Kangaroo Point and Districts History Group | Collecting and preserving the history of Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane, Woolloongabba and South Brisbane.

The Dancing Policeman

DANCING DICKIE DANIELLS (Sergeant Richard Daniells) was a well-known policeman who regularly directed traffic at the Fiveways in the 1960s.

“The art of directing traffic has been an integral part of police training since the 1920s. A number of officers took to the task with great flair. DANCING DICKIE DANIELLS was well known for his flamboyant style. Many people remember seeing him on Brisbane Streets, dancing his way around the traffic points.”
(Source: QPS media)

He became a legend among commuters. Here are some comments about him:

Sue H: People used to go to the Fiveways just to watch him. He was fantastic.

Joyce G: My husband had a BSA Road Rocket when we were dating and he used to go through his go signals with a bit of throttle and he would yell out —Good on you mate ” he was fantastic on the Point Duty he sure got the traffic through.

Greg T: Dancing Dickie also “danced” on the corner of Gipps and Ann sts. Northern end of the Story Bridge….

Ray T: We saw him here, we saw him there, we saw him almost everywhere!

Sandi H: I remember him very well!! Used to look out for him every time my bus passed through Woolloongabba every morning and early evening. He certainly controlled the five corners expertly and was a real joy to watch! Traffic lights now, how boring!

Ray G: When I first started work in 1951 I used to ride my push bike into the city, as a lot of teenagers did. When it was Logan Road’s turn to go, Sgt.Dickie Daniels would say ” Okay boys, see who is first to the next corner”, and we would pedal like blazes and make a race of it; and when he was on duty on the city end of the Victoria Bridge he would do the same and we would race to be first into Elizabeth St.

Marie A: He knew most people as they drove past yes, he is a legend.

Pip C: I remember him well. I loved watching him. What happened to the dear man?

Lord Mayor arrives in Indian canoe to open Adventurers Clubhouse

The official opening of the Adventurers Clubhouse was a very special occasion. On Saturday evening 15 April 1972, two club members rowed the official guest, Lord Mayor, Clem Jones, in a sixteen- foot Indian canoe across the river from Customs House to the clubhouse on the opposite side of the river at Kangaroo Point. Clem then officially opened the clubhouse.

Here’s how the Sunday Mail reported the unique event the next day, 16 April 1972.Top picture: Paddling his own canoe? Hardly likely when the Lord Mayor (Alderman Jones) had Win Henderson (stern) and Rod Jarvis (bow) do it for him. Alderman Jones was paddled across the Brisbane River by these two Adventurers Club directors to open the club’s new Kangaroo Point Premises.

Bottom picture:  CLEM DAREN’T ROCK THIS BOAT Lord Mayor Clem Jones was taken for a ride last night – by canoe across the Brisbane River. He was paddled from the Customs House wharf to Kangaroo Point where he officially opened the Adventurers Club’s new clubhouse.

As well as adventure activities the club promoted jazz and 1972 is therefore considered the official origin of the Brisbane Jazz Club which purchased the premises in 1985.

You can read more about the Jazz club on our Clubs and Communities page https://kangaroopointhistory.com.au/photo-gallery/community-clubs/brisbane-jazz-club/ ‎

Parachutist lands in river close to Story Bridge

City Splashdown – The Sunday Mail, April 16, 1978

Who remembers the City Council’s “Life.Be in it” campaign?

I wonder if this could happen today. This report in The Sunday Mail of 16 April 1978 describes a member of the Adventurers Club parachuting into the river near the Story Bridge. Text is typed below:

Another interesting point is that the 200 spectators were in “a new and as yet unnamed park” – the park was officially opened three months later on 13 July 1978 and named Captain Burke Park.

With legs waving and singing loudly, David McEvoy, 29, yesterday became probably the first parachutist to touch down within Brisbane’s inner city limits.

Parachutist David McEvoy, 29, jumped from a plane flying over the city centre and splashed down in the B river near the Story Bridge.

Windy conditions enabled him to keep his parachute above the water until a speedboat collected him.

David said he had jumped more than 2000 times, 12 of which were into water.

“It isn’t any more difficult, but it’s a pain because you usually get your parachute wet,” he said. Fellow member of the Rambler’s Parachute Club, Peter Nobbs, 30, also jumped and splashed down in the river.

The jumps were part of a “Life. Be in it” adventure day being held on the B riverbank near the Story Bridge.

David said the State Transport Department specified that the men had to land in the river 100 metres from the bridge and 50 metres from the shore.

About 200 people lined the banks in a new and yet unnamed park, to watch the jumps.

Most were there to take part in the adventure day which was organised by the Brisbane Adventurers Club.

Activities included water skiing, canoeing, diving, kite flying and ball games.

The Queensland coordinator of the “Life. Be in it” campaign said he was disappointed with the attendance. He had expected 1500 people.

Mr. Darcy has been involved in the campaign for four years.

Historic homes make way for Story Bridge

It’s interesting to note that the peninsula area of Kangaroo Point was referred to as “the Point” as early as 1935. It was also described as a restful residential suburb. How times change! The impact of the construction of a major bridge such as the Story Bridge, then known as the Brisbane River Bridge, hugely impacted on this quiet suburb.

It didn’t matter who you were when land was needed for a highway for the bridge. Among the houses resumed were those of very prominent people, including the parents of J.A. Holt, the bridge designer; Mr E.K. Tully, President of the Chamber of Commerce; and the Mr E.F. Gilchrist, City Engineer.

Article in The Telegraph, 8 June 1935, p. 15.

Dancing Policeman directing traffic

Sergeant Richard Daniells, better known as Dancing Dickie Daniells, was a Brisbane traffic policeman whose whistling, pointing and pirouetting at major city intersections, including the Fiveways at Woolloongabba, entertained motorists and pedestrians in the 1960s.

The art of directing traffic has been an integral part of police training since the 1920s. A number of officers took to the task with great flair. Dancing Dickie Daniells was well known for his flamboyant style. Many people remember seeing him on Brisbane Streets, dancing his way around the traffic points. https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/2013/03/26/from-the-vault-the-art-of-directing-traffic/

Bolting horse in Shafston Avenue

Picture this scene: It is February 1924 in East Brisbane.

A horse and cart is going on its rounds delivering butter, trotting along Shafston Avenue, near the Mowbray Park end, what was then the horse ferry. The driver stops to get off, but for some reason the horse bolts and charges into an advertising sign. One of the shafts breaks on the cart and the driver has to hang on. He’s dragged along for about 400 yards. Finally he can’t hang on any longer and is thrown onto the road on his back! Luckily he was not seriously injured and the horse was merely stunned!

The early days of transportation

Carriages are lined up outside W.G. Ison’s Stanley Coach Works and Shoeing Forge in 12 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba ca. 1902. The brick building on the left is the Princess Theatre.(SLQ #39137).

An advertisement for Ison’s coach works at 12 Annerley Rd, Woolloongabba, (then part of South Brisbane) published in Qld Country Life, 1 Aug 1905.

Girl marries in church built by her great grandfather

Weddings in the historic cliff-top St Mary’s Anglican Church at Kangaroo Point are always special. However, the wedding of Vilma Fay Grant to Dr Robert Scott must stand out as being extra special and memorable.

On Saturday, 16 December 1950, Vilma Fay Grant, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. V. Grant of Kangaroo Point, celebrated her wedding in the church built by her great great grandfather, Mr. Alfred Grant.

In 1871, Mr. Alfred Grant commenced the building of the church, which was completed and consecrated in 1873. (see more about St Mary’s in the Churches page)

The Courier Mail of the day reported it as follows:

The Courier Mail wedding notice, 16 December 1950.

Old home becomes two modern flats

Wilbar Flats, 52 Hawthorne Street, Woolloongabba

From old-fashioned timber house to iconic apartment block with panoramic roof-top views. Wilbar Flats is a good example of what can be done with an old, tired timber house in a good location.When the Wilson family home on the corner of Hawthorne and Fleurs Streets started to show its age in late 1939 the choice was clear: renovate, build something cost-effective or move. They decided on the first option and employed architect Edward J.A. Weller to design a building that would take advantage of their excellent location, be visually attractive but also produce an income.

The outcome was impressive: A new brick building with distinctive curved front and containing two two-bedroom flats was attached to the original home which was turned into two modern flats.

“Simplicity is the keynote in external and internal design – it ensures relative agelessness. where the old building has been made to worthily take its place beside the modern addition, by the simple expedient of removing such remnants of over-decoration as remained after the fusion of the buildings”. (The Truth, 14 April 1940, page 28).

The article from The Truth, 14 April 1940, page 28 gives details of the transformation and colour scheme chosen.A destructive super-storm on 27 November 2014 which affected large areas of Woolloongabba required the building to be vacated for a while and major repairs carried out. Since then the iconic building once again dominates the streetscape.

Streets in Kangaroo Point 1935

These two photos show typical streets in Kangaroo Point in 1935.

Houses and street construction in Darragh Street. Forms have been laid for the construction of footpaths and kerbs. Several workmen are consulting on the construction of a retaining wall on an adjacent residential property.

A quiet residential street on 21 June, 1935.