After winning the 1971 grand final with the Booval Swifts, talented player Ross Nunn headed to the bay to join the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 1972. This kicked off an illustrious career with the Seagulls, where Nunn contributed greatly before returning to Ipswich later in his career.
In the early 1970s, Wynnum Manly was struggling, winning just two games in 1972 and three in 1973. Nunn recalls that coach Jim Lewis, father of future star Wally Lewis, was fantastic but results were not there yet.
Under new coach Tom Berry in 1975, Wynnum Manly finally broke a 16-year finals drought. Nunn has fond memories of their incredible upset win over favourites Easts Tigers late in the season. However, they could not replicate this performance against the Redcliffe Dolphins the following week.
Nev Hornery’s brutal style transforms club
Photo Credit: Seagulls Forever
According to Nunn, the arrival of “Nasty Nev” Hornery in 1977 was transformative for Wynnum Manly. Hornery brought a new level of ruthlessness and winning mentality. Nunn never played against Hornery but understands why he struck fear in opponents.
Fond memories of talented teammates
Photo Credit: Seagulls Forever
Nunn looks back fondly on the many great players from Ipswich he got to play alongside in Brisbane. Talented players like Jeff Denman, Ian Robson, and John Crilly made the transition easier. He particularly recalls Tony Obst as one of the best he played with and against.
Ross Nunn is proud to have played a role in Wynnum Manly’s journey from strugglers to powerhouse. His fondest memories are of the club’s incredible supporters and the strong parallels with his hometown of Ipswich.
Peta Prestidge, fourth from left with the MHV Chamber of Commerce team (Photo credit: Manly Harbour Village/Facebook)
Peta Prestidge was appointed as president of Manly Harbour Village Chamber of Commerce when David Farley retired after 35 years. The Chamber of Commerce oversees Manly Harbour Village and ensures it stays as a world-class leisure precinct, just like how Mr Farley envisioned it more than three decades ago.
“I love Manly and the bayside area, and have immersed myself in the local community, leading to my appointment as President of the precinct’s Chamber of Commerce in late 2021,” Ms Prestidge shared.
Before she took over the role, Ms Prestidge served as the general manager of The Consortium Group since 2016. The company is behind The Arsonist and Tide on the Jetty, two of the most popular restaurants in Manly.
As the current president of Manly Harbour Village Chamber of Commerce, Ms Prestidge hopes new and existing members would get more involved, believing that working together for the bigger picture is the key to success.
Nikki Kay
Photo credit: ManlyBoathouse/Facebook
Nikki Kay and her husband transformed Wilson’s Boathouse into Manly Boathouse, now one of the leading seafood restaurants in the bayside.
The Kays gave the space a brand new look with their relaxed outdoor area where guests can walk in and try their bar snack menu, and a patio featuring a fish and chippery, gelato bar, and licensed bar.
The husband and wife duo successfully owned many retail businesses since 1991, which include bulk butcher shops, seafood markets, and seafood restaurants.
They were the original owners of Reef Seafood + Sushi, which was sold in 2018, before they opened a second venue, ReefGasworks in the Gasworks Precinct in Newstead, with the help of their son Ryan.
Joan Pease
Photo credit: Joan Pease MP/Facebook
When Joan Pease became a representative of the bayside community, Ms Pease helped deliver 24-hour health services back to Wynnum following the establishment of the Wynnum Manly Health Centre.
Ms Pease’s other local achievements include:
Helping young people into work by restoring funding for the successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work program
Upgrading local schools with funding for new facilities at Wynnum West, Darling Point and Brisbane Bayside plus a teacher aide in all prep classes
Cleaning up Wynnum Creek and the removal of derelict, polluting boats
Ms Pease is the patron of the Wynnum Manly Historical Association, the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club, the Bayside Woodturners and Woodcrafters Club and the Bayside Eastern District Orchid Society.
Ciara Metcalfe
Photo credit: Cricket Ireland/Facebook
Ciara Metcalfeis an Irish former cricketer who was a right-arm leg break bowler. She is considered as one of the personalities who made cricket more popular among women on the bayside.
It started when she played and served as coach for the Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club in the lower divisions.
Cricket grew so popular because of Metcalfe’s help, which even led to the merger of Redlands and Wynnum to come up with a first grade team. Since then, the sport keeps reaching new heights in the bayside.
Merle Dippel
Aunty Merle (second from left), with Winnam Chairperson Becky Thomson, Director Jacqui Carter, and Joan Pease MP (Photo credit: Winnam Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation/Facebook)
Merle Dippel was one of the three original founding members of Winnam Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Corporation, along with Cheryl Jacob and Becky Thomson.
From a $100 donation, Winnam has grown to one of the leading organisations providing affordable housing to the local community. Since starting their valuable work, Winnam has built up more than $17 million in assets.
Also known as ‘Aunty Merle,’ Ms Dippel was a founder of the Mariners and is a well-known Quandamooka Community Elder from North Stradbroke Island. She currently resides in Wynnum and was a long-term board member of Winnam.
After 12 weeks of digital training, workers at the Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre have done their first documentation of the patients’ integrated electronic medical records (ieMR), allowing the facility to finally go live on the digital platform.
With the new ieMR, Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre would be able to access the patients’ records electronically, thus bridging any gaps in the delivery of their needed healthcare.
“Sometimes it can be difficult accessing our patients’ medical information as a small community site,” Nurse Unit Manager Eric Ford said. “Having immediate access to electronic patient medical records will now be a great support for when a patient presents at the facility.”
The ieMR has been customised for Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre patients and whilst it was not an easy transition, the workers have welcomed the changes.
Project Manager Karen Davies and the staff have been actively involved with the customisation, collaborating with the Project Team and Cerner, the software developers.
“It’s great to see Wynnum-Manly PCC join the clinical community of Digital Hospitals in Metro South Health and across the state,” Ms Davies said.
“Clinicians will have access to instant, real-time patient information from across Metro South, as well as from digital facilities around Queensland with each patient’s electronic record now travelling with them.
“That means no need to obtain charts from Medical Records and better collaboration between clinicians, and more linked-up care for patients.
“Clinicians also have access to early warning alerts in a medical emergency and improved patient safety with patients accurately identified through wristbands with unique barcodes.”
For more than 25 years, Bayside locals have been looking forward to the annual Manly Halloween Parade but the festival has been called off due to the pandemic restrictions in the last two years and it’s still the case for the third year, post-pandemic, as the organisers have chosen not to do the parade for 2022.
Former Manly Harbour Village president, David Farley, who has been the head organiser of the Halloween street party, said that they have decided since February to defer the parade as COVID-19 remains uncertain despite the loosening restrictions.
Photo Credit: Manly Harbour village/Facebook
Instead, Wynnum will be taking over and hosting their inaugural Ampol Wynnum Halloween Parade on 29 October 2022 along Bay Terrace. It is expected to be smaller than the Manly event, which attracted over 20,000 people during the 2019 Halloween party.
The Wynnum festivities, organised by Wynnum Commerce with the help of Council and local businesses, will likely have over 5,000 guests. The celebration will run from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be no fireworks as well but the group said it will still be a fun community event for the locals.
Here’s what the guests can look forward to at the Wynnum event
Market stalls are open from 4:00 p.m.
Yummy food from our local vendors & Food Trucks from 5:00 p.m.
Trick & Treat Trail in Wynnum Central from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Parade starts at 6:00 p.m. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to dress in costumes to win in the Best Dressed Competitions.
Street Entertainment from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Wynnum Commerce group said they have an agreement to host the Halloween party for the next three years.
Meanwhile, Mr Farley said that he doesn’t know if Manly will resume hosting a Halloween festival by 2023 or 2024.
A big cultural celebration will take place at the George Clayton Park in Wynnum this July, as part of the National Aboriginal and Islanders Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week. Dubbed the Winnam NAIDOC Kunjiel, this special event gathers different Aboriginal communities consisting of the Nughi, Nunukul and Goenpul clans through music, dance, and a feast.
Kunjiel means “corroboree,” a term coined by Europeans to describe the ceremonies and practices of the Aboriginal tribes. This corroboree is also part of the annual Quandamooka Festival, a three-month-long commemoration of the People of South East Queensland.
Set for Saturday, the 20th of July 2019, at the Lower Esplanade in Manly, Winnam NAIDOC Kunjiel will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Aside from dances and music, this free event will feature different markets, traditional sports activities, food trucks, storytelling, arts and crafts and language classes.
Photo Credit: Quandamooka Festival/Facebook
“This year’s program brings the superstars of Australian music together with the next generation of performers in a series of magical events showcasing the depth and diversity of contemporary indigenous culture,” Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) CEO Cameron Costello said.
This could be good news for fur-parents as Brisbane City Council prepares to trial a number of off-leash beaches in Manly, Wynnym, and other seaside suburbs across Brisbane.
Come mid-2019, a number of beaches and foreshores will be designated as off-leash areas for a year.
Currently, there are a number of off-leash beaches where Brisbane dogs can go. Some of the best beaches for pooches include the North Shore off-leash beach in the Sunshine Coast, Coolum Beach and Nudgee Beach.
Under the council’s plan, selected beaches and foreshores in Manly, Wynnum, Lota, Sandgate, Nudgee Beach, Shorncliffe, and Brighton will allow dogs, small and big, to run free within a designated area. However, dog owners will be warned that they can be fined if they unleash their pets outside the off-leash area.
The off-leash beaches trial is in response to public clamour for more freedom for their fur babies. But a possible hindrance to making beaches off-leash are the birds that treat the beaches as their temporary home.
The council plans to conduct the trial during the non-migratory period. That way, they can strike a balance in providing freedom areas for dogs, whilst still protecting the birds.
Should the trial be successful, it could lead to more off-leash beaches and foreshores in Queensland.
