Ships Ahoy!

As one might expect living in such a delightful part of the world as Southport, Queensland, Australia, aquatic pursuits such as yachting are high the agenda.

Today the Gold Coast boats (sorry, boasts) a thriving marine industry, which has settled a little further north than Southport in the suburb of Coomera.

When this trio of souvenir cup, saucer and plate was manufactured and sold, most likely in the 1950s, there was no marine precinct, only a school of trawlers and the Southport Yacht Club, established in 1946.

Protected from the Pacific Ocean by a small spit of land formed at the mouth of the Nerang River (check the photos from last week's Sunday Drive), the Southport Boat Basin, where the Southport Yacht Club now sits, became the natural spot to drop anchor.

Unfortunately it's been difficult to get a clean photograph of the transfer print image but in addition to its foreground of boats is the 1925-1967 Jubilee Bridge in the background.

The aerial photograph below, taken in the 1950s, illustrates the location (which is oriented to the north west), although the Jubilee Bridge has been cropped out (it would have been on the right-hand side).

In the upper right of the photograph, the Southport Pier is clearly seen.


Today, like everything to do with the Gold Coast, the cityscape has changed. High rise buildings now dot Main Beach and the Southport Yacht Club has grown like topsy.

Below is a contemporary picture of the Southport Boat Basin. This time taken facing south-east.

To help orient you, in the first photograph, the building on the water in the bottom right is the Navy cadet facility the TS Tyalgum. In the second picture it is on the far left of the shot.