Brisbane's Most DANGEROUS Station! A History of Wynnum & Manly 

I grew up at Wynnum North back in the 80s, but also stayed at Lota and lived across the road from Darling Point Opportunity School. A great place to live as a kid. Pandanus Beach was awesome when it was built, but not for the reasons why people think. Every Wednesday for sport, my mates and I would wag it and head off to get some P&C Chicken chips and gravy, and then head down to the jetty. Back in those days, topless bathing was still a thing and there was generally at least one or two women there. As a teenage boy, that was the dream - wagging school, eating P&C Chicken chips and gravy, and seeing boobs. Also, great video - definitely brought back a lot of memories.

Very good. There used to be a famous and very popular seafood cafe/restaurant very close to where the bridge near the fishing fleet was. Williams Cafe, it was old fashioned even for 1980's - early 1990's? when they closed. Laminex tables, and matching chairs, you would order and receive your meals on a very large kitchen tray, beautiful fish, chips, bread and butter and a pot of steaming hot tea. We, would travel from Birkdale, and along with most of the locals who used to eat there. On most nights you would see people lined up, waiting for others to leave, so they could be seated. Family cars to Mercs or Jags would be parked outside.

That low bridge used to be wooden. After a couple bags of goon, the rush when the trains passed over, your head looking between the wooden slabs. A Big rush for that idiot teenager back then🙄😬🤪not smart kids. Love your channel Bob. Coffee ☕️ on me Thanks for all the learning. Its been great to learn so much more. Great to get indigenous history along with the last 200+years. Fantastic vids mate!

I just did a scrap metal removal job for the old naz house at Wynnum north they have been 1 my clients for years , That house u mention on top of water towers is known as the dead mans house 2 people have hung them selfs over the years there

Grew up there. First lived there in the 70s. The original name is Winnam. Thank you for acknowledging the Indigenous history. The original history.

Coming to Wynnum in 1969 from the UK, couldn't understand why bread and butter were served with the meal. Mum & dad grimaced with the tea "water bewitched and tea begrudged" (weak) But a plate of piled high fresh crab and chips was heavenly. Unforgettable!

My wife and I live in Wynnum and were married at Guardian angels. We also had our photos done at the little house on Tindal rd. Great to see you do our area Rob!

The Shells mentioned in Colina St were at the Tennis Court area. Found during the re-construction of fencing works.

That fish market was the best! Fresh seafood straight from the bay. It's been derelict far too long :( And Fishers was renamed The Oaks, and IIRC finally the Wynnum Point Hotel before it was demolished in 2013. It was a rough pub back in the day, and a couple of Police who worked at the Pine St station told me that they were very happy to see it shut. The area is much nicer now.

St Helena would make a great episode

That low rail bridge is a bugger . I got my Kombi van stuck about 30 years ago . Very hard explaining to a cop as l was rather stoned .

Gota watch out for the wynnum raffarains..though there all over 65 years old now

That low bridge is locally known as Duck Bridge. Years ago my Dad had his whipper snipper propped up in the back of his Ute went under a straight shaft come out bent… 😂

Rob, when you were standing on the raised ground talking about the reservoirs you were standing on the original one, no longer used. The other 3 are still in use. And the old house is "the turncock's house" not Turncock House. A "turncock" is a functional title of a person employed to open/close valves on the drinking water network. People are still employed by Urban Utilites for this purpose.

Born and raised here. Now back here again. Lots of family history in this area - including my Brother-in-law's grandfather who did those animal carvings for the wall. (Last name 'Sticher'.) My Great-grandfather was the lighthouse keeper on Moreton Island early last century - James Palmer. My Nan was a kid playing on the surf-side of the island and could see the ships heading off to the first world war. Not sure if you access QImagery online - all old aerial photos of Queensland dating back to 1930. It's additive! Great story again Rob.

Grew up here 86-93. Wynnum West state to Wynnum North high. Both schools gone now. Great nostalgia trip. Cheers !

Ferris wheel is part of Wynnum Fringe Festival an Annual event. The low bridge is in fact the lowest bridge in Australia. My family live 1 street from it and the Waterloo

I was born and raised in Wynnum, and this was a very nostalgic video for me. A friend from high school lived in the shire clerks cottage with her family, and I used to hang out at her place occasionally. It was restored some time after they vacated the house. Mt Carmel college was my school, and I spent a bit of time at Mass in the Guardian Angels church 😂 The video of Wynnum central train station brought back many memories for me - catching the train to school, and then to my first job in Wynnum Central. While growing up, our family had some lovely times at the wading pool on the waterfront - pre Pandanus beach. It was a great place to grow up 😊

My grandfather use to work at Wynnum hall as a manager and looked after it its still In good condition 👍

6:30 My Uncle has a lifetime ban from the Waterloo hotel. He earnt it for ridding his motorcycle in through the main bar and then back out through the beer garden, back in the late 70’s or very early 80’s

I was born, raised and still currently living in Wynnum.

Hey my neck of the woods! Thanks for teaching us new stuff!

You made it seem like it’s actually a lovely place. ❤

Like a lot of others here in the comments. As a guy from Wynnum, I enjoyed that so much. I hope you enjoyed it mate. I take my kids there still whenever I get the chance. They love the waterfront.

Wynnum Manly i love it Rob, i was going to mention theres a few of those low bridges 1.9m wow i wonder if SUVs with roof racks or 4WD with the big tyres have come a cropper its not like i ask the dealer for my SUVs hight :). A beut place Wynnum Manly and im not surprised the railway is dangerous its like when you go there theres like 5 ways of streets although i refer to Wynnum North station. Thx for the memiors my Cousins used to live there we would walk the ole Jelly dog to the Esplanade from Wynnum North.

What a great video, loved it as I haven't seen Wynnum and surrounds for years. Loved the old school of arts building. I haven't heard the word ruffian in years!! That buggy at 9:28 is exactly the same kind of buggy I learnt to offroad in, very fun to drive. Always enjoy your commentary on these. 😊 Watch out for those widths 😂

I work at nazareth house, it gets freaky in the lower sections overnight. Give me the goose bumps.

A lovely video. Born in Manly NSW, but I have been to Manly QLD. Your video makes it extra special.

Thanks Rob. I really enjoyed seeing places I often walk around on weekends with my bride of 57 years. But with you accompanying us we have the pleasure and benefit of your commentary. And we appreciate the research you have put into the video beforehand. I can recall being told as a lad how people used to catch the train from Brisbane to Wynnum for outings, or even longer stays at guest houses scattered along the esplanade or at one of the hotels. Even today I enjoy the slower pace of Wynnum, Manly and Lota. The mangrove boardwalk is a must to enjoy too.

My family go back to the 1890’s in Wynnum -Manly. There is so much history in the wider district. The WM historical society has a wealth of knowledge and information for those wanting more details. The Gumdale historical society is also worth a look. Thanks for your vid. I quite enjoy them.

I remember as a kid growing up in manly , we would walk along that stone wall and spot all those animals that were hidden in the stones. We would swim at the Manly bars and the waiting pool in the summer. We eat chips and drink soft drinks with our parents at the manly hotel and the waterloo. Ahh the 90s in Brisbane ❤

I thoroughly enjoy your videos. They make me realise how much there is to see in our own backyard. Well presented, thank you.

Hi Rob....i think there is a charter boat called Cat o Nine Tails that run historical tours over there ....leaves from Manly Harbor.

That’s not a jetty, that’s a groyne. Grew up in wynnum-manly. Was an awesome place to be a kid in the 80’s and early 90’s When you shot the footage at the war memorial on Cambridge parade, you can briefly see a house on Carlton terrace that i lived in as a kid. Before the sea walls were built and before mi;lions of tonnes of mud were dredged from brisbane river and dumped in the bay, there were numerous natural sand beaches all along the Lota-Manly-Wynnum foreshore. In the last 40 years I have seen a lot of sand migrating back to the esplanade from down the coast. Near darling point, there are a few spots of nice sand and grass covering an area of approx 1000 m2 that weren’t there even 20 years ago. Slowly, Mother Nature is bringing back the beaches.

Hey, next time your in Wynnum check out the Memorial to the Fire Fighters who lost there lives in the Cinema Fire. It's on the side wall of Coles. Also the Brisbane Fort which is just before the Brisbane Port.

The fish market was Raptis once upon a time. It has sat derelict for decades. My great grandfather (Thomas Heinrich Von Senden) had the first greengrocers store, more or less where the Manly pub is in horse and cart days and used to deliver fresh produce from market farmers in the district as far as Capalaba. You can see the old track near Tingalpa Creek bridge behind the greyhound track.

Thanks for the great video Rob, I bought you a coffee, so enjoy!

I grew up in Wynnum North 2000 onward. Loved so much about this palce. That bloody bridge was always a laugh. I worked at the Waterloo Hotel and fished off the peir. Got so much grief atound the trainos though😅 bit of a rough place from time to time but redeemable qualities. So nice to see this little walk about tour

Probably the biggest historical man-made construction in Wynnum wasn't even mentioned - The Wynnum wading Pool. It's very hard to miss as it takes up a good length of the Wynnum waterfront.

love your content mate, would love to see a Sandgate/Brighton/Shorncliffe area video, thanks for all your work 👍

As a child I used to visit Wynnum with my parents quite often. I could never comprehend how when I looked to the east I saw land when it should have been ocean. I had no idea that North Stradbroke's high dunes were what I saw..

Awesome video Rob. Was great to meet you.

Use to sit up there at the tennis club on a Saturday afternoon and watch the occasional truck hit the bottom of that bridge. Some were a scrape, and every once in a while one would take its roof off.

An interesting video, as my parents lived in Manly West, and I used to take my children for walks along the seafront. The old fisherman's market was still around then, with several fishing boats moored in the creek. My kids loved to watch the fiddler crabs that lived in the mud along the breakwall you walked along. Re: Wivenhoe. I have family that used to live in the original Wivenhoe, in Essex, England. It's not pronounced the same as the one in Qld, though. Whereas the Qld version is pronounced Whyvenhoe, the i of the original is pronounced as in "whip".

The narrow rock wall with the concrete top that you walked out on which you referred to as a jetty, is so far as I know built for the purposes of a breakwater, sheltering the mouth of Wynnum Creek! I have fished off that wall a number of times and caught some nice bream off it. Thanks Rob for another excellent video.

The school that I work at does excursions to St Helena, so tours are still happening

Dangerous, only the no. 1& 2 lowest bridges in Australia are dangerous here, & are only streets apart. Wynnum Beach is nice & there's lovely areas particularly for families in many places around here. PS Tingalpa means "Tingal" - Fat (rich, abundant) "Pa" - Place. There was indigenous events here, including wars because of its abundant environment. It has history & a character, that started well before "settlement".

So many jokes in this one. What a blast. Took me a full 5 seconds to realise that bloomen tree was a joke too.

TRIVIA: The image of the green cross man at time stamp 10.41 is David Prowse who was Darth Vader (sans voice) in the original Star Wars trilogy

As a Wynnum High School Army Cadet in 1957 and 1958 we were dressed in WWII winter uniforms. The Manly Memorial is in a hollow with no breeze. It is a wonder we didn't pass out.

I’ve actually been inside the Shire Clerk Cottage for an excursion in primary school. We had a tour of the entire house. There were many beautiful antiques from the 17th century.

We got married at the shire clerks cottage, a beautiful place. You can go inside, it's a museum. You just have to ask the people in the community centre next door to let you in.

Great Doco Rob, Not a part of Brissy I have ever had much to do with, but it looks Fantastic. .T-Rocks.

Funny, I was just there today for the first time. Driving under "Duck" Bridge was interesting to say the least

They have national parks guided tours of st Helena.i went on one in 1996

I remember when that very low rail bridge was made of wood. I was once in a truck that became stuck under it. For bridge strikes, try the Pine Street rail bridge.

i've lived in this area my whole life, and i didn't know most of this history. i'll definitely wander about more often. it is nice to see an outsider acknowledge that damn bridge though. it's comically low

Love your tours Rob. I've done alot of biking around Manly. Brilliant part of Brisbane. Cheers, Danny. Christchurch New Zealand.

Another good video. St Helena sounds interesting.. I know it has a lot of history there.

I've lived here for 28 years - this was a great history lesson :) thanks Rob

Just came across this video, and thank you so much for it! Its amazing seeing people appreciate the town(?) I grew up in (though much younger than a lot of those in the comment section). A bit of the retaining wall from wyvernleigh still holds up the catholic school there, and i remember reading that plaque many a time waiting at the school pick up!!

Hopefully this means we will be getting a thorneside video soon

I have so many fond memories of growing up in Wynnum as a kid in the 90's. I went to Wynnum North primary school, and had the privilege to play for the mighty Wynnum-Manly Seagulls Rugby League and the Wynnum Bugs Rugby Union. God's Country. #whatwhatWynnum.

Way back in the mid 80s we use to launch boats from Crawford Marine into Wynnum creek for customers to try out . Wynnum was a nice place back in those days and the wading pool was a favourite when growing up on the forshore.

These docos are just the best! Keep it up, Rob!

Interesting to know about all the tragedies that have occurred at Wynnum Station. When I have to wait for trains there, I always get a bad feeling for no clear reason. Maybe that's why.

What an excellent video. Thank you for that Rob. We're off there right now and feel much more informed than we used to be. I reckon you could kayak to St. Helena. Just head over to Green Island and turn left. Getting back might be a bit of a paddle though.

18:33 the “duck” bridge! I made a silent film there at the start of 2020 and while filming I’ve seen cars who went under the sign gauge fine but when they got to the bridge they “noped” outta there even though they can fit under the damn bridge 🤣

I remember a school excursion to Saint Helena Island. It was great. They still do tours.

Another great video Rob.

Worked at that rsl for a bit... That bloody station .......

19:30 Some people still actually live in those boats. I was exploring them one day, assuming they were abandoned and someone yelled at me to get out. There’s also similar abandoned boats and jetties at Lota.

19:49 In 1986 the Gold Coast seaway was completed. Sand drifts Northwards along the SE coast, the North Stradbroke sand is more than replenished by now as to keep the seaway clear a permanent sand pumping setup transfers sand under the seaway. YT has some original videos on the construction. IMO they needed sand in that area and the dredgers etc needed work. That beach stinks at low tide though, if you dig down 15 cm a stinky black oily stain appears, I played in that sludge 😅

I lived a few blocks from where those Manly Baths were and I remember going with my older sisters and cousins to dive off the derelict pavilions dodging the rusty nails and corrugated iron. How we kids managed to grow up in those days without serious injury would seem a miracle by today's standards. There is a memorial to Pamphlett Memorial on Tingal Road because those men travelled through there. Your research about the Aboriginal history was very eye opening. Your juxtaposition of the story about "ruffians" driving off the Aborigines just before a real estate development hints at why I never saw a living black face until I went to university, The famous folklorist and poet John Manifold lived near me but I found that out only later. His place was the Queensland home of left wing artists and writers and yet again it was not until I went to university that I met a socialist.

Caught the train to and from Wynnum Central many times in the seventies, and swam in Wynnum Creek. Those middins could not have been there very long if they were washed away in the last rain.

Appreciate your videos Rob, thank you!!

I went to school at St John Vianney's Manly in the 50's and 60's. At lunch time, we would sit outside high up on the hill overlooking the bay and watch whales spouting as they passed quite nearby. At the end of year 7, 1962, we were celebrating by having a swim in the Manly baths when a violent storm came in from the west. We exited the baths in time to see the wind pick up the changing sheds and dump them in the pool. Bricks were flying off the front of the Manly hotel, as well as sheets of iron in the air from other buildings. After the storm had passed, I was walking home through the water tower area(remembering the tall silver tower), and noticed all the tall pine trees had come down. A great area to grow up in as a child. Oh, and you live in fear of 'wits' Rob... he he..

Very clear photography, makes we want to go there for a visit!

I went to Primary School at Guardian Angels, Gold Coast. It's gone now - prime real estate. Must have been built at the same time as Wunnum's. I put your vid on pause. Identical! Rob, I'm so enjoying these. Thankyou so much.

My husband and I love watching you. Massive fans. I love hearing about all the history around here. Are you able to do a walk about in Ormeau north gold coast would love to know the history of this place. :)

Cool 👍👍👍👍

Thank you Rob, for another informative documentary. Always a pleasure to keep learning of our local history.

That derelict building on the creek used to have its own fishing boat. They would come in. Fillet the fish out the back. And sell the fresh fish and chips out the front. And very nice they were too. The bottom of Glenora St I was told used to be where the convicts embarked the boat to St Helena Island. Just off that point. Fishers Pub was the scrappers pub. Many a fight rolled out into the street. And they used to be one of the pubs that had the strippers every Friday. Pandanus beach used to get re sanded every year. Tip trucks and diggers for a day. And instant beach again. Wynnum used to be a pretty rough area. Manly was the posh end. And you couldn't give a house away in Lota. It was a load of Asbestos workers cottages. As they go demolished. They were replaced with units. Now Wynnum is Yuppyville. I lived there for years and owned two houses there, at the same time. Wish I had them now. I would be a millionaire.

Nice work Rob! I noticed you covered the great wall of Manly with its animal sculptures... my Great Grandfather created those animals. His name is Leopald. My Dad and Grandpop gave our family a tour of the wall around a year ago. There is also an article online in the Manly paper. Rock on Rob!

You always know when someone is driving under that bridge for the first time. They come to a near complete stop. Happens to all of us

🌝 Love that area. Caught some nice brim on that jetty at the end. Thanks for posting🙂

Fun fact; I once picked up an elderly woman in my taxi from the Wynnum RSL and the taxi I was driving that night had a particularly tall aerial. This meant that if I tried to go under the Colina Street bridge it would most likely break as it didn't fit. However, this lady would not have it that I couldn't go under the bridge. Thankfully I was back in the old Prius V the following evening.

Good one Rob

My Grandfather lost his little brother on that track in RIP, Cecil.

Would love to see a video on the history of the Loganholme area (e.g. where the Hyperdome sits now)

Thank you Rob

Do you think you can do a short story about the Redland Bay flying boat base, during the post world war period?

My Grandparents moved into the former police station at 929 Boundary Road in the late fifties. They lived there until my grandfather died and a few years later, my parents bought the property. I believe the comments about the groundwater but our house was never effected by water or borers. I disagree that they were hot. They were constructed of huge solid concrete blocks with high roofs and canite ceilings. I honestly don't ever remember being uncomfortable in summer or winter. It may have been the trees that surrounded the place , I don't know but it was always comfortable. We always seemed to have a breeze crossing through the house. I even remember the breeze from the dunny man jogging past the kitchen window before sewerage. Maybe more thought and windows went into it because it was the police station? Who knows? I do know that for a home with Boundary Road at almost the front door and the train line at almost the back door that they were remarkably well insulated for sound . No yelling over the TV to make yourself heard by any means. I've read all the critical comments on various sites about then but not one person who actually lived in them has ever had a bad word to say about them. And as for the community, the friendliest I've ever came across.

Love it great video

The original Kitchener Memorial was next to the old RSL building. It was a little over over 2 metres high with a Bronze plate.

As a Wynnum boy , born and bred, there is so much more you can add.

I can think of at least one death at Wynnum Central Station in the last 10-15 years- an elderly, vision-impaired person was struck by a train when they followed another commuter who had pushed through the gates at the pedestrian crossing while the boom gates were down. That incident is the reason why the gates can now only be opened by pushing an emergency override button. Also the spot where notorious murderer Lloyd Clark Fletcher was finally caught after he attempted to abduct a Wynnum High Student in 1997; the young girl kicked out a window in Fletcher's car and passers-by rushed to her aid.

Awesome video really enjoyed it and learned a lot about my town

Afraid of widths 😂

Love your videos 👏👏