Mister Brisbane: Famous places
Suburban stars | Expensive changes | Footy franchises | Something extra
What’s in a place name? My uncle and aunt used to live in what was once known as the Paramount Estate and is now the Brisbane suburb of McDowall, where all the streets are named after movie stars. They were in Gleason Street, named after Jackie Gleason, the American comedian, variety-show host and star of movies ranging from The Hustler (with Paul Newman) to Smokey and the Bandit (with Burt Reynolds) and the TV series The Honeymooners. Other streets include Brando, Bardot, Borgnine, Brynner, Sinatra, DeMille, Sharif, Hackman, Farrow, Poitier, Landis, Ustinov and Voigt. Quite cleverly, Metro, Goldwyn and Mayer streets are interconnected. Even the suburb itself shares a name with Roddy McDowall (above), who starred in the original Planet of the Apes films. However, it is actually named after one of the area’s early settlers, Colonel John McDowall.
Over in Keperra, the site of the old drive-in cinema was developed a few decades ago into a housing estate with street names honouring actors including Nicole Kidman, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. The shame about all this is that none of the celebrity names I’ve mentioned are those of Australians. Even “Our Nicole” was born in Hawaii and is thus America.
In researching this item, I discovered a website compiled by real-estate agent Madeleine Hicks revealing the origins of Brisbane suburb names, and I recommend you take a look. Meanwhile, I’m interested in knowing more about this subject. Is there anyone out there who lives in a street that’s named for them or a member of their family?
Join Brett Debritz and Spencer Howson for the Mister Brisbane show on Reading Radio at 1296AM or DAB+ in Brisbane on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, Wednesdays at 4am and 7am, Fridays at 4am, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 5pm. It is also available as a podcast on popular platforms including Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts.
DEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS
On the subject of names, one thing I’ve noted since returning to Brisbane since a spell overseas is that the government enterprise briefly known as Education Queensland has reverted to its original moniker of the Department of Education. Similarly, albeit after a merger, Queensland Transport is now the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Not sexy, I know, but very descriptive and a clear acknowledgement that these are public rather than private businesses. I note, however, that Queensland Health remains the name of what otherwise would be known as the health department, and that Queensland Rail still runs the trains.
I wonder how much money has been spent over the years on these name changes and backflips, starting with the costs of stationery and signwriting. Some of the changes — including that of the state badge under Peter Beattie’s premiership — are surely just a matter of a politician exerting their authority and putting their “stamp” on something that may outlast them, just because they can. The bigger question is: is it now, or was it ever, necessary for government departments to have fancy branding, and shouldn’t the money have always gone in to delivering services rather than marketing?
SPORTING CHANCE
A planned new film, Underdogs, will tell the story of Queensland rugby league great Artie Beetson. Production on the movie, to be directed and produced by Neil McGregor with producer EJ Garrett (pictured above) and writers David Owen, Todd Atwood and Sam Atwood, is scheduled for late 2021 with domestic and international distribution negotiations now underway. I hope the story of this Indigenous country boy who rose to the top of our state’s favourite sport, and played a big role in the genesis of the State of Origin series, is a big hit. We need to tell our own stories on page, stage and screen, and to celebrate our heroes.
TIGER TALE
On the subject of rugby league, a lot of people may be wondering about the status of the process to create another Brisbane NRL team. There are several contenders, including the Redcliffe Dolphins, the Ipswich Jets and Brisbane’s Eastern Suburbs. The last one of those has a problem, because there is already an Easts in the competition (the Sydney Roosters), and because their existing mascot and logo are identical to the old Balmain livery. So, if they get the nod they won’t be the Easts Tigers, they’ll be the Firehawks. The successful new franchise is expected to be announced in 2021 and begin playing in the 2022 season.
DIGITAL DARLINGS
Last week I wrote about the radio ratings. As I said, it’d take more space than I have here to do a proper analysis, but there is something else I’d like to mention: the numbers for the extra stations that are available on DAB+ and online but not on regular AM/FM receivers. In Brisbane, the honour of top digital station goes to 97.3FM’s The 80s, followed by 97.3’s The 90s, and then Coles Radio (the one you also hear instore when doing the grocery shopping). Next on the list is Smooth FM, which is an FM broadcast station in southern states, in a tie with Triple M’s Classic Rock channel.
It would seem that, despite DAB+ being once touted as the medium of the future (because it delivers higher sound quality while being more efficient than analogue broadcasting in its use of bandwidth), its largest audience seems to be people aged 40-plus. In fact, I can only identify just four among 27 DAB+ or online-only stations — Triple J Unearthed, Hit Urban, ABC Kids Listen and Kinderling Kids — that are specifically aimed at people under 30 (and, in the last two cases, it’s way under 30). Maybe older adults are the only ones who can afford to purchase DAB+ receivers.
WORD PLAY
Further to last week’s pedantry, I note that the Sydney Morning Herald doesn’t know the difference between alternate and alternative.
And here, from a Queensland Rail website, the writer manages to use it’s where it should be its AND its where it should be it’s — twice!
FEEDBACK
My reference to the Courier-Mail clock dominated the responses to the newsletter and the podcast last week. A lot of people thought I was making it up, but it really is a thing. Or at least it was. The definitive answer came from Des Partridge, a friend and former long-time Courier-Mail employee. He says the C-M gifted the to the Queen Street Mall for Expo 88, but adds “I don’t think it stayed in the Mall for very long.” Which raises the question: where is it now?