COOLANGATTA - The Berlin Wall of Queensland

[@walkaboutwithrob]

I've created a map showing the location of all my videos www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1S1ja8VfNjDQoYm_MXMZ6serGRTwwIHw&usp=sharing

[@markb3146]

Fun fact, my Father who worked in the titles office on the Gold Coast undertook that last QLD/NSW border survey sometime before 2000. It was one of his last acts before retiring. He followed the same steps as the first surveyors. I still have the permanent survey mark he was gifted on retirement.

[@cinemaipswich4636]

The train line was actually ripped up by Joh Bjelke Peterson, because his mates owned trucking companies. I saw an F-111 do a very low, slow pass, and I could see the pilot wave to me. My friends and I would go to Coolangatta for New Years Eve, where we could cross the boarder and celebrate twice, because of daylight saving time zones. I stayed at the Pink Hotel in the 1970's.

[@AnarchyEnsues]

Railways just ain't competitive compared to local trucking.

[@aftonline]

@@AnarchyEnsues I think the original railway was for passengers. They have rebuilt the heavy rail line as far as Varsity Lakes, and there is also a light rail line running down the Gold Coast Highway now. It's a good option if you are visiting the GC and don't want to rent a car. But it would make a lot more sense if it connected with Coolangatta Airport (either the heavy or light rail, or preferably both)

[@AnarchyEnsues]

@@aftonline one of the big reasons for massive cost blow out in the last section of m1 upgrade down (west burleigh to tugan) is the government has made the contractors make room for heavy rail allowance to fit within the corridor. After starting construction.

[@eisukekanno300]

Such a shame that the antique shop closed 😢 I used to work in an eye clinic in The Strand shopping centre and would pop into that shop after my shift for a browse whenever I could. Makes sense it was a jazz hall because the place was massive! Would love to visit the place it has relocated to see if it has the same level of character. Thanks Rob for your awesome videos!! Hope to run into you randomly one day either in Brisbane or GC 🤣

[@j2racing]

Below the Point Danger Lookout amongst the rocks where the waves crash over you can still see some of the structure remaining from Jack Evans Porpoise Pools (opened 1956). My family has been staying at Rainbow Bay for holidays since I was a little kid, so many good memories there.

[@fyiaustralia9686]

It'd be interesting to follow the QLD/NSW border to document all the various markers along the boundary. The Wallangarra/Jennings marker is interesting as the change of railway gauge and old customs house.

[@apatts6]

I’ve never been interested in the history of QLD until I started watching your videos. Amazing Rob, please don’t stop the magic

[@walkaboutwithrob]

Aww thanks! Got plenty more in development

[@cherylaubs4860]

The anchor memorial is at North Kirra across from what used to be Gilltraps Auto Museum

[@Pyjamarama11]

🎶 we are one but we are many 🎶 "Stay that side of the orange plastic traffic bollard ...... or I'll arrest you" Greta video thanks, Walkabout Wi' Throb

[@1dazz2]

Hi Rob thank you as always a wonderfully informative video, my favourite part of the world, brings me many happy memories

[@mariegilliland2843]

The shifty lady in the bonnet 😂😂😂

[@rogergreen9861]

Closing the border for covid worked to do the thing that NSW failed to do at the port of Sydney. The whole Sunshine State to enjoy and none of the Southern blow-ins! Never had it so good.

[@Snorklefester]

Another great vid! Duhig is pronounced Dewig and there's a UQ building named after him at St Lucia. It would be great if you did a history of St Lucia and the uni if you get a chance. :)

[@rogergreen9861]

That antiques place was legendary. It was forced to move by sale of the building, but it was an acre or more of timber floors covered in display cases, furniture and every thing on Earth.

[@69jelliott]

This is great Rob, well done. I am the owner of the Pink Hotel at Coolangatta thank you for doing this piece.

[@walkaboutwithrob]

Thanks, had a great time there and the staff were wonderful. Am looking forward to a return visit.

[@mahtabart63]

awesome🎉

[@harrymorley9743]

Great video Rob. Loved the Pink Hotel 💕 Xfiles star David Duchovny watching overhead while you’re sleeping is just Chef’s kiss 😂

[@williamtrencher2052]

I just simply love this channel! Bravo!!!!

[@walkaboutwithrob]

Thank you very much!

[@70darryl]

love this trip down memory lane, looks like you had beautiful weather that day, dont forget the porpoise pool near snapper rocks, shame they close alot of tourist parks.

[@Choice_au]

Terrific video mate. I think the southern Gold Coast, from around Palm Beach to Coolangatta, can't be understood without reference NIMBYism. The chill vibe of Coolangatta isn't organic, it's the result of decades of efforts by residents to make the region as hostile to outsiders as possible. As a teenager, I remember sitting in grid lock traffic near West Burleigh and having this conversation with my dad. It was one of the first times I learned how something like a train line or highway can be political. If a train line runs through Kirra Beach, locals will have to share the beach. That's maybe a bit too politically charged and prescient of a subject to be discussed here, but I think it's a fascinating illustration of the influence of city planning and public transport.

[@kit-kathew1621]

I'm loving the Gold Coast videos! Makes me appreciate my hometown, please explore Tallebudgera one day! It's full of history, has one of the oldest schools on the Gold Coast,😉☺️

[@FarAwayInWA]

Hi Rob, another informative vid. I only became familiar with your channel six months ago due to doing research for an upcoming trip to Brisbane from Perth, which I did with my Mum from Melbourne in February. Keep it going, enjoy hearing the fascinating history, you do it well😀

[@davidwatson3921]

Another wonderful travelogue, thanks Rob

[@davidfabish-wood5278]

Excellent video. We moved to Coolangatta for a year for my wife’s first job after finishing uni, and our child started Prep at the state school - it coincided with COVID, and we had the wonderful experience of having to navigate the hard border with our house and school on one side, and childcare, OSHC and work on the other. It was a crazy time - it once took me three hours to drive from the PCYC in Tweed, which is almost on Dixon Road, to near St Augustine’s. Typically that takes about three minutes. Great video and I enjoyed it.

[@johnflanagan2316]

Another great video , Rob. The one thing you didn't take into account when talking about the soldiers and where they were stationed the Tweed River mouth was altered back in the 1960s there was an island where Cole's at Tweed Heads and the old hospital are. The river mouth was behind the RSL club. Feed the magpies and they won't swoop you.

[@lukeamery6516]

Great video man awesome job

[@Graveyardshiftaus]

There’s a Duhig street in Toowoomba. And it was always pronounced as Dewhig when I was growing up there.

[@billclarke2535]

I've often wondered why the border wasn't the tweed river

[@MarkZX14R]

Great video - I went to primary school on the top of Green Mount from 1974 - 1976

[@TheCoolangatta86]

The Primary school you are referring to was not on Greemount Hill. It was actually on the hill between Coolangatta Beach and Kirra Beach. The School buildings are still there today and it is now the Kirra Hill Community Centre and the location is 1 Garrick St, Coolangatta

[@MarkZX14R]

​@TheCoolangatta86 ah that's the one! Thanks. My parents owned a foodland store on the corner in Kirra. I was very young. I think I was there until grade 4

[@richardbaker2701]

Thanks for coming down to the Gold Coast again rob! Love these!

[@bornodnoc1034]

Love this. Dad & Mum were born & raised in the Tweed & Coolangatta in the 30's & married at St Augustines.

[@Solarlube]

What a great video Rob, [as I may have mentioned in one of your previous videos The Barracks near the Caxton a great watch also] You are creating a great Library of memories. A question for you Rob, Was the Pink Hotel originally the Pink Poodle Hotel [synonymous for other reasons] lol. I sincerely hope your videos will become part of the Great Archives of Queensland.

[@RoxyStellar]

fairly freeking fantastic docs. Rob 💖legendary actually ❣thanx heaps

[@lawdpleasehelpmeno]

You'll be interested to know Coolangatta airport is actually one of the least fog prone major airports in the country. It is very rare for it to get a proper fog, though it gets shallow fogs regularly. Very often when all other major airports are in fog, Coolangatta is not. It's a very excellent "alternate" airport for SE Qld/Northern NSW.

[@keithdrower9120]

At Shoalhaven Heads, NSW, there is a mountain called Gullengutti, or Kullengutti, which is a native name for the mountain overlooking the coast and the Shoalhaven River. It means 'fine view'. A special place reserved by the Aboriginals for 'womens business'. It is a sacred place, still in its natural state.

[@marklythall8712]

Really enjoyable video explaining a lot of history about a place I didn’t think had that much of interest, thank you.

[@KavaRahu]

Yay, 12th,, lol,, I will just sit here and watch a pretty view

[@morrisanderson818]

Took a photo on the border line in Coolie by the big Roundabout, During daylight saving, NSW shop's were still open Q,land was closed 😅 Love the Pancakes restaurant,best food ever,pity we don't have that here in NZ great video,💯👍🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿

[@Br0wnCh3]

Nice vid. Thanks for sharing. Makes me Keen to drive down and explore these areas 😂

[@plowestory]

Outstanding once again mate - Thank you !

[@ThePowerbloke]

Another great episode Rob! Thank you again for you hard work. 🙂

[@MasterLongy]

In the 90's I used to live pretty close to where you were staying. It was out the back of an old Chinese resturant that was falling apart which has since been replaced by the Reflections towers. Was the best of times.

[@sharongoodsell9341]

I like the days before all these videos. Coolangatta has been taken over.It was such a pleasant part of the coast

[@reaganenglish]

Thanks Rob enjoyed the tour. Hi from TEXAS.

[@daigeorge9797]

You need to do a video on all the buildings that the Dean Brothers tore down and go see what is there now

[@djangoWier]

Thanks Rob, i am learning alot of our countries history and areas that you walkabout.

[@Lisa-x3n5x]

My mum was born Catholic. She told this funny story. She and my nan were in the kitchen circa 1948, and heard that Duhig (pronounced "you-wig" with a D in front). They heard on the wireless that Duhig had broken his leg. Nan was lost in reverie, and then announced, "It will be a lovely funeral." Mum broke a dish laughing.

[@dianagiles9467]

Oh wow I loved the scenery from point danger..thanks for this information Rob..dad used to fish (hobby angler)..tailor were quick if they were sighted at Kirra you had to be at Currumbin they moved that quick..

[@MrBoulanger87]

A university building at St Lucia is called the Duhig building. It is pronounced dew-hig like blue fig.

[@geoffdean3532]

Great episode.

[@OmnivorousReader]

Hey, my home town! Well, there were known buildings near the Tweed River (we have drawings) and I think you over estimate how much of a round view you would have had off Point Danger BEFORE we cut down all the trees. If you follow that walk down to D-Bar (and it looks like you walked that path) the area is really overgrown with scrub and you have virtually no view, I expect that was what the top of the hill used to be like. And, on top of that hill; no water so, not a great early settler spot. Great video though :)

[@adamjones1805]

Very interesting information. I had no idea Coolangatta had so much history. Such a beautiful part of the world down there around Coolangatta and Tweed as well.

[@markpercival2619]

Archbishop James Duhig (pronounced Dew-Hig) was one of the most influential characters in Queensland history and especially in South East Queensland. There is even a Duhig Building at the University of Queensland. He established many churches,schools, parishes and other facilities. I’ll let you Google him for further information. St. Augustine’s Church is, I think, named after St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa. He is a Doctor of Catholic faith and a major influencer on the entirety of Western Latin Christianity. Again, worth Googling his name. The Augustine you referred to came along later and is know as St. Augustine of Canterbury, having established his See or Cathedral in that English town as you said. Enjoy your videos. Thanks.

[@Nick-Rivers]

The border runs right through the gold coast airport. If you land from the north you land in Queensland then taxi down the runway into NSW before coming back into Queensland at the terminal unless your plane arrives at terminals 1, 2, 3 or 4 - then you are still in NSW.. ✈🛩🛫🛬

[@Bims-t5b]

My cousins and their family always go to Coolangatta to have a holiday and we sometimes visit wonder full place in fact wonderful beach we always play “the wave game” as I call it which is trying to not get washed back to the shoreline thingy as long as you can such fun I got a pulled muscle in my rib area and was super annoying

[@abrahamman3936]

I was part of the Renovations of the pink hotel a few years back, I sanded and repainted the stairs, doors and walls and was close with the old owner. Nice lady

[@walkaboutwithrob]

The current lady on charge (French) is wonderful!

[@UsualmikeTelevision]

Great Video Rob!

[@heathertruskinger6214]

😂 i half expected a pink flamingo next to you at that pink motel ! I moved here in 83, it was good to see the old parts of coolongatta history. My hubby, on the other hand, has lived here for over 50 years incl5 working for the Gold Coast council for around 40 years, you brought up memories of quite a few places on his old stomping grounds !😂

[@wnh79]

love your videos, but please consider if you can improve the audio, especially the wind noise : )

[@michellerolph2248]

I remember the old swimming pool at Snapper rocks. We holidaying there nearly every holidays in the 70s & 80s stayed at the Sunset Strip - awesome place, ripped down a few years ago now housing.

[@benkimberley]

"doowig" but ive heard its the irish spelling of Duffy - you see him everywhere in stone around Brisbane bcz he was Archbishop of Brisbane for 50 years

[@thewarlockbride2205]

Love love love your videos Rob ❤

[@walkaboutwithrob]

@thewarlockbride2205 Thank you most sincerely! I do have a great time making them.

[@vv8134]

I love Coolangatta. So lovely . A few nice holidays there . Great video 🎉

[@ThebackyardmanDan]

The rifle range was closed after a stray shot broke a tea pot or something in the mayor’s house while his wife was home , much to her alarm ,

[@LeadDingo]

Great scott

[@heathertruskinger6214]

😂😂😂

[@DirtySlapper99]

Yep

[@kigna1234]

Come on Rob I know your an atheist and not into religion but Duhig was an important figure in SEQ history and I am sure you know who he is just taking the piss, he was a prominent figure locally

[@sandramackin9817]

Nice one again, always enjoy your work and the history in them.

[@grahambishop263]

Wow what a great eposide, each one keeps getting better and better love you work!

[@gw2715]

That photo of the Coolangatta Hotel in flames in 1983 looking from Aries high rise, has the old police office in charge residence at the front of the photo

[@benjamincumming84]

Great video Rob, Coolangatta is my family's yearly vacation spot. Loved how you pointed out the Muriel's wedding location my favourite cult Aussie movie 😊

[@jessdean5500]

Another very informative video. Thank you Rob . Loved the pink snacks at the start of the video.

[@n5017858]

I should have approached you, I grew up in Tweed Heads. I’d have mentioned the connection between Greenmount (soon to be demolished) and Perfect Match, The nude beach at Snapper Rocks. Living with the daylight saving thing and the dolphin show at Rainbow Bay

[@nanniecath528]

Another top review of my regular holiday destination. Great audio and visuals and history 😊

[@rogergreen9861]

The story of Duhig is a Uni Qld walkabout segment in itself, but his name when referring to one of the libraries there is pronounced DEW-hig.

[@NoName-ds5uq]

Love your work Rob! I’m currently visiting Brisbane from Hobart, and spent most of today on the Gold Coast! I didn’t go any further south than Surfers though. In fact I thought of your video about the Riverside Expressway as the train was crossing the river on the way back!

[@kerenmcsweeney]

Very funny and good to watch, thanks for the posting.

[@owtinoz]

I remember my mum and I (having been born overseas) being baffled at the fact that the border wasn't the river as it is with most borders on most states or countries elswhere but rather an 'imaginary' line

[@nick76yt]

Always appreciate your work Rob. Great watch.

[@margaretgiudice7698]

I really enjoyed the history lesson and seeing all the familiar sights. My only criticism is that you jumped around locations so frequently that anybody not familiar with the town would have great difficulty trying to picture it, which is a shame.

[@antl986]

Informative and fun.... great combo!

[@ThePittStreetFarmers]

Great video mate.

[@divarachelenvy]

this episode as bordering on the borderline.. cheers.

[@hollysmith1347]

Another good episode. Not too interested in that area. But still love hearing about it's history.

[@livinginitaly16years80]

Saint Augustine, also known as Augustine of Hippo, was a Christian theologian and philosopher who lived in the Roman Empire during the 4th and 5th centuries. He is perhaps best known for his theological writings, particularly his autobiographical work "Confessions" and his philosophical work "City of God." Augustine's ideas had a profound influence on Western Christianity and Western philosophy.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

🤠 excellent, loved every minute

[@darkhorse5591]

Duhig pronounced Dewig, Archbishop well known for " making every hill in Brisbane Catholic " - why many Brisbane Catholic schools are built on hills just fyi. Anyways thanks for another awesome Vid keep up your amazing work look forward to the next one mate.

[@saintpauli7566]

Someone once told me that in the days of horse and cart the land up high was cheaper as it's harder to move building materials there - hence the Catholic schools and churches being on top of all the hills. Unsure if this is true or not but kind of makes sense. 🤔

[@tejas57]

spent many hours in Duhig tower at UQ when i was doing my degree

[@clubgus07]

Oh you have outdone your self this time Rob you did, what a place and Doco it was filled with everything including sadness with that 2020 thing. But I hope you jigged the night away at the Twin Towns another destination. Now I know this Coolangatta NSW its a Mountain between Bomaderry Nowra and Gerringong/Gerroa the formation of the mount from my observations is I swear 99% the same like Mount Coolum on the Sunny Coast so if peeps here want to know how Mount Coolangatta looks like just go to Sunny Coast

[@jamess7661]

Fortitude Valley video next?! Coming in hot!

[@jackthelad9933]

border should be moved a bit...probably south. Having it run through an urban area has proven to be a big hassle. eg. covid restrictions.

[@davetaylor4741]

Wouldn't have wanted to live there during Covid. Luckily the mother-in-Law had moved by then. Used to spend quite a bit of time there when she lived on Griffith St.

[@deanmaynard8256]

I grew up on the NSW side of Porpoise Spit

[@saintpauli7566]

Loved your summation of The Coolangatta Gold Rob. 😂😂😂

[@bethaneyperks1457]

I'm dying to try the pink hotel!

[@drewbranton8652]

Could you please do one on Byron

[@WalkingandTalkingAussieGirl]

History around every corner!

[@Vlaid65]

I saw a wreck uncovered by the sea in the middle of Coolangatta beach twice during my youth - once fully, once partially. Not sure which ship it was from, but everyone I asked said that it was the wreck of the Coolangatta. Kind of makes sense that it lay there on Coolangatta beach and not at Kirra beach. I don't have any answers, just passing on what I was told as a curious youth.

[@gillianbrowning3177]

You could have 2 new years eve, one on the gold coast then cross to the Cooly for take 2, good times

[@nickmonk7945]

And good for the last minute run to the shops during DST

[@geoffmccoll4640]

So, getting to Coolangatta with an iPhone in 2024 any suggestions?

[@TDubya811]

Think there is something wrong with the frame rate you shot your drone footage in? Causing it to stutter a little.

[@walkaboutwithrob]

I didn't shoot the drone footage. It was provided by someone else.

[@michealblackgoldcoasteryou3117]

great video

[@vv8134]

Pink hotel looks great place

[@antl986]

Wrong Augustine Rob, The Church Is named for Augustine of Hippo not the Augustine who became the first Arch bishop of Canterbury. Augustine of Hippo was a Berber bishop in Northern Africa.

[@servantofgod5642]

Wow so Augustine did haircuts too!

[@wobblyboost]

Now why would a Hippo want to become a catholic?