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21. Sevenoaks is a residence for
adult cerebal palsy victims. The name commemorates the assistance
rendered the Queensland Spastic Welfare league by Brisbane
Television Station BTQ 7. Seven oaks have been symbolically
planted in a 7 formation just inside the Jesmond Street entrance
to the grounds (to the right of the driveway). The oaks themselves
typify the courage and endurance of the cerebral palsy people who
live at Sevenoaks.
Construction of Sevenoaks began in
1961, the land having been purchased in 1959 from Mrs. B.M. Reeve.
The residence was opened on May 19, 1962 by Sir Henry Abel Smith,
who was patron of the League. In 1973 extensions were completed
and an
Activity Therapy Centre now operates in the grounds.
Today more than 50 adults aged
between 20 and 80 years live at Sevenoaks.
(Thank you to Carol Hambley,
Community Relations, Queensland Spastic Welfare League, for this
information.)
22. As part of the redevelopment of
Lone Pine, an L-shaped area bounded by the straight and Ormsby St
is being planted with eucalypts as food trees for koalas.
Eventually the larger animals at Lone Pine will be housed behind
these trees and a mini-railway will link the two sections of Lone
Pine.
23. Last year the Mandalay Progress
Association examined the new Town Plan and discovered that a
notional sub-arterial road had been routed through the area. This
road, designed to link Sherwood Rd and Centenary Rd (via Fig Tree
Pocket Rd) was to cross the river via a new bridge at the end of
Ormsby St. The Association objected and our objection was upheld,
this resulting in the notional road being removed from the Town
Plan. However, as the national road still appears on the Brisbane
Major Road System Map prepared by the Policy Committee for
Brisbane Region Transport Planning, it behoves residents to
continually monitor the Town Plan to ensure that the notional road
and bridge do not re-appear.
24. Our research has not
established whether the Mandalay Estate is named after the
Mandalay Tea Gardens or whether the gardens were named after the
area; however, a newspaper cutting dated December 26, 1937
indicates that the "Mandalay Sports and Picnic Grounds"
had just been opened to the public as "the result of the
foresight of Hayles Boat Services":
They saw the possibilities of
Mandalay two years ago, and today there is available a fine
sports and picnic grounds, a rural kiosk, several artistically
designed pagodas, and shelter sheds, and a spacious dance hall
with a floor space of 80 x 40 feet. And not least, swings for
the kiddies.
The grounds covered 17 acres along
what is now Mandalay St. Access was by both road and river
cruiser. Wednesday and Saturday night cabarets immediately became
popular, these being serviced from Hayles wharf by the Mirabel and
Mirimar (launched in 1934). Passengers were entertained by the
Mandalayans. The jetty at which the boats berthed was located
behind what is now Mandolin, at 41 Mandalay St. It was removed in
1987 by the Dept of Harbours and Marine.
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons
the boats left some tourists at Lone Pine and continued on to
Mandalay Tea House, where others partook of Devonshire teas.
Of interest to some will be the
fact that the Mirimar left Brisbane waters in 1969 but was
purchased and brought back in 1986 by Mr. Michael Nye, who
refurbished the boat and established Mirimar Cruises. Obviously
many people have happy memories of trips to Mandalay, to Amity
Point and elsewhere because a Mirimar Nostalgia Club has been
established.
The property was eventually sold to
Alfred Grant, who created the present subdivision. It is obvious
why he chose the name Mandalay for one of the streets, but what
about the other street names?
Have you recognized a common factor
in the names of the streets in the Mandalay Estate? If you said
that many of them are named after artists, you would be only
partly right. Bellini, Botticelli, Cyllene, Donatello and
Michelangelo were indeed Italian painters, and Lombardo was a
sculptor and architect. However, there is an even closer link
between the street names.
When looking for names to give to
the streets in the sub-division, Alfred Grant turned to his chief
interest, horses. All of the following were horses either bred
and/or trained by Tesio, Stud Master at the famous Dormello Stud
in Italy: Nearco, Ribot, Donatello, Cyllene, Bellini, Lombardo,
Botticelli, Michelangelo, Romanella and Tofanella. All except for
the last two are sires, the most famous being Nearco, who stood at
stud in England and features in numerous pedigrees. - Romanella
was the dam of Ribot; Tofanella was the dam of Tenerani, sire of
Ribot. Most (all?) of the horses, of course, derived their names
from Italian artists.
(Our thanks to Michael Nye of
Mirimar Cruises and the Mirimar Nostalgia Club for much of the
above information.)
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