BIRTHDAY BIKINI QUEEN TURNS 80

PAM BURROWS

SOME grandmothers may tutt tutt at the fashions on display at Surfers Paradise beach but not Pam Burrows, who was one of bikini queen Paula Stafford’s first models.

Mrs Burrows of Broadbeach Waters, who celebrated her 80th birthday on July 1, is well known on the Gold Coast social scene not just for her modelling but because together with her late husband Ron they held the catering contracts for tourism kingpin Keith Williams’ theme parks.

The beauty queen was named Miss North Coast in 1954 and followed it up the next year by not only taking the Miss Burleigh crown but going all the way to the final to be named Sun Girl.

A record 45,000 attended the ceremony where she received her sash in the Sunday Mail competition which saw her receive a car.

And she wasn’t just a pretty face.

Mrs Burrows was a talented waterskier, working both at her husband’s ski school and performing human pyramids and other tricks to the delight of tourists.

“Those were the days on the Gold Coast,” Mrs Burrows said.

“The freedom, the friendliness and the parties at the Paradise and Corroboree Rooms.

“Everyone knew everyone and it was like a big friendly village.”

Ms Stafford, who turned 97 on June 10, said she had remained friends with the Burrows family through all these years.

“Pam was a very good model and she had a lovely personality too,” Ms Stafford said.

“Some people were shocked (by the bikinis).

“They thought it was a dreadful thing to do but I don’t think I ruined anyone’s life.” NORMA: After a century living on the same Labrador block Norma Haydock is finally ready to move on.

Mrs Haydock celebrated her 100th birthday in style with a surprise party at her beloved Southport Bowls Club and now the centurion, who had her birthday on June 21, is moving to Brisbane with her daughter Ailsa.