THE DUKE & THE GC
PRINCE PHILIP COAST LINK
04
THE Gold Coast will have an enduring and little-known connection to Prince Philip who is remembered for having a strong connection to the city.
The Duke of Edinburgh died on Friday (AEST time) at age 99 after a long period of ill health.
Prince Philip visited the Gold Coast several times during the 35 official trips he made to Australia during his 74-year marriage to Queen Elizabeth II.
His most lasting impact came from his 1982 visit to the city during the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.
Through the early 1980s he had made clear his opposition to the damming of the Franklin River in Tasmania, one of several environmental causes he took up in his lifetime.
This inspired the Main Beach Progress Association which, in 1982, wanted to pay tribute to the Prince and his environmental work.
Association vice president Ted Dolby wrote to the Land Administration Commission on June 11, 1982, saying there was “almost overwhelming support” by Gold Coast residents to preserve the area of The Spit north of Sea World as an environmental park.
“With the royal visit to Queensland for the Commonwealth Games, it would be fitting to name it ‘The Prince Philip Park’ and it is not unreasonable to think that he could be flown down to dedicate it.”
Prince Philip spent time on the Gold Coast during the 1982 Games, meeting lifesavers at Surfers Paradise beach but did not go to The Spit. But six months later he was consulted about the proposal to name the park for him.
Queensland Governor James Ramsay wrote to thenpremier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen on April 11, 1983 to relay his communications Buckingham Palace.
“My dear Premier, I have the hour to refer to your letter of 2nd March, 1982 in which you recommend the naming of a portion of ‘The Spit’ area on the Gold Coast after His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, to commemorate his visit to the Gold Coast on 3rd October, 1982,” Mr Ramsay wrote. “His Royal Highness has suggested that the Gold Coast Council might wish to name the park ‘Philip Park’, this being the more usual form.”
The name was officially introduced the same year. with
Friends of Federation Walk president Lyn Wright said the park name was a fitting tribute to the Duke.
“The Association at the time thought his support for the Franklin River should be acknowledged so the letter was sent off,” she said.
“Because it required royal assent, the Governor was involved and the request came back saying it should simply be known as Philip Park.
“It’s a nice little connection which a lot of Gold Coasters today are not aware of.”
While the Coast is famous for sunshine, the Duke’s first visit was on a wet day on
March 8, 1963. The Queen, who was marking 11 years on the throne, arrived on the Glitter Strip, which had been named the Gold Coast just years earlier.
The royals were greeted with a cheerful roar as they stepped off the plane on to the wet tarmac at then-Coolangatta Airport.
The inclement weather had reduced the expected crowd of 70,000, but did not upset the mood of the excited onlookers.
People from southern Queensland and northern NSW poured in to get a look, camping in deck chairs and holding beach umbrellas over their heads.
After stepping on to Gold
Coast soil, the royals took a 6km route through Coolangatta and then back to the Kirra royal surf carnival.
The rain held off as the crowd roared in approval when the Queen stepped out of the royal car wearing a jade and honeysuckle floral silk dress with side pleats and a jade tulle gathered hat with a turn-back brim.
More than 1000 lifesavers appeared before the royal couple and 540 of them paraded proudly in a royal march past.
Premier Francis Nicklin and his sister met the royal visitors and introduced them to the Surf Life Saving Association state centre president Jack Winders and his wife.