer Zerna 

I arrived on the Gold Coast in 1954 and even then it had began 

to make a name for itself as really something great. It was not 

called the Gold Coast as I recollect and Surfers Paradise is 

where my parents settled with five children. I remember being 

quite excited as all of my school friends who I left behind in 

Sydney told me how lucky I was to be going to this special 

place of sun and fun. As I grew into my teens I remember this 

man down the beach at Surfers Paradise that used to spray you 

with this mutton oil so that you could burn yourself stupid. 

We initially lived in Ferny Avenue in a little old house until we 

relocated to Goat Island which is now called Chevron Island. 

Southport Hotel, circa 1950 


There was a road into Goat Island which my father drove 

on every day to reach his place of work which was Hamilton 

Heights. He was employed from Sydney to develop and sell this subdivision. My sister and I enrolled in the Surfers Paradise school 

and my second oldest brother gained employment at Ivor’s Barber shop in Surfers Paradise and continued to work in Surfers as a 

Barber until the end of 2008. Rather than having to be driven right around through Southport to work and school we rowed a boat 

back and forth each day. This could become quite scary when we had cyclonic weather and the boat actually tipped one day when 

my brother was in it but he managed to make it safely to shore. One of my most vivid recollections of Goat Island was how Dad 

used to burn cow dung in a bucket and walk through the house with it to get rid of the mosquitoes. 

After a few years when the development of Hamilton Heights was completed and sold my father became licensee of The Southport 

Hotel which eventually became the site of Sundale. Our family lived on site at the Hotel and I was too young to be allowed into 


the hotel premises but I remember Dad telling me about this young band that played there and how good they were. This band is 

now the BG’s. While we were living at the Southport Hotel, we would walk across the Jubilee Bridge bare footed and constantly get 

splinters in our feet from the bridge itself, and sometimes these splinters were so big they had to be surgically removed. 

During the Southport Hotel days, my parents purchased a house at 98 Pohlman Street which has since been developed into Units. 

Anyway we all relocated to Pohlman Street and during this time Bob Radcliff, as my father was known, and Ned Twohill foundered 

the Southport Pony Club at Owen Park and dad become the charter president. During our teenage years in Southport we rode 

horses through the cemetery to go on cross country rides, frequented the Pier Picture Theatre of a Saturday Night and it was quite 

an event to catch the train each year to the Brisbane Show from Southport. The Spring Festival was a yearly event when great effort 

was put into decorating trucks, cars and floats and the entrants in the Miss Spring Festival were transported through the streets lined 

with excited people. 

In 1964 Bob took over the management of the Upper Coomera Pub as it was then called. After a 2 year stint in the Pub dad took 

over the lease of the Mobil Weighbridge Service Station at Coomera. While he was leasing this Service Station a man called John 

purchased some land beside him and began what he reckoned would be a enormous theme park. He did things very gradually at 

first and quite a few people thought he was dreaming and what a dream Dreamworld. 

In 1972 Bob moved to Gilston and in 1973 started a business in Nerang called the Nerang Saddlery. He became the charter President 

of Nerang Lions and watched Nerang move gradually from a little country town to what it is now. 

Gold Coast City Council Southport stories 86 Community tales submitted for the Southport Heritage Walk 2009

Gold Coast City Council 

PO Box 5042 Gold Coast MC Qld 9729 Australia 

Web: goldcoastcity.com.au

Southport Stories - Full Version - Pages 1 to 86 - Gold Coast Heritage

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