History of Nobby Beach & Miami Area

Back in the good times of the early 1920s, prospective investors were looking over plans for a new real estate development called ‘Miami Shore’ at North Burleigh. They built their wooden or fibro bungalows on estates such as ‘Miami Shore’, spent their holidays by the beach , or rented the cottages to other holiday makers. Alternatively, they could stay at the ‘up-to-date’ two -storey wooden hotel, the Hotel Miami opened by E.H. Berry in 1925.

The less well-heeled pitched their tents at Burleigh Heads and then walked and fished along the beautiful beach flanked by the two ‘Nobbies’. The name ‘Nobbies’ was a relic from the days when Burleigh local, timber-getter and bullocky , Frederick Fowler had grazed his head bullock, which he called ‘Nobby’, along the headlands.

Behind the dunes lay the ‘great swamp’, a vast wetland of ti-tree, heath and wallum. The native wildflowers, orchids and ferns flourished in the swamp and holiday makers often trekked into this wilderness, gathering armfuls of different specimens to display in their homes back in Brisbane.

During the Depression in the 1930s, relief workers, employed as part of a government scheme, laboured to drain the swamp and slowly the ‘great swamp’ diminished with future land reclamation. In 1932, the recently formed Miami Progress Association approached the South Coast Town Council to plant the distinctive avenue of Norfolk Island Pine between the two ‘Nobbies’. World War 2 also shaped and stimulated the commercial life of the area, beginning with the establishment of a large US military camp near Nobby’s and the commencement of rutile mining along the beach. Later, in 1944, two former army huts were used to construct the Miami Ice Works, a landmark of the area to this day. Many of the postwar homes, shops and holiday flats were built from recycled military buildings.

Following the war, the Miami community developed with the founding of a Surf Life Saving Club, the construction of facilities such as tennis courts, the roller skating rink , ‘the Miami Rollerdome’ and the Pizzey Park Sporting Complex. In 1962, Page Newman built the Nobby's Beach chair-lift which later formed part of the Magic Mountain entertainment park. A gamble which paid off, the chair-lift carried 40,000 people in its first year of operation. A building and tourism phenomena of the 1960s, local motels featured names such as the El Rancho Restel, the Florida Car-o-tel and the Pineapple Motel.

The first High School between Southport and border, Miami High, opened in 1963. Like the distinctive sign ‘Miami High’ on the scarp of the quarry, the school was both a landmark and symbol for a population growing up on the coast. Miami itself changed little during the dramatic development and expansion of the 1970s and 80s. If you look carefully some of the those first bungalows constructed between the 1930s and 50s are hidden between the two Nobbys.

 

HISTORY OF NOBBY'S BEACH S.L.S.C.

While the Nobby's club has been the scene of countless rescue dramas, it seems its members have always been ready and waiting. In the beginning, they were soldiers-in-training, stationed above one of the Gold Coast's most popular family strips in a camp known as Brigadier MacArthur Onslow's School of Bastardry.

It was during the latter years of World War II and the training army officers established beach patrols to protect the tourists who had started flocking to Nobby Beach. When the war ended, so did the patrols and it would be almost another decade before they officially started again.

By 1954, when the Nobby's Beach Surf Life Saving Club officially came into being, the area between Broadbeach and Miami became a favourite for holiday makers who snapped up cheap land for weekend homes. It was the late President Phil Roubin who petitioned locals, sought out six Bronze Medallion holders and purchased the land for the clubhouse.

Roubin took on the role of inaugural secretary and was joined by Morrie Cave as Club Captain, Martin Purcell as foundation

President and the late George Reagon - who later became the first secretary of the Queensland Liberal Party.

The orginal members, all of whom have passed away, included Frank Purcell, Tony Hughes, Les Powell, Les Hughes, Arthur Sykes, Tom Sturdy, Henry Bamfeld, Cyril Smith and C. Frazer. Roubin was eventually to spend 22 years in the President's chair, finally stepping down in 1979 as a Life Member.

The formative years were best described as "rugged". The first clubhouse and boatshed were crude shelters that were replaced five years after the club's birth. In the 1959/60 season, the local council bowed to public pressure for an amenities block. But to get the council's co-operation in building a new clubhouse complex, the club members had to relinquish freehold land title for the princely sum of one shilling (10 cents).

The new club was built, but the nature has not been kind to it. Sitting at the beachfront, it has been victim over the years of the shocking erosion that plagues the area. In 1967, it was only club morale and a non-stop, two-day working bee that saved it from sinking into the waves. There were similar scenes again in 1969 and 1974 when huge waves pummeled the club.

NOBBY'S BEACH SLSC LIFE MEMBERS

No.	Life Member	No.	Life Member
1	Phil Roubin	16	Steve Ivan
2	Kevin Peterson	17	Pat Ivan
3	Ray Sturdy	18	R. Dixon
4	Terry Watt	19	Alan McKnight
5	John Watt	20	Chris Hayes
6	Harry Jensen	21	Terry Gotje
7	Barry Murphy	22	Dawn Gotje
8	Jim Terry	23	Michael Fletcher
9	Dennis Jenkins	24	Mark London
10	Paul Soden	25	Jason Hull
11	Andy Kahler	26	Greg Mitchell
12	Ian Murphy	27	Rohan Partridge
13	Keith Silman	28	Steve Hinde
14	Mike Enright	29	Tracey Mitchell
15	D. Eastwell

NOBBY'S BEACH SLSC HONOUR BOARD

YEAR	PRESIDENT	DEPUTY PRES.	SECRETARY	TREASURER	CAPTAIN	CHIEF INS.
1954/55	M.Purcell	P.Roubin	G.Regan	F.Purcell	T.Hughes
1955/56	M.Purcell	P.Roubin	G.Regan	F.Purcell	R.Fern
1956/57	J.Frazer	F.Purcell	P.Roubin	F.Newton	F.Newton	R.Fern
1957/58	J.Frazer	B.Fallu	P.Roubin	F.Newton	B.Blake	A.Sykes
1958/59	P.Roubin	F.Gasteen	K.Latham	F.Newton	N.Roser	A.Sykes
1959/60	P.Roubin	F.Gasteen	K.Latham	F.Gasteen	N.Roser	R.Sturdy
1960/61	P.Roubin	F.Gasteen	K.Peterson	F.Gasteen	N.Roser	N.Roser
1961/62	P.Roubin	N.Roser	K.Peterson	F.Gasteen	C.Rose	W.McGrath
1962/63	P.Roubin	N.Roser	K.Peterson	F.Gasteen	J.Watt	T.Sturdy
1963/64	P.Roubin	N.Roser	K.Peterson	F.Gasteen	J.Watt	B.Briggs
1964/65	P.Roubin	N.Roser	J.McGrath	T.Watt	J.Watt	B.Briggs
1965/66	P.Roubin	N.Roser	W.Bessemer	K.Peterson	T.Watt	J.Watt
1966/67	P.Roubin	N.Roser	T.Stow	K.Peterson	H.Jensen	R.Gill
1967/68	P.Roubin	J.Lewis	M.Irvine	K.Peterson	D.Murray	M.Coyle
1968/69	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	M.Irvine	D.Jenkins	B.Murphy	R.Cook
1969/70	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	A.Chant	D.Jenkins	M.Beilby	R.Cook
1970/71	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	S.Rosekrans	D.Jenkins	I.Murphy	R.Cook
1971/72	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	B.Murphy	D.Jenkins	I.Murphy	B.Murphy
1972/73	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	B.Murphy	D.Jenkins	I.Murphy	A.Burns
1973/74	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	B.Murphy	D.Jenkins	I.Murphy	A.Burns
1974/75	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	B.Murphy	D.Jenkins	R.MacKenzie	J.Munro
1975/76	P.Roubin	H.Jensen	B.Murphy	D.Jenkins	G.Renwick	R.MacKenzie
1976/77	P.Roubin	B.Murphy	D.Foley	D.Jenkins	G.Renwick	P.Beilby
1977/78	P.Roubin	B.Murphy	D.Foley	D.Jenkins	I.Murphy	R.Grimley
1978/79	P.Roubin	B.Murphy	D.Foley	D.Jenkins	A.Burns	R.Grimley
1979/80	B.Murphy	I.Murphy	R.Walter	D.Jenkins	R.Grimley	I.Murphy
1980/81	B.Murphy	C.Hayes	R.Walter	D.Jenkins	G.Foley	A.McKnight
1981/82	B.Murphy	J.Terry	R.Lyons	P.Flynn	G.Foley	G.Workman
1982/83	B.Murphy	J.Terry	R.Lyons	P.Flynn	P.Robertson	G.Foley
1983/84	B.Murphy	G.Foley	R.Lyons	R.Walter	K.Doyle	T.Gotje
1984/85	B.Murphy/  I.Murphy	K.Silman	R.Lyons/              L.Shannon	R.Walter	D.Marsh	T.Gotje
1985/86	I.Murphy	K.Silman	L.Shannon	B.Murphy	T.Gotje	D.Marsh
1986/87	I.Murphy	A.McKnight	V.Carlile	B.Murphy	G.Workman	M.London
1987/88	I.Murphy	A.McKnight	D.Gotje	B.Murphy	T.Gotje	M.London
1988/89	T.Gotje	S.Pearce	K.Cannon	D.Gotje	J.Ottaway	T.Richards
1989/90	T.Gotje	S.Ivan	B.Hutchinson	D.Gotje	D.Huntley	M.London
1990/91	T.Gotje	S.Ivan	B.Hutchins	D.Gotje	J.Ottaway	J.McDonald
1991/92	R.Strohfeldt	J.Kennerley	B.Murphy	D.Gotje	D.May	W.Deakin
1992/93	R.Strohfeldt	J.Kennerley	B.Murphy	D.Gotje	D.May	W.Deakin
1993/94	C.Moody	G.Brameld	V.Moody	S.Kristensen	C.Halliwell	W.Deakin
1994/95	G.Brameld	C.Moody	V.Moody	K.Cockburn	M.Corbett	M.London
1995/96	I.Murphy	W.Heck	L.Bourke	D.Cassilles	R.Partridge	C.Rosewarne
1996/97	R.Partridge	I.Murphy	L.Partridge	B.Sonder	T.Smith	D.Smith
1997/98	R.Partridge	I.Murphy	J.Clarke	S.Williamson	T.Smith	D.Smith
1998/99	R.Partridge	I.Murphy	J.Clarke	S.Williamson	T.Smith	D.Smith
1999/00	R.Partridge	P.Johnson	J.Clarke	G.Brameld	T.Smith	D.Smith
2000/01	P.Johnson	R.Partridge	J.Clarke/I.Murphy	G.Brameld	T.Smith	T.Sullivan
2001/02	P.Johnson	D.Hains	I.Murphy	G.Brameld/  V.Lohmann	T.Smith	T.Sullivan/ N.McKinley
2002/03	P.Johnson	D.Hains	G.Mitchell	V.Lohmann	T.Smith	N.McKinely
2003/04	G.Mitchell	D.Hains	K.Driscoll	R.Partridge	T.Smith	N.McKinley
2004/05	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	T.Smith	R.Partridge	T.Smith/M.Abbot	T.Sullivan
2005/06	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	P.Wilson	R.Partridge	K.Hilton	T.Mitchell
2006/07	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	M.Delany	R.Partridge	C.Russell	J.Alexander
2007/08	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	M.Delany	R.Partridge	P.Rees	J.Alexander
2008/09	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	M.Delany	R.Partridge	P. MCcue	T. Mitchell
2009/10	G.Mitchell	B.Allendorf	M.Delany	R.Partridge	B. Watts	T. Mitchell

DOUG SALVERON ROLL OF HONOUR

Member	Service
Murray, David	Borneo & Malay Peninsula
Baldwin, Alan	Vietnam
Salveron, Doug	Vietnam
Mackay, John	Malaysia
Mountseer, Wayne	Vietnam
Cornelius, Colin	Malaysia
Murphy, Barry	Vietnam
Catley, Brian	Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam
Beames, James	Vietnam
Spencer, Brett	Vietnam
Smith, James	Malaysia
Johnson, Peter	Vietnam

 

 

At the Bistro Today

Surf & Turf 300g Sirloin topped with King Prawns crispy Calamari and a white wine & Garlic cream sauce and a side of Fries.	Hot & Cold Seafood Platter For Two includes grilled Scallops, Calamari, battered Fish, Prawns & fresh Oysters served with Fresh Fruit.	The Famous Nobby Burger Beef Pattie, Bacon, Pineapple, Lettuce, Cheese, Tomato and Beetroot topped with Sweet Chilli & Aioli dressing and a side of Fries.