HISTORY OF BOOMERANG SQUASH COURTS



THE PARTNERS:

Cec Walton, Doug White, Kev Preston

THE PARTNERS PROFILE:

Cec Walton was a private secretary to the minister for railways and later became the Deputy Commissioner for the Railways. I was a bricklaying contractor. Kev Preston was the owner of Kev's Sit & Bite - a food van on railway land adjacent to Coolangatta Railway Station. He also owned Seventy Seven Sunset Strip at Coolangatta and Coolangatta Squash Courts.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTNERS:

Cec Walton assisted and advised Kev Preston in his dealings with the Queensland Railways. Cec and I were both members of the Tugun Surf Club and were great mates.

In the late 1950's squash was booming and courts were in short supply. If you wanted to retain your booking you paid for your booking even when you went on holidays. The squash courts were built on leasehold railway land on the basis that we would have tenancy as long as same was not required for departmental purposes. The minister at the time the late Gordon Chalk advised us that in his opinion the cross river connection which ultimately cut through the courts would never be built and if it were it would not be in our lifetime. How wrong he was.

I built the courts and we think they opened in 1962. By this time there were squash courts being built and opening up everywhere throughout Brisbane and the social side of squash was being quickly replaced by squash fixture competition.

Opening night was great- all the leading squash players turned up to play an exhibition game including an international star Dah Dir. The floors which were built out of crows ash were coated with a product called bourne plastic looked magnificent but alas the black ball really marked same and we ultimately had to strip and recoat same with estapol.

We had managed to get a friend of mine Des Crabbe - a great sign writer and artist to create a feature of a squash player with racquet to the front panel of the building and his creativity was admired by all who visited the centre over many years. Des was to become a champion fighter who later turned to refereeing where he became quite famous as a main event referee at festival hall although somewhat controversial at times. Don't worry Des my lips are sealed.

Our initial patronage was mainly social players. Des Crabbe bought along Reg Layton & Wally Taylor and some of their friends. I managed to get some of the Yellow Cab boys and Cec Walton got the railway social club to come along. When I was seventeen I had worked for a short time as a telegram delivery boy in the city and I remembered they had a great recreation base called The Postal Institute, so I rang them up and spoke to a chap by the name of Frank Davidson. He was great - what an organization - it was perfect and that was the start of the Joe Williams era.

One of our early managers was Aida Bell a top grade squash player of the time and a sister of Richard Brant a very good tennis player. My mother Mrs Eileen White was our long term manager dearly loved and respected by all of us and everyone who played at the courts. Sadly she passed away aged 87 on 18-09-2000. We had some wonderful people working with us over the years - Norma Ryan, Dorothy Burns (my aunty), Mrs Lee, and Pam Cory just a few that come to mind. They became like family to us and those that have passed on are greatly missed.

The club moved along nicely under the captaincy of Joe Williams with Castlemaine Perkins increasing production to cater for Joe and his followers incredible thirst, however we did suffer disruption with the 1974 flood - we had 5 foot of water through the courts.

As a result of the railway department building their cross river connection linking Roma Street with South Brisbane we were to lose 3 courts and our club was forced to relocate to the Gabba leased by Sam Trimble and his partner Brian Gaskell.

They were wonderful years at Hope Street, we had an incredible club. I can honestly say I never ever heard of an argument between club members in all those years. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention Mr & Mrs Col Brandon - they were always there supporting us - truly great people and there were many others - just too many to mention.

For those who are wondering what happened to the courts after the club moved - a fire bug that was active in the area broke into the courts and started a fire? The arsonist was responsible for 10,000 pounds worth of smoke damage. The insurance company refused to pay and said we did not have an insurable risk as the building was on lease hold land.

We ultimately were able to negotiate with the Railway department and obtain a free hold title but were unsuccessful in our efforts to lease same. My partners wanted to move on so we eventually sold same to a West End chiropodist for a nominal amount to clear our debts with the bank and the railway department. I think it was about 40,000 pounds. The chiropodist eventually sold the building to the Musgrave Park Aboriginal Community who in turn sold it to another identity and I think it recently changed hands for $1.2 million.

Doug White



THE MOVE TO WOOLLOONGABBA



In 1973 President Col Brandon Snr was informed by court owner and member Doug White that three of the courts in Hope Street would be demolished to make way for the construction of the railway line across the Brisbane River.

In January 1974, a meeting was held to determine the fate of the Club in view of the Government's plans and to elect office bearers for the ensuing year. Col was re-elected as President and at a subsequent committee meeting it was decided that Col and committee member Graham Killoran take special interest in the future of the Club from the point of view of the courts.

Col decided to consult sports guru Bill Crisp with his vast list of contacts to find a new home for the Boomerang Squash Club. Bill was able to find out that squash courts had been built under the Sir Leslie Wilson Pavilion at the Brisbane Cricket Ground and were being leased by state cricketer Sam Trimble and his partner Brian Gaskell.

Col and Bill then negotiated with Sam & Brian to move the Boomerang Club to Woolloongabba for the commencement of the 1975 Winter Season competition. Col was re-elected as President on the 20th March at the delayed general meeting and the Gabba Squash Club was formed.

For the 1975 Winter Season the Gabba Squash Club was represented by 18 men's and 8 women's teams. With hard work by the committee and the court lessees the Club was able to field a full compliment of teams for the 1975/76 Summer Season with 20 men's and 12 women's and was able to maintain this number of members for quite a few seasons.

Architect member Rod Casey and builder members Graeme Larkin, Nic Jeffrey and Graham Field designed and built the club room with the help of many members. Trevor Hardwick was elected first Club Room Manager on 21st February 1976. Brian Gaskell dissolved his partnership with Sam Trimble in late 1979 and Avon and Sam became the new court lessees which they were until their departure in 1989.

In January 1980 approval from the Brisbane Cricket Ground Trust was received to extend the club room and build toilets above court 1. By August 1980 the "building team" with the help of many members had installed the toilets, added a kitchenette to the club room and carpeted the area above the courts. Club facilities to be very proud of were completed with the purchase of a new bar fridge and table and chairs for outside the club room.

The Club turned 21 in 1984 and celebrations were held on the 12th May at the club's facilities. 189 people signed the visitor's book but it is believe about 200 attended as some attendees had not signed. President Lesley McMillan controlled the show and introduced former Presidents Col Brandon Snr and Ray Smith to give speeches along with Col Clapper who was President of Brisbane & District Squash Rackets Association. Harry Steinheuer sang the club song "The Puntimal Parody" which was written by member John Mulvey. Lyn Brandon was responsible for the catering and Fran Walmsley was in charge of the bar - two people kept very busy catering for everybody's needs.

Rod Hurst was elected President in 1986 and was still there when the courts were demolished in 1995. After Sam & Avon left in 1989 the courts were run by the Brisbane Cricket Ground Trust until the courts were demolished. No records are available for the latter years but the Gabba Club was represented in fixtures by only one men's team for the last few years, members of that team were Ian Polglase, John O"Sullivan, Rod Hurst and Rob Smeaton. It should be mentioned that John joined the Boomerang Club in the 1960's thus making him the Club's longest playing member.

Ray Kettley.