For most 4017 residents, a visit to Shorncliffe means casting a line, a family picnic, or a gentle stroll along the waterfront. But for one former Shorncliffe couple, a walk on the pier is a walk down memory lane.
For Joan and Robert Smith, both now in their nineties, returning to Shorncliffe is like stepping back through time. Their daughter, Glenda Thomas, shared that both of her parents grew up in the area and treasure their childhood days by the water.
“Both mum and dad each have wonderful memories of swimming down by the pier – back when men and women had separate bathing areas,” Glenda said. “Dad also has great stories of digging up worms and going fishing with his dad off the pier, and both mum and dad remember getting sap out of the Moreton Bay Fig trees and chewing it like gum.”
As a child, Robert lived on Rainbow Street, then Sunday Street, before his family settled on Cotton Street during his late teens. It was there that he would become neighbours with his future bride.
“I remember the first time I saw Robert,” Joan said. “I saw a man in the water under the pier in a bright colourful jumper, and it was him.”
During their teenage years, Joan and her sisters kept an eye out for Robert, curious about his romantic life.
“Mum said she was 22 years old when dad first asked her out,” Glenda said. “But, she wasn’t interested until she saw his car – a pale blue Austin A40. She said yes just so she could get a ride in it.”
A Lifetime Shaped by the Water
That first car ride marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership, with Joan and Robert marrying at Sandgate Baptist Church in 1958.
Whether they were swimming, windsurfing, or sailing, the water remained central to the couple’s life and Glenda fondly recalls the stories her parents shared.
“Dad said he was the first windsurfer in the creek and he used to give lessons,” she said. “They used to fly across the water to Nudgee and back when the winds were good.”
Once Joan and Robert had children, they continued to share their love of the water with their family.
“We always swam in the creek and we grew up on boats,” Glenda said. “We used to go to Moreton Island and fished a lot. Dad would go crabbing on Mud Island and I would collect oysters so we could have a feast.”
Although Robert and Joan now live in Boondall, their connection to Shorncliffe never faded. Standing on the pier today, they are reminded of simpler times and a lifetime of beautiful memories.
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
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- Community Support Brings Joy On The Water
- Sandgate Historical Museum Celebrates A Century of Weddings
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- Young Family Bids Ta-Ra to Town Hall Bakery
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