Sea wall keeping new tide at bay
BUSINESSMAN Garth Carey can remember the sea wall at Southport which now stands as a major obstacle to the integrated casino-resort being built fronting the Broadwater.
“You can still see part of it at the Southport bridge. I remember it when I was a kid. It was a lovely big concrete wall,” Mr Carey told the Bulletin.
“It stood up about three foot above the ground level. It went north to the old Pacific Hotel. I remember as a kid we had an old Queenslander and we would watch the waves break over Narrowneck.”
The sea wall, which today is just west of the Gold Coast Highway, was built before the Seaway as a protection for Southport homes from raging seas during storms.
“I had no idea it was heritage listed,” Mr Carey said.
Carey Park was named after Garth’s father Cecil who was the Country Party’s MP for Albert.
“The family came here in 1911. My father was born in 1908. He came down on the back of a dray from Toowoomba,” Mr Carey said.
The family operated the Andrew Brothers general store at 15-17 Scarborough St, selling groceries and hardware.
Mr Carey only this week became aware of council’s plans to support an integrated resort and casino on the parkland.
“I think it’s terrible. To me, council shouldn’t sell off open space. The bowls club – that should be heritage listed,” he said.
“I have a saying. If you get over 50 years on the Gold Coast these days, they chop you down, burn you up or get rid of you.”
I THINK IT’S TERRIBLE. TO ME, COUNCIL SHOULDN’T SELL OFF OPEN SPACE. THE BOWLS CLUB – THAT SHOULD BE HERITAGE LISTED. GARTH CAREY