Mister Brisbane: Our biggest blunders
Which crazy town-planning or development idea would you want to reverse?
Before the most recent lockdown began, I met somebody in King George Square and had a chance to ponder what a mess has been made of it. Paving what used to be a grassed area was a huge error (made, presumably, in the name of convenient maintenance rather than ambience and utility), as was giving over some of the square to commerce in the form of a brand-name cafe and the installation of a huge TV screen. Then again, maybe I’m the only one who doesn’t go to a public space (that I help pay for) to watch television. I solved the latter two problems by sitting under the screen with my back to the coffee shop. At least the old City Hall still looks quite schmick.
Anyway, it got me thinking: what have been Brisbane’s biggest blunders in terms of city planning and development? The King George Square makeover has to be up there with the abolition of trams, the demolition of the Belle Vue hotel, Cloudland, Her Majesty’s Theatre and many other heritage buildings, and the desecration of the Regent (which remains a crumbling facade with a vacant space behind it despite assurances a decade ago that the site required urgent redevelopment).
Let me know where else mistakes have been made. What from the past would you rescue?
Tune in to the Mister Brisbane radio show on Reading Radio at 1296AM and on DAB+ in Brisbane at 6.30pm on Tuesday nights. It’s also available as a podcast. Just search for “Mister Brisbane” on your favourite player or follow this link.
SWEET SURRENDER
My friend Terry posted a tweet about chocolate crackles, and the responses included one from Richard, who was making rocky road. Of course, that got me thinking about making sweets at home. When I was a kid, my Mum used to make toffee, chocolate and caramel fudge, coconut ice, Turkish delight and other treats, sometimes just for us but mostly to sell at school fetes (back when people weren’t suspicious about home-made foods). I also recall making chocolate crackles — it was the only time we ever bought copha, which I believe has other culinary uses — and lamingtons, including for a lamington drive conducted by the West Mitchie rugby league club. Do you have a sweets story to tell?
LOCKED AND LOADED
I broke lockdown last week for a permissible reason — the get a COVID vaccination. It was my second dose of Astra Zeneca and, despite all the hoo-hah, I’m very happy that I’ve had it. Before I got the first dose, my doctor went through the pros and the cons. For me, and for the vast majority of people, the former far outweigh the latter. By all means take specific advice from a qualified medical professional first, but get vaccinated if you possibly can. As I’ve said before, if you have no valid medical reason, not being vaccinated is both stupid and selfish.
For the record, I had a headache and was quite cold the night of my first shot. It’s now well more than 24 hours since my second shot and I can report no side-effects at all.
SHOW STOPPERS
I was just taking a glance at the list of upcoming shows at QPAC and felt the urge to note how lucky we are that shows of such quality make their way to — or, increasingly, are conceived and produced in — Brisbane. From the stage version of Brizzy boy Trent Dalton’s novel Boy Swallows Universe (or el Chico Que Se Comió el Universo, as it’s known in Spanish) to Opera Australia’s production of Aida to John Williamson to Hannah Gadsby to a tribute to Carole King (below), the program is always diverse and exciting. Even when it’s not the Brisbane Festival. Who’d live anywhere else?
FEEDBACK
Peter addresses my question, “Has squash gone out of fashion, or was the real-estate the courts occupied just too valuable?” He says: “These are probably the two main reasons squash has declined (and other less significant reasons). I’ve played squash for around 50 years — the game boomed from around 1970 until it peaked in the early to mid-1980s — and it’s been downhill since then. In the early 1980s, there were 90 squash centres in the Brisbane region (north to Deception Bay, south to Beenleigh and west to Ipswich) — now about a dozen remain (and some of those probably at risk because of real estate values). Thanks for your interesting newsletters.”
Denise writes: “Thoroughly enjoyed today’ss dition. Would you believe there is still a squash court at Labrador. Excellent advice, Brett.”
Janelle says: “[In the] late 1970s us Nundah State School kids ‘played’ squash at a centre off Rode Rd, it’s still operating. There is also an oldie on Gympie Rd near Graham Rd Aspley/Carseldine. Must be a market for it as these two centres have survived.”
Matt: “I think property values have probably been responsible for the decline. My grandparents owned courts in Shailer Park in the 80’s and did well out of them. When they sold them though the land was redeveloped into a big box retail site. Tennis has had similar issue but has done better so probably squash just not as popular to start with.”
On the topic of Ekka memories, Cathy adds wood chopping and railway track laying to my list of attractions. Janelle says: “The Ekka has not been the same since they got rid of the fair dinkum butchers and their shows & their distribution of BBQed foods. Hubby misses the QR Silver Spike contests too. Celebrity chefs appearances waste of time & money. Bring back the butcher shows!”
Walter remembers his childhood visits, when: “… mum would try and wear us 4 boys out by checking out all the Agricultural Exhibits first (read FREE) like the huge pumpkin growing comps, cattle pavilion, baked goods, animal menageries etc. Then if we still had any energy in us we’d get to side show alley and ride till we vomited or, in my skinny little brother’s case, almost slide out of a fast moving attraction, which had to be shut down till he got off.” [My response to Walter: “We used to go on a school day to see all the industrial/ agricultural stuff (including the government pavilion which had a huge heart you could walk through), then go back with the family (or, later, on our own) to have some fun.”]