MIKE MUIRHEAD





This is an Email I received from Mike Muirhead, he tells of his days at both the squash clubs Boomerang & the Gabba and other Squash Clubs in other parts of Australia and New Guinea. Mike mentions some of the interesting jobs and different parts of Australia and also New Guinea where he worked. Mike also said in the Email that he had taken most of Sunday afternoon of the 13th of September, 'surfing the Boomerang/Gabba Site'. He located his name in a couple of Pennant Winning Teams in Ray's Club Data lists; he was successful in 1966/67 in a D3 Team his team mates were Greg Baker, Glen Mann, Trevor Biggs, Ray Smith. Mike was also in a C4 winning team in 1969/70 his mates that season were Peter Skelly, Rod Fox, Keith Gargett & Glen Mann.

Joe Williams

MIKE'S STORY



I commenced my love of squash when in the Army playing in 1961-62 in Wewak in New Guinea - where my Engineering Squadron was posted for 12 months. We built the first (I think) Squash court in that part of the world, out of crushed coral and cement. It even withstood the usual earthquakes experienced in this part of the world. The walls stopped just above the cut line, with stud walling above to the usual height above the floor with the roof having large overhangs to keep rain out, chicken wire above the walls provided ventilation in a non-air-conditioned court. In my final years in the Army I played in Queenscliff in Victoria, where I was posted with my Engineering Squadron in 1964.

I parted company with the Army in January 1965, and my start at Boomerang was either during 1965 or 1966. I was with the Commonwealth Dept of Works by this time in Brisbane. This is where I first met Keith Gargett, Ray Smith and Rod Casey, who were all members of Boomerang or became members later on.

I was transferred to Townsville in May 1970 returning to Brisbane in January 1971. My next transfer was to Toowoomba in August 1971, where I worked at the Oakey Army Aviation Base as a Project Architect for about 15 months, before returning to Brisbane.

My next move was to Darwin in September 1973, Cyclone Tracey blew our house away at Christmas Eve in 1974 (we were on holidays in the U.K at the time - pew !). For a brief time I worked back at the Brisbane office and in January 1975, was asked to help with the Darwin reconstruction returning by myself for 3 months, until April 1975, when Donna and our then 2 girls joined me in Darwin where we again stayed until August 1983.

During all this tripping around ie. Townsville, Toowoomba, Darwin, I continued my love of squash and managed to play in some of the top teams in these smaller towns. During this time with the Department of Works I competed in two Comworks Interstate Sports carnivals, which were held in South Australia and Victoria, naturally Squash was my main sport but also played Ten Pin Bowls.

Both Donna and myself rejoined the Gabba Club and stayed there till 1985.