Travelling to Kirra these days is easy compared to years ago.

Very few cars travelled between Brisbane and Coolangatta in the 1940’s. Those that did had to travel across the Albert and Coomera rivers by barge. Most of the travelling was by train which departed South Brisbane station at 6.00pm each Friday night.

The Station Master would announce the train say ing – express to Tweed Heads stopping at and name two stations. The train would split at Ernest Junction, half would go to Southport and the remainder to Tweed Heads. The journey took three hours. 

Those who worked Saturday mornings caught the 12.30pm train. This train would stop at Nerang for fifteen minutes to unload milk cans. The return train left Tweed Heads at 6.00pm on Sunday night.

Patrols did not finish until 5.00pm Sunday and if you had a rescue late in the day, which was not unusual, people would have to run to catch the Sunday train. By the time Club Members travelled by tram to their homes in Brisbane it would be 10.00pm.

Transport changed in the 1950’s when bridges were built over the two rivers. Eventually members obtained cars and gave other Club Members a lift to Kirra.At one stage the Club had its own bus which carried

members between Brisbane and Kirra.

Arch Nicholson