70thRonAyerSpeech

These are the notes from which Ron Ayre made his speech at the 70th celebrations

1944 TO 1949 - Ron Ayre

My name is Ron Ayre one of the old brigade of the forties

Before a trip down memory lane of my period 1944 to 1949, I would like to pay tribute to the founding members including JIM MANGIN “THE MASTER OF WORDS” who put together THE HISTORY OF BILINGA VOLUME 1 1937 TO 1940 describing how the club was born

We are indeed fortunate to have a complete record of these years.

My thanks to our current historian - CHRIS WALKER and all others - for the hard work they have put in to make this 70th anniversary the success it is.

1944 TO 1949 Memories and Recollections

As far as I know there are two others here today from this era.. Namely BILL BEATTIE AND BILL MARSDEN, COL BATCHELOR was unable to attend but he is well

JOINING THE CLUB

In wartime when the club was looking for members to keep it going. OSSIE BARNES a club member, Apprentice Boilermaker and self appointed club recruiter approached four mates FRANK TIERNAN - RALPH DENNE - LES WINSTANLEY AND MYSELF

All apprentices in various trades in essential war industries to have a one month reconnoitre of the club, to see if we were interested in joining

At the completion of this trial we summed up the club with the following "conclusions"
How could we refuse to join the club when it had the following mod cons

  • Running cold water in the shower.
  • Wood stove chop your own wood
    (available over the railway line opposite)
  • Ice box when ice was available
  • Hanging safe when ice was not available to keep the flies away
  • Canvas water bag to cool drinking water
  • Outdoor pan dunny collected weekly
  • Telephone connected to the Tweed exchange.
  • No dials you would wind the handle to contact the operator
    You had to book a trunk line call to brisbane usually 2 hour wait
  • 3 Tier slat bunks with thin matresses
  • The kitchen contained some excellent crockery
    Courtesy of Q.R. Railway refreshment rooms at Bethania where the train stopped for 15 minutes on the way down from Brisbane
  • A hammock was provided on the verandah for any intrepid sleeper.
  • An added bonus was to be on the roster to wear Jim O’Halloran’s beach shirt to the dance at Jazzland
    It was pre war and the only one in the club.
  • And the final clincher was
    The million dollar views from the open verandah

To ensure acceptance
We had to do a mandatory 400 yards in 8 minutes at the davies park baths
I think for some it was a relief that the clocker had a slow watch

BRONZE SQUAD

A fifth member Con Henry joined our bronze squad with our instructor Jim O'Halloran filling in for drill purposes.
Because of work commitments we were unable to obtain our bronze medallions until March 1945 at 6am

JACK WINDERS from Kirra Club was the examiner we told him if we all passsed we would cook him breakfast (some bribe the way we cooked)

As recalled we had the following equipment

  • 2 belts reels
  • A single surf ski
  • Associated life saving requirements including
    March Past gear and pennant

NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT COOLANGATTA

  • Method of transport
    Blue and red bus or taxi usually shared by six as no one had a car
  • some of the members kept push bikes for daily use
  • Jazzland dances every saturday night
    (original stage can still be seen inside the antique shop as it is now)
  • After the dance we usually partook at the hot pie stall next to the railway station
  • The Kirabelle Hotel opposite jazzland for some members the preferred warm up before going to the dance
  • The Capitol Picture Theatre was the start of many romances with the canvas seats very popular - you had to book a week ahead or you were liable to miss out

During the war years the Americans took over the Coolangatta Hotel for R & R leave.
they built an open air dance floor opposite the hotel and serviced it with an American Forces swing band with a local female vocalist who was a friend of mine.

TRANSPORT TO AND FROM THE COAST

  • Rail from Sth Brisbane to Southport, bus to Bilinga. concession cost 4 shillings return.
  • The train would split into two at Earnest Junction, one half would go to Southport to pick up the cordinated bus, the other to Tweed Heads
  • The Bilinga Station was a loft x 8ft shed

AFTER THE WAR - 1946

Additional to rail and bus travel hitch hiking was the go at Holland Park with advice always wear your club blazer and if they did not look like stopping to run alongside them and they would think they were pulling up.
Never worked for me I was a slow runner

It was pleasing to see members who were in the Armed Forces rejoining the club.
Numbers increased to enable a march past team to participate in victory celebrations held at the exhibition grounds in 1946.
A lot of other sporting organisations were invited to march, it was intended to signfy the return to the normal way of life after the war.

I was a member of the team after the event I was told I was out of step I hastily told them I was the only one in step.

Another highlight was the 1946 Australian Surf Championships held at Greenmount Beach
We billeted 14 members of The Entrance Surf Club from NSW

We entered our march past team for the first time since the wars end in a surf carival at Kirra There is a photo in the archives.

There was an increase in recreational activities as follows

  • Occasional fishing expeditions to the Tweed River.
  • Beach football and cricket behind the club house.
  • Tennis at Kirra with the girls from Murwillumbah.
  • A 1946 beach concert with a fireworks display which had fallen from an ex naval ship rockets etc
    It certainly increased the attendence

FUND RAISERS

  • 46-49 Raffles
  • 46-47 Lifesavers Ball at Cloudland Ballroom
  • 47-48 Dances at O’Connor Boat House, Brisbane
  • 46-49 Boat trips down Brisbane River on the Mirimar
  • 48-49 Surf Girl contests

FIRST MEMBERS CARS

Two members cars arrived in 1948 when Baby Butner and Keith Maxwell arrived in a Morris 8/40 and an Austin 7 respectively.

We always had campers at the back of the clubhouse dur1ng holiday periods

99 year lease land was made available for sale on the other side of the railway line, a few members availed themselves of this offer.
The land was later converted to freehold

The fibro house and beach front land next to the clubhouse was for sale for 500 pounds and difficult to sell.

Finally i would like to pay tribute to all members of that era, As time dictates we drift appart but the memories and the bonds forged can never be forgotten, also to remember “WITHOUT THE PAST THERE CAN BE NO FUTURE”

LONG LIVE THE BILINGA SURF CLUB

Page last modified on September 07, 2017, at 12:15 AM EST

Bilinga SLSC 257 Golden Four Drive, Bilinga, Qld 4225
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