 Southport Pier, 1915 | |
| Spans | Gold Coast Broadwater |
|---|---|
| Locale | Gold Coast |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 200 feet (61 m), extended to 900 feet (270 m) |
| History | |
| Opening date | 28 November 1883, re-opened 2009 |
| Closure date | 1969 |
Southport Pier is a pier spanning the Gold Coast Broadwater in Southport, a suburb on the Gold Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. The current pier was constructed in 2009, replacing a previous structure demolished in 1969.
Located in the sheltered Broadwater, the pier and its surrounds was an attraction to visitors in the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century who sailed along the coast or, after the arrival of the railway, traveled down from Brisbane by steam train. Passengers were also transported to Brisbane via steamboats. [1]
Southport has had a number of jetties along the curve of beach between the mouth of the Nerang River and Deep Water Point in Labrador, some of them operating concurrently, since the 1870s. Without a wharf or similar structure it was not possible to land goods or passengers directly onto the shore without using a smaller boat. [2]
Differing opinions were held within the growing township as to the best position for a wharf or jetty. In February 1879 two delegations traveled to Brisbane to put forward their respective cases. One group was in favour of constructing the jetty in a position central to the township which they anticipated growing northwards. The other group preferred the jetty to be built to the south where the current owners were selling lots. [2]
The first permanent jetty in Southport was built to the south of the township near the mouth of the Nerang River opposite the Southport Hotel near the present day northern approach of the Gold Coast Bridge. [3] Originally owned by Richard Gardiner, in early 1878 the Southport Hotel was sold to Mr. William Charles Maund [4] who constructed a substantial jetty the following year. The jetty was designed by Mr. H. Barnes who was part of the first survey trip by the Harbours and Rivers Department mapping local waterways. The survey party were staying at the hotel which was, at the time, the only accommodation in the area. [5] It was built by private subscription for £52 and was approximately 280 foot long and six foot wide. The jetty included a tram track along its length to aid in unloading and transferring luggage and other items from the steamers arriving at Southport [6] It opened in late 1879 with additional work undertaken to create a channel between the new jetty and Deepwater Point at Labrador. [7] By May 1880, it was reported that Mr. Maund, the hotelier, had substantially enlarged the existing jetty. [8]
In January 1880 a deputation of local residents visited the Acting Colonial Treasurer to request that the State Government construct a jetty able to meet their needs. The visit did not result in the Government committing funds, [9] and it was suggested that the people of Southport or the local Divisional Board fund the endeavor. Upon the return of the deputation, a meeting of local residents was called in February at which the proposed jetty was discussed. [10] [11] In November the local residents met again to consider borrowing £600 to build the jetty. [12]
A second jetty was erected further north near the Pacific Hotel in the vicinity of the intersection of The Esplanade and Nerang Street [13] which, by September 1881, was reported as being partially completed but in use. [14] In October 1881 the growth of the township was being reported in local newspapers and the 'new jetty' is mentioned. [15]
Neither of the jetties were able to fully meet the needs of the local community. The jetty near the mouth of the river could not be used in low tide while the pier in front of the Pacific Hotel was not easily approached by steamers. [13] The decision was made to build a third jetty incorporating the existing structure in front of the Pacific Hotel. After an unsuccessful attempt to raise the funds by public subscription, the money for the third jetty was provided Mr. E. J. Stevens and Mr. John Cameron. The Queensland Government provided the lease for land on the water front and William David Nisbet, the engineer of the Harbours and Rivers Department, assisted with specifications and drew the plans. The owners leased the structure for three years to the Southport Divisional Board. [16]
On Wednesday 28 November 1883 [1] [17] the township's third jetty was opened with the 'whole of Southport' in attendance. [16] To keep building costs low, the new jetty used reclaimed railway rails in its construction. This was reported as being one of the first times this method of construction was known to have been used. [18] The new jetty was 800 foot long [19] and had a goods shed and waiting room surrounded by a verandah on three sides. [19] This extended structure was to become known as the Southport Pier.
In 1886 the Southport Divisional Board announced that it intended to build a new pier and goods shed near the site of the 'old jetty near Balmer's hotel' at a cost of £600. [20] In 1886 Mr. Balmer had taken over the Southport Hotel from Mr. Maund. [21] In 1887 the Divisional Board were reporting that the existing jetty at the river mouth remained in private hands but the foreshore and surrounds, which were the responsibly of local government, were suffering from erosion. [22] By 1888, the local community still did not have access to a free public jetty. [23]
Within a few years, the Southport Pier near the Pacific Hotel had been extended to 900 feet (270 m) and a bathing enclosure was built against the pier for locals and visitors to enjoy protected sea bathing. [24] It was during this same period that construction of the Southport Sea Wall along the foreshore began. [25] [26]
The Southport Pier and Baths Company leased—and ultimately sold—the pier to the Southport Divisional Board. In 1913, the timber structure was replaced with a concrete one. [1]
The very popular Pier Theatre opened in December 1926 and offered a venue for movies, dances and general entertainment. The first theatre was destroyed by fire in 1932 [1] and rebuilt that same year. Both the pier and theatre were demolished in 1969. [1]
A new pier was constructed in 2009. Its length is 100 m. [27]
The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately 66 kilometres (41 mi) south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nation's largest regional city, and Queensland's second-largest city after Brisbane. The city's Central Business District is located roughly in the centre of the Gold Coast in the suburb of Southport, with the suburb holding more corporate office space than anywhere else in the city. The urban area of the Gold Coast is concentrated along the coast sprawling almost 60 kilometers, joining up with the Greater Brisbane Metropolitan Area to the north and to the state border with New South Wales to the south.
Main Beach is a coastal town and suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the suburb of Main Beach had a population of 3,883 people.
Southport is a coastal suburb in the City of Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Southport had a population of 31,908 people. It contains the Gold Coast central business district.
Johann Heinrich Casper Meyer (??-1901) was a German immigrant to Queensland and a pioneer of the Gold Coast region.
The Gold Coast Broadwater, also known as Southport Broadwater, Gold Coast Harbour and The Broadwater, is a large shallow estuary of water located in the Gold Coast district of South East Queensland, Australia. The estuary reaches from the locality of Southport in the south, to the southern section of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Moreton Bay in the north. Separated via the Seaway from the Coral Sea by a thin strip of land called Stradbroke Island, the original body of water was a lagoon created from water deposited from the Nerang River. Part of the Broadwater is contained within the Moreton Bay Marine Park.
Gold Coast Hospital, located at 98–136 Nerang Street, Southport was, from 1960 to 2013 a major teaching and referral hospital and the third largest in Queensland. The Gold Coast Hospital had one of the busiest emergency departments in the state. The Hospital admitted over 60,000 patients annually. It was replaced by the Gold Coast University Hospital.
The history of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia began in prehistoric times with archaeological evidence revealing occupation of the district by indigenous Australians for at least 23,000 years. The first early European colonizers began arriving in the late 1700s, settlement soon followed throughout the 19th century, and by 1959 the town was proclaimed a city. Today, the Gold Coast is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia.
Labrador is a coastal suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Labrador had a population of 18,261 people.
The South Coast railway line was a railway from Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia. The route via the South Coast to Tweed Heads on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. The line operated from 1889 to 1964. The Gold Coast railway line re-opened in 1996 along a modified alignment in the north and a new route south but does not extend as far south yet as the South Coast line.
The Shire of Tingalpa was a local government area in the south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The shire, administered from Mount Cotton, covered an area of 120 square miles (311 km2), and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 1949.
Cavill Avenue is a street and a pedestrian mall in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is in the heart of the Surfers Paradise shopping and entertainment district. It was named in honour of the man credited as the founder of Surfers Paradise, James Cavill, known as Jim Cavill.
The Shire of Beenleigh is a former local government area in the south-east of Queensland, Australia, centred on the town of Beenleigh. It existed from 1879 to 1949.
The Shire of Cleveland is a former local government area in the south-east of Queensland, Australia, centred on the town of Cleveland beside Moreton Bay.
The Shire of Nerang was a local government area in South East Queensland, Australia. The shire existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 1949.
The Town of South Coast was a local government area in South East Queensland, Australia.
Southport Bathing Pavilion is a heritage-listed changing rooms at Marine Parade, Southport, Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Hall & Phillips and built in 1934 by A. Ledbury. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 13 January 1995.
The Gold Coast central business district (CBD) is the planned main commercial centre of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The area encompasses an eastern portion of the Southport suburb. Its north–south axis runs from North Street in the north to Brighton Parade in the south. Its east–west axis runs from Broadwater in the east to the High Street in the west.
The Hotel Cecil is an Art Deco hotel located on the south western corner of the intersection of Scarborough and Nerang Streets in Southport, Queensland, Australia. It has been recommended that it be added to the Queensland Heritage Register due to its rarity, high architectural value and contribution to the character of the street.
The Southport RSL is a sub-branch of Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) in Southport, Gold Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. Their building is at 36 Scarborough Street, Southport. The Southport RSL is a registered not-for-profit charity.
Ernest Junction railway tunnel is a heritage-listed former railway tunnel at 797 Ashmore Road, Molendinar, Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1885 to 1889 by the Queensland Railway Department. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 May 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Coordinates: 27°58′23″S153°25′15″E / 27.97305°S 153.42087°E